APRIL 3RD - 4TH. - BROUGHTY FERRY, ANGUS. At 11.34 at night a message was received from the Carnoustie coastguard that a vessel was believed to be ashore on Bell Rock, and at midnight the motor life-boat Mona was launched. A strong N.E. wind was blowing, with a heavy sea, and the night was very dark. The naval officer commanding at Dundee was asked to inform the coastal batteries that the life-boat was launching, and also to ask that the lights at Buddon Ness might be shown to help the lifeboat over the bar.

she went down the unlit channel and picked up these lights as she came abreast of them, but the visibility was only about half a mile and she lost the lights before she could get them in line, so that she had to cross the bar without their help, steering by compass only.

In the darkness and the heavy sea the crossing was difficult and dangerous, and the lifeboat had to reduce speed, but after twenty minutes on compass course she got clear and made for the Bell Rock. At quarter to two the life-boat spoke to the Bell Rock by radio telephone and asked the lightkeeper to show a light so that the life-boat might get her position. He replied that he had turned it on, but the visibility was so poor that the life-boat could not see it. The lightkeeper also said that there was no vessel ashore on the Rock. The life-boat passed on this information to the naval officer at Dundee, who told her to return to her station, but to keep a constant listening watch on her wireless as he believed that a vessel had been in difficulties on the Rock and had got clear, but might still be in the neighbourhood and in need of help. The coxswain decided to remain at sea until daybreak and anchored in twelve fathoms at 2.40 in the morning.

Visibility was still less than one mile, but began to improve.

At 5.30 A.M. the life-boat got under weigh again, and half an hour later saw a large steamer lying with two anchors out. She was in a very dangerous position on the south face of the Abertay Bank, S.S.W. from No. 3 Black Buoy. The life-boat went in and spoke the steamer. She found that she was the Emile Francqui, of Antwerp. It was she who hadbeen aground on the Bell Rock. She had got clear with a damaged bottom, and for two hours had been pounding on the bank at low water. She was making water in her fore and after holds, and the captain asked the life-boat to take off eight passengers. This was done, but only with great difficulty, and it took three-quarters of an hour, for with the high, sharp swell the securing ropes broke three times. The captain asked if any tugs could come to his help, but the coxswain told him that no tug could cross the bar, and advised him to attempt to make the Firth of Forth. The steamer got under weigh, with the life-boat standing by, but after she had gone about 24 miles her rudder became useless, and the anchors were again let go.

The coxswain reported this to the naval officer at Dundee and to the harbour master, saying that the need for tugs was very urgent.

The captain then asked the life-boat to land the eight passengers and be ready to come out to his help again if he needed it. The life-boat left the steamer at eight in the morning, arrived at her station at 9.15 and stood by ready to go out again at a moment’s notice.

At five that evening, April 4th, the naval officer at Dundee asked the life-boat to go out and take off the steamer’s crew as there was danger that she would break up and founder during the night. The life-boat left at 5.25. There was still a strong northeasterly wind blowing, and a heavy ground swell. The life-boat reached the steamer about seven in the evening and found a destroyer standing by. At the request of her commander she put two of his officers on board the steamer and then set about rescuing the crew. It was very difficult in the heavy swell. The three-inch manilla securing rope broke again and again as the life-boat rose and fell, until it was completely destroyed. Then the life-boat used her heavy towing hawsers and they parted twice. The life-boat was continually flung against the steamer, and twelve feet of her port wale were completely destroyed. In spite of these difficulties the coxswain kept the life-boat alongside the steamer for an hour and a quarter while the 37 men of her crew, waiting their opportunity, jumped one by one from the steamer’s rail with the life-boatmen waiting below to seize them as they dropped.

The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at ten minutes past ten that night.

- Rewards, £25 11s. 0d..