Launches 34. Lives rescued 34.

DECEMBER 1 ST. - LERWICK, SHETLANDS.

Shortly before mid-day the naval authorities telephoned that the ten-year-old daughter of the lightkeeper at South Lighthouse, Fair Isle, was in urgent need of a doctor. A S. by W. gale was blowing, with a heavy sea, and it was impossible to send any other vessel. The motor life-boat Lady Jane and Martha Ryland left at 12.40 P.M., and reached Fair Isle at 6.30 P.M. She took on board the girl Margaret Smith, and her father and mother, and landed them at Lerwick at 12.5 A.M. next morning. The girl was taken to hospital and was operated on at once. The surgeon afterwards thanked the life-boat crew and said that their promptitude had enabled him to save the girl’s life.

Later she was killed in an air-raid. - No expense to the Institution.

DECEMBER 3RD. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD . At about 11.20 P.M. on the 2nd December a terrific explosion was heard, followed by a series of small explosions, and then rockets were seen going up from the Tuskar Rock Lighthouse.

The motor life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson was launched at 12.45 on the morning of December 3rd. Mr. W. J. B. Moncas, the secretary of the branch, went with her. A light wind was blowing from the south, and the sea was calm. As the lifeboat travelled towards the lighthouse her crew could see repeated SOS signals in morse. She had taken her boarding boat with her, and Mr. Moncas and two of the crew landed from it on the rock. A mine,which the three keepers of the lighthouse had, for two hours, watched drifting slowly towards them, had struck the base of the lighthouse and exploded. One of the men was on duty in the tower, and the other two were in the kitchen. The explosion had broken the glass in the lantern 100 ft. above the rock, and had put out the light. It had knocked down and dazed the man who was on duty in the tower. It had wrecked the living quarters and seriously injured the two men who were in the kitchen. One of them had multiple injuries, was unconscious and had had all his clothes blown off him. The other was conscious, but severely injured. The uninjured man had dragged them clear of the wreckage of the living rooms and, with great difficulty, they were lifted into the life-boat. Leaving one of her crew to stay with the one uninjured keeper, the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 2.15 in the morning. The injured men were sent to hospital but two hours later one of them died.

The Institution sent a letter of thanks to Mr. Moncas and the crew, and the Institution was warmly thanked by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. At the funeral of the lightkeeper the Institution was represented by the district inspector, Lieut-Commander S. W. Tansley, R.D., R.N.R. - Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £4 4s.

DECEMBER 6TH. - FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. I  the early morning several fishing cobles had put out to sea, but shortly afterwards the weather began to get bad, and several of the boats on reaching the fishing grounds, turned back. By 1 P.M.

a S.W. gale was blowing, with a rough sea, and at 3P.M. as one of the boats , t h e Boy's Own, had not returned, the motor lifeboat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley was launched to search for her. She found her at 4.15 P.M., about six miles off Flamborough Head, making very bad weather and in a precarious position. Her crew of four were baling all the time. The life-boat threw a line to her and towed her back, arriving at 5.30 P.M. - Rewards, £19 5s. 3d.

DECEMBER 7TH. - THURSO, CAITHNESS-SHIRE . In the early morning a north-westerly gale, between 80-90 miles an hour, was blowing, with a very heavy sea and showers of rain and hail, and at 2.30 a steam drifter, with no one on board, broke adrift. She drifted towards the life-boat, lying at moorings, carried away one of her mooring ropes and bent four stanchions.

Together the two vessels continued to drift until they came alongside a steamer. There they were secured. At 9.15 in the morning the life-boat crew were summoned, and they went out and moored the life-boat in a vacant berth. At eleven in the morning it could be seen that a steamer in Scrabster roadstead, the S.S. Sado, of Haugesund, Norway, was in difficulties. She was a vessel of over 900 tons, laden with cement for Scrabster, and had a crew of 17. A few minutes later she was heard blowing her siren for help, and at 11.45 A.M. the motor life-boat H.C.J. slipped her moorings and went to the Sado’s help. As shewas going out between the pier heads, a squall struck her and she scraped against one of them, damaging the edge of the deck.

She found that the steamer had lost both her anchors and was drifting. The coxswain put one of his crew on board and, with the lifeboat standing by, the Sado was taken into harbour and moored. It was then 12.30 P.M.

Two hours later the steamer broke all her ropes and went aground. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 8TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. At 5.45 A.M. a message was received from the military lookout post at Greenore Point that rockets and flares had been seen, and at 6.35 A.M. the motor lift-boat Mabel Marion Thompson was launched. A light S.W. breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth. The life-boat saw the SOS signal being flashed, made for it, and, when two miles S. by E. of Haugh Buoy found a ship’s boat with eleven men on board. They were the crew of the steamer Gertie, of Liverpool, which had struck a mine and sank near the Tuskar Rock, and they had flashed the signal with an electric torch.

The life-boat rescued the eleven men and took their boat in tow. The men were uninjured, but very wet and cold, and they were given rum. The life-boat landed them at Rosslare pier, and returned to her station at 8.10 A.M. - Partly paid permanent crew.

Rewards, £3 10s. 6d.

DECEMBER 9TH. - AITH, SHETLANDS. A message was received from Dr. Cruickshank, of Walls, that he had had an urgent call to go to Foula Island. The weather was too rough for the ferry boat to make the passage, and no other vessel was available on the mainland, so he asked that the life-boat should take him. The life-boat crew were assembled and stood by, but meanwhile the weather had got rapidly worse, and when Foula was rung up it was learnt that no boat could land on the island in the increasingly heavy seas and unfavourable wind.

On the two following days a whole gale was blowing, and the heavy seas still made landing at Foula impossible. By the 9th the weather had moderated, and at 10 A.M. the motor life-boat The Rankin was launched, with Dr. Cruickshank on board. A whole gale was still blowing, with a very heavy sea and squalls of sleet. The life-boat reached Foula at 2.30 in the afternoon and found that the patient, a woman, was too ill to be taken through the rough seas, so it was decided that she should shelter in the lee of the island for the night. By next morning the seas had moderated, the woman was taken on board, and the life-boat landed her at Aith, where she was taken to hospital for an operation.

The life-boat returned to her station at 2 P.M.

on the 10th December. - Expenses defrayed by the Department of Health for Scotland.

DECEMBER 23RD. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

At about 10.10 A.M. the coastguard telephoned that the local motor fishing coble Zephyr, with a crew of three, was flying distress signals about one and a half miles N.E. of Whitby Rock Buoy, and at 10.30 A.M.

the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched. A fresh N.W. breeze was blowing, with a ground swell. The lifeboat found the Zephyr disabled with a rope round the propeller, took her in tow and brought her into Whitby at 11.40 A.M. - Rewards, £7 6s. 6d.

DECEMBER 25TH. - LOWESTOFT SUFFOLK.

At 3.45 P.M. a man told the life-boat, coxswain that a small boat was in difficulties in the South Roads, and this was reported to the naval duty officer who kept the boat under observation. Later a message came from the naval base that the boat was drifting out to sea, and that the occupants were waving a flag. At 4.15 P.M. the motor lifeboat Michael Stephens was launched. A strong N. by E. wind was blowing, with a rough sea.

The life-boat reached the small boat four miles south of Lowestoft, and found her half full of water, with two exhausted men aboard. The life-boat took them off and, with their boat in tow, made for Lowestoft,, but a sea struck the small boat and broke her painter, and she had to be abandoned. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 5.30 PM Rewards. £7 18s. 6d.

DECEMBER 25TH.- HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM. At 6.50 P.M. on Christmas Day information was received, through the coastguard, that distress signals had been seen, and the life-boat crew were assembled. At 7.35 P.M. the naval authorities reported that an Admiralty tug was being sent out and asked that the life-boat should go also, and the motor lifeboat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched at 8 P.M. A moderate N.N.W. wind was blowing and the sea was rough. Three miles N. of Heugh the life-boat found the S.S. Charles Parsons, of London, with a crew of twenty on board.

She had been bombed by a German aeroplane, was making water and was not under control. One of her crew had had his legs broken and he was transferred to the lifeboat.

She then sent a wireless message to the local naval wireless station asking for a doctor and ambulance to be in readiness, and, at the captain’s request,, she also asked for two tugs to help the steamer into port.

She landed the injured man at 9.40 P.M. and returned to the Charles Parsons. She stood by her until the tugs towed her into Hartlepool at 1.30 next morning. - Rewards, £15 11s.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given : DECEMBER 1ST. - ST. IVES, CORNWALL.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but neither wreckage nor survivors could be found. - Rewards, £10.

DECEMBER 4TH. - FERRYSIDE, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

A motor boat owned by mooring contractors to the R.A.F. was overdue, but later she was reported to be safe. - Rewards, £16 19s.

DECEMBER 5TH. - HASTINGS, KENT.

A red light had been reported on the water off Bexhill, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £44 17s.

DECEMBER 6TH. - DUN LAOGHAIRE, CO. DUBLIN. Rockets and shell-fire had been reported, but nothing could be found.

- Rewards, £14 5s. 6d.

DECEMBER 6TH. - PORTPATRICK, WIGTOWNSHIRE.

A seaplane had been reported down in the sea, but was later reported to be safe. While searching for her, the lifeboat found a barrage balloon partly deflated, but in the heavy seas it was impossible to salve it. - Rewards, £5 14s.

DECEMBER 7TH . - APPLEDORE,DEVON. An aeroplane was reported to have crashed into the sea, but the life-boat was recalled by the naval authorities . - Rewards, £15 12s.

DECEMBER 8TH. - BROUGHTY FERRY, ANGUS. An R.A.F. seaplane had failed to return to its base, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £13 1s.

DECEMBER 8TH. - MONTROSE, ANGUS.

At 5.15 in the evening the coastguard at Usan reported that four Admiralty trawlers were being bombed by enemy aeroplanes two miles to the S.E., and the motor life-boat The Good Hope put out at 5.35. She reached the position given by the coastguard 25 minutes later. Two of the trawlers had been sunk, but they must have gone down very quickly for there was no trace of them.

Aeroplanes dropped flares, and by their light the life-boat continued her search for over five hours, but she found nothing. If there were any survivors from the two trawlers, they must have been picked up by the other two, which had gone on their way to their base before the life-boat arrived. - Rewards, £14 8s.

DECEMBER 10TH. - MOELFRE, ANGLESEY. An unknown drifter had struck a mine, but the life-boat found only wreckage. - Rewards, £7 1s.

DECEMBER 12TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. An aeroplane, which had caught fire, was reported to have come down in the sea, but naval rescue boats had already gone to its help. - Rewards, £15 7s. 6d.

DECEMBER 18TH. - ABERDEEN. An aeroplane was reported to have crashed in the sea, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £15 9s.

DECEMBER 10TH. - BARMOUTH, MERIONETHSHIRE.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea off Pwllheli, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £29 3s.

DECEMBER 19TH. - PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE. A tanker had been attacked by German aeroplanes and set on fire, and the life-boat and naval motor boats went as near to her as possible, but saw no sign of anyone on board. - Rewards, £15 10s.

DECEMBER 20TH . - STORNOWAY, ISLAND OF LEWIS. H.M. Tank Landing Craft 144 was in danger, as her engine had broken down, but she was taken in tow by one of H.M. trawlers. - Rewards, £6 13s.

DECEMBER 20TH. - ARBROATH, ANGUS.

A pilot had baled out from a British aeroplane, but he was picked up by a naval vessel. - Rewards, £7 15s. 6d.

DECEMBER 22ND. - KILMORE, AND ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD.

An aeroplane was reported to have crashed into the sea, and red and green flares could be seen apparently at sea level, but nothing was found. - Rewards : Kilmore, £33 14s. 6d ; Rosslare Harbour, partly paid permanent crew, £4 15s.

DECEMBER 23RD. - FILEY, YORKSHIRE.

Lights had been reported flashing on the water and it was thought that an aeroplane might be down, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £23 0s. 6d.

DECEMBER 27TH. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM, AND REDCAR, YORKSHIRE.

Flares had been seen and an aeroplane was believed to be in the sea, but the life-boats found nothing, and later it was learned that a German aeroplane had been lost, with her crew. - Rewards : Hartlepool, £15 11s. ; Redcar, £18 12s.

DECEMBER 28TH. - DUN LAOGHAIRE, CO. DUBLIN. A small steamer had been reported drifting in need of help, but the life-boat found that she was a trawler at anchor, and that what had been thought to be a red flag on her fore stay, as a signal of distress, was the flag on a Dan buoy which she was carrying forward. - Rewards, £7 11s.

DECEMBER 29TH. - BALLYCOTTON, CO.

CORK. Flares, followed by rockets, had been reported, and the noise of aeroplanes had been heard, but nothing was found.- Rewards, £7.

DECEMBER 29TH. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. An aeroplane had been reported down, but only patches of oil were found. - Rewards, £44 19s.

DECEMBER 30TH. - DONAGHADEE, CO. DOWN. The sound of a horn and shouts for help were heard at eight in the evening, and the life-boat put out at once. She saw a ship’s life-boat with seven men on board, but before she reached them an R.A.F.

rescue boat got ahead of her and rescued the seven men. Their ship had struck a rock and had sunk. - Rewards, £13 7s. 6d.