LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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June

breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea and rain. The life-boat made for the position given, W. by S. 1/4S., 36 1/4 miles from Porthdinllaen Point. It was very difficult to see in the continuous rain and, when at midnight the life-boat reached the position given and searched, she could find nothing. The weather was getting steadily worse during the search, and the life-boat returned to her station at 5.35 A.M., having been out eleven hours. - An increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was granted to each member of the crew. Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £10 10s. ; additional rewards to crew, £2 19s. 6d. ; total rewards, £13 9s. 6d.

MAY 24TH. - HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND.

A British aeroplane came down at sea, but her crew were rescued by a destroyer. - Rewards, £5 2s. 6d.

MAY 24TH. - MARGATE, KENT. Red Very lights, presumably from an aeroplane down in the sea, had been reported, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £8 11s.

MAY 25TH. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE.

The Faroese motor vessel Harry had been reported on fire, but on her way out the life-boat learned from H.M.

trawler Ebor Abbey that she had found the Harry abandoned and had sunk her. - Rewards, £4 16s. 6d.

MAY 27TH. - ST. IVES, CORNWALL.

S.S. Registan, an auxiliary cruiser, was attacked and set on fire by four enemy aeroplanes, but the survivors were picked up by a motor boat from Sennen Cove and by destroyers.

- Rewards, £15 3s. 6d.

(See Sennen Cove, “ Services by Shoreboats,” page 97.) MAY 30TH. - RUNSWICK, YORKSHIRE.

A fishing coble was several hours overdue, but made harbour without the help of the life-boat. - Rewards, £6 18s.

MAY 30TH. - TROON, AYRSHIRE. A canoe was reported to have sunk leaving a boy, wearing a life-jacket, in the sea, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £4 10s. 6d.

MAY 31ST. - COURTMACSHERRY, CO. CORK. A steamer had been reported ashore and in need of help at Newfoundland Bay, twelve miles east of Old Head Lighthouse, but she got off and went on her way without the life-boat’s help. - Rewards, £9 7s.

MAY 3lST. - BARMOUTH, MERIONETHSHIRE . A British aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but an R.A.F. boat had gone to her help. - Rewards, £6 7s.in difficulties in Youghal Bay. The wind was due east and increasing, with a ground swell, and the boat was being carried away by the wind and tide. The motor life-boat Laurana Sarah Blunt was launched at 4.30 P.M. and found the boat about three miles away with two inexperienced boys on board.

She towed them in and returned to her station again at 6 P.M. - Rewards, £5 5s. 6d.

JUNE 3RD. - AMBLE, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 1.20 A.M. the coastguard telephoned that news had been received that a ship had been bombed and was sinking some seven miles east of Coquet, and the motor life-boat Frederick and Emma was, launched at 1.50 A.M. A strong N.E. wind was blowing, with a heavy swell. The life-boat found the S.S. Royal Fusilier, of Leith, of 3,000 tons, with a crew of twenty-nine. She had been bombed while on her way from London to Leith and was listing badly to port. Her crew had already been taken off by a destroyer. At the request of the destroyer, the coxswain put some of his crew aboard the steamer, and passed a rope from her to the destroyer, which took her in tow. The lifeboat had her gunwale damaged when the rough seas threw her against the destroyer and the steamer. She picked up and took in tow a ship’s boat, and returned to her station at 5.30 A.M. - Rewards, £10.

JUNE 4TH. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE.

During the afternoon the Kinnaird Head coastguard reported a splash and the sound of an explosion bearing 360° from Kinnaird Head two miles distant, just after two British aeroplanes had disappeared into the mist, and the naval authorities asked the life-boat to investigate. At 5.40 P.M.

the motor life-boat John and Charles Kennedy put out. A light S.E. wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. The life-boat found a large patch of oil, a deflated rubber dinghy and three pieces of a Blenheim bomber, but no sign of any survivors. She returned to her station at 7.15 P.M. - Rewards, £7 6s. 6d.

JUNE 6TH. - MONTROSE ANGUS, AND GOURDON, KINCARDINESHIRE. At one in the morning the Montrose station heard from the coastguard that a convoy was being attacked by enemy aeroplanes thirteen miles E. 3/4 N. from Scurdyness, and at six minutes past two the motor life-boat Good Hope was launched. A light N.E. wind was blowing, and the sea was calm. At 3.45 the life-boat found the S.S. Queensbury, of London, a vessel of nearly 4,000 tons, with a crew of about 35. She had been set on fire and was blazing from stem to stern. Two coasters had taken off the crew, and one of them had gone on her way, but the other was still there, and the life-boat took aboard from her twelve rescued men, two of whom were badly injured. She brought them ashore, arriving at 6 A.M., and the men were sent straight to hospital, but one of them died later.

Meanwhile the Gourdon life-boat station had been told by the coastguard at 1.40 in the morning that a vessel was on fire about eight miles S.E. by E. from Gourdon, and as the life-boat was being overhauled the motor boat Elizabeth, manned by a crew of seven, put out. She found the Montrose life-boat taking off the survivors and so she returned to Gourdon. - Rewards : Montrose, £13 10s.; rewards to Gourdon.

(See Gourdon, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 97.) JUNE 6TH. - THE LIZARD, CORNWALL.

At 8.40 A.M. a request came from the naval officer at Penzance, through the coastguard, asking for the life-boat to go to the help of the naval motor launch No. 155, and the motor life-boat Duke of York was launched at 9.14 A.M. The weather was foggy, with light winds and a calm sea. The life-boat found the launch ashore at Penvose, midway between Lloyd’s Station and Cadgwith, and it was feared that she might capsize. The life-boat returned to the Lizard and brought back cement and launching timbers. The motor launch was then shored up. She refloated later and was taken in tow for Falmouth by a naval salvage steamer. The life-boat returned to her station at 4.20 P.M.

- Rewards, £11 8s. 6d.

JUNE 9TH. - HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 2.35 in the morning the coastguard telephoned to the life-boat station that a trawler was ashore half a mile north of Bamburgh Castle, and the motor life-boat Elizabeth Newton, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 2.50.

An easterly wind was blowing, with a strong ground swell. The life-boat found the steam trawler Remagio, of Grimsby, with a crew of ten on board. She had been homeward bound with fish, when a German aeroplane had bombed her, and the skipper had run her ashore. In the heavy swell the life-boat had great difficulty in getting alongside, but she succeeded and made fast. One man fell from the trawler’s rigging into the sea, and was rescued from the shore. The life-boat rescued the remaining nine, but two of them, in jumping for her, fell between her and the trawler and it was only with great difficulty that they were seized and dragged aboard.

The rescue lasted 55 minutes, and all the time the crew knew that on board the Remagio was an unexploded time bomb. One of the rescued men had had his: hand badly crushed and, as there was no doctor on Holy Island, the life-boat made for Seahouses so that he might have it attended to as soon as possible. She arrived at 4.45 in the morning and left again at six, arriving back at her station at seven. - It was a service marked by skill and determination, and an increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew.

Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £14 2s.; additional rewards to crew, £4 ; total rewards, £18 2s.

JUNE 11TH . - ST. DAVID’S , PEM-BROKESHIRE. At 2.15 in the afternoon the coastguard telephoned that the naval base had reported a boat, from a vessel in distress, twelve miles north of St. David’s Head, and the motor life-boat Civil Service No. 6 was launched at 2.45. A light S.E.wind was blowing and the sea was calm.

The life-boat found the S.S. Baron Carnegie, of Ardrossan, of nearly 2,000 tons, bound, in ballast, from Swansea to the Gold Coast. She had been attacked and badly damaged. A tug had come to her help and was now towing her towards Fishguard, but early on the following morning, June 12th, she sank. Of her crew of 39 men, a number had already been rescued by other vessels when the St. David’s life-boat arrived. The life-boat herself found no one alive, but picked up and brought back seven bodies. She returned to her station a t 6 . 3 0 P . M . - Rewards, £3 14s. 6d.

JUNE 12TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

During the morning a moderate north-east wind was blowing, with rough breaking seas at the harbour entrance. This made it very dangerous for small vessels to enter. At 11.50 the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched to meet seven small cobles returning from fishing. She escorted them into harbour and returned to her station at 4.45 P.M. - Rewards, £4 16s. 6d.

JUNE 13TH. - ABERDEEN. A message was received from the Gregness coastguard that a vessel was on fire seven miles from Greyness, and at 1.30 in the morning the No. 1 motor life-boat Emma Constance was launched. A little northerly wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. The life-boat found the S.S. Dalemoor, of London. She had been bombed and was burning. The lifeboat signalled to H.M. Corvette J.115, learned from her that thirty-nine of the crew had been picked up, and was asked to search for further survivors. At 3.30 A.M. a naval tug arrived, went alongside the Dalemoor, which was still burning fiercely, and put three men on board to make fast a tow line. Meanwhile the life-boat had searched, but found no one. At 3.50 A.M. the tug asked the lifeboat to pass a line between her and the steamer. This the lifeboat did, took off the three men who had been put on board the Dalemoor, and returned them to the tug.

She then continued her search until 6 A.M.

The tugs were now using their fire hoses on the Dalemoor, and as they no longer needed her help, the life-boat returned to her station at 7.30 A.M. - Rewards, £12 8s.

JUNE 13TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

During the morning a light northerly breeze was blowing, but there was a strong swell breaking about four hundred yards outside the harbour entrance, and a fishing coble, attempting to make the harbour, shipped a nasty sea and nearly foundered. Several other cobles could be seen returning, and at 1.15 P.M. the No. 2 pulling and sailing life-boat Jacob and Rachael Vallentine was launched to escort the cobles into harbour. She met the cobles Silver Line, Rosamund, Cutty Sark and Brighter Hope, and as it was low water, she stood by them in the roadstead until there was sufficient water to enter harbour.

Then she escorted them in and returned to her station at 3 P.M. - Rewards, £8 5s. 6d.

JUNE 17TH. - COVERACK, CORNWALL.

At 7.25 in the morning information was received, through the coastguard, that a motor torpedo boat was ashore at Downance Cove, Kennack Bay, and the motor life-boat The Three Sisters was launched at 7.40 A.M. A light easterly wind was blowing and the sea was calm, but there was fog. The life-boat found the M.T.B. Naraya, with a crew of ten.

She had run aground and damaged her propellers. An Admiralty salvage officer was on board her, and the life-boat took him into Coverack to telephone to naval headquarters at Falmouth. He then asked the life-boat to tow the Naraya to Falmouth, which she did, arriving there at 4 P.M.

She returned to her station again at 7 P.M., having been out for nearly twelve hours.

The G.O.C. Falmouth sent a message of thanks. - Property salvage case.

JUNE 20TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

At 2 in the morning information came from the senior naval officer that H.M.T. Resmilo had been bombed in Peterhead Bay, and with a doctor and the senior naval officer on board the motor lifeboat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow was launched at 2.15 A.M. The sea was calm, but a variable breeze was blowing and the weather was thick. By the time the life-boat arrived the Resmilo had sunk, and there was no sign of her or her crew, so the life-boat returned to harbour to see if the examination vessel had brought in any survivors, but the examination vessel herself had not come in.

The life-boat put out again, searched the shore and at 4 A.M. found the examination vessel stranded at the west side of the bay.

She had on board the survivors from the Resmilo, twenty-four in number. The lifeboat took them off and landed them at Peterhead Harbour at 4.30 A.M. - Rewards, £8 16s. 6d.

JUNE 21ST. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. At 7.20 in the morning the naval authorities, through the coastguard, asked for the services of the lifeboat to land an injured man from a destroyer coming into the roads, and at 7.40 A.M. the motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched, picked up a doctor at the naval base, and put out to sea. The wind was S.S.W., with a smooth sea. The life-boat found H.M.

Destroyer Whitshed in the gatway, and went alongside and took on board the injured man.

She landed him at the naval base and returned to her station at 10 A.M. - Rewards, £4 15s. 6d.

JUNE 21S T. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

At 4.45 P.M. a message was received that a Peterhead motor boat, the Boy, with two on board, had not returned, and the motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow was launched at 5 P.M. A fresh S.S.E. wind was blowing, with a moderate swell, and there was fog. The life-boat went to the north, in which direction the missing boat had last been seen, and two miles away found the motor boat. Her engine had failed. She took the boat in tow and arrivedback at Peterhead at 6.15 P.M. - Rewards £5 14s. 6d.

JUNE 25TH. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, ESSEX . At 2.25 A.M . the coastguard reported that a British bomber was believed to be down several miles to the eastward, and the motor life-boat J. B. Proudfoot, on temporary duty at this station, was launched at 3.15 A.M. A light S.E. wind was blowing and the sea was smooth. Two miles S.S.E. of Holland Look-out she found a Polish pilot swimming, and afterwards picked up the bomber’s dinghy, empty. As the pilot was unhurt, she continued her search for the other airmen, but without success. She returned to her station at 5.25 A.M., landed the pilot, put to sea again, and searched until 8.25 A.M. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.

JUNE 26TH. - WELLS, NORFOLK .

Shortly after 9 in the morning the R.A.F. reported, through the coastguard, that an aeroplane had crashed in the sea, and the motor life-boat Royal Silver Jubilee l910- 1935 was launched at 9.45 A.M. A light westerly breeze was blowing, and the sea was smooth. About fives miles E.N.E. of the boat-house the life-boat found a rubber balloon, but though she made a thorough search she found nothing else, and returned to her station at 12.20 P.M. While she was out she saw an object, which might have been a parachute, and sent a motor boat after it, but the boat could not overtake it, it was being so rapidly carried out to sea.- Rewards, £8 9s. 5d.

(See Wells, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 98.) The following life-boats were launched but no services were rendered for the reasons given :

JUNE 1ST. - BARMOUTH, MERIONETHSHIRE.

A German aeroplane had crashed twelve miles west of Aberystwyth, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £7 10s.

(See Aberystwyth, “ Services by Shoreboats,” page 97.)

JUNE 3 RD. - ST . MARY’S , SCILLY ISLES. A civilian passenger aeroplane left St. Mary’s and never reached the mainland, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £12 18s.

JUNE 7TH. - BARRA ISLAND , HEBRIDES. An object had been reported floating in the sea, which appeared to have prongs, but it was found to be the carcase of a bullock with the feet upwards. - Rewards, £9 8s. 6d.

JUNE 7TH. - CLOUGHEY, CO. DOWN.

Reports had been heard which were thought to be rockets, but it was found that the crew of a small salvage steamer had been firing a gun. - Rewards, £6 19s.

JUNE 11TH. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE.

A steamer had been badly damaged by a German aeroplane, but a destroyer had taken off her crew, and was standing by until a tug came. - Rewards, £32 1s.

The news of the vessel on fire had also been sent by the coastguard to St. David’s, and the life-boat Civil Service No. 6 had launched at the same time as the Fishguard life-boat, 5.25 in the morning. The St. David’s boat found nothing, and from time to time asked her station by wireless if there was any more information to be given. At 7.30 the two motor life-boats met, and the St. David’s boat returned to her station, arriving at 8.30 in the morning. The Fishguard boat continued her search until 11.30, finding nothing, and then returned to Fishguard with a patrol vessel which had also been searching. She arrived back at her station at one in the afternoon.

JUNE 11TH. - RUNSWICK, YORKSHIRE:.

A steamer had been bombed by a German aeroplane and had sunk, but only wreckage and two empty rafts were found.- Rewards, £21 13s.

JUNE 12TH. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE.

An unknown vessel, eleven miles away, had been reported in need of help, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £12 3s.

JUNE 13TH. - FISHGUARD AND ST. DAVID’S, PEMBROKESHIRE At 4.40 in the morning a message was received at Fishguard from the coastguard that a vessel was on fire seven miles west of Strumble Head, and at 5.25 the motor life-boat White Star was launched. A light N.W. wind was blowing, with a slight sea. All the life-boat found was oil bubbles coming to the surface and two boxes of fish which she brought back with her.

It was then discovered that the two boxes of fish were part of the cargo of the great Western Railway Company’s steamer St. Patrick, of London, bound from Rosslare to Fishguard. She had been attacked by German aeroplanes, and a bomb had struck her between the bridge and the funnel. It had penetrated to the oil tanks, setting them on fire, and in five minutes the steamer had sunk. The majority of the ninety people on board were picked up by government vessels and landed at Milford Haven. Some eighteen were thought to have lost their lives, including the captain, mates and several of the stewards. - Rewards : St. David’s, £6 12s. ; Fishguard, £6 12s.

JUNE 1 4TH. - WELLS, NORFOLK. A raft flying a white flag had been reported, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £21 3s. 9d.

JUNE 14TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. An enemy aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £9 19s.

JUNE 17TH. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, ESSEX. Red stars fired from the surface of the sea had been reported, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £7 10s.

JUNE 1 7TH. - DUNMORE EAST, CO WATERFORD. A motor fishing boat had gone ashore in the fog, but she got off without help and was at anchor when the life-boat reached her. - Rewards, £8 15s.

JUNE 20TH. - MINEHEAD, SOMERSET.

An aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £7 0s. 3d.

(See Watchet, “ page 98.) Services by Shore-boats,”

JUNE 20TH. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but later this was found to be incorrect. - Rewards, £6 6s. 6d.

JUNE 21ST. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, AND WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. A British fighter aeroplane had come down in the sea, but the pilot was rescued by a barge.

In addition to the two life-boats the motor boarding boat from Walton went out.

- Rewards : Clacton, £7 17s. 6d. ; Walton, £17 6s.

JUNE 22ND. - PORTHDINLLAEN , CAERNARVONSHIRE. The Dutch motor vessel Aegir, of Groningen, had sprung a leak, but she was piloted in by a Bardsey Island motor boat, and was beached at Porth Oer.

- Rewards, £5 5s.

JUNE 22ND. - TOBERMORY, ARGYLLSHIRE.

Two young men had gone out fishing in a small sailing boat on the previous day, and when they did not return a party searched the coast. A dog which had gone with them returned alone, a patrol boat picked up their boat and one of her oars and her boom were found on the shore, but the life-boat could find no trace of the men. - Rewards, £4 19s. 6d.

JUNE 23RD. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A boat of the Air Sea Rescue Service had gone out to the help of an aeroplane which had come down in the sea, had caught fire herself and had been burnt out, but her crew were rescued by the examination boat. - Rewards, £6 16s. 6d.

JUNE 23RD. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. An R.A.F. aeroplane had come down in the sea and her pilot had baled out, but he was picked up by a boat which had put out from the shore. - Rewards, £11 10s.

JUNE 27TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL.

A drifter, which was helping in the salvage of a motor vessel, had gone ashore herself, but she got off without help. Partly paid permanent crew. - Rewards, £6 9s.

JUNE 27TH. - WICK, CAITHNESSSHIRE.

An R.A.F. aeroplane had been reported down, but nothing was found, and later it was learned that the aeroplane had returned safely. - Rewards, £7 13s. 6d.

JUNE 29TH. - LONGHOPE, ORKNEYS.

A party of soldiers had been fishing from some rocks, and a heavy sea had swept one of them away, but he was lost before the lifeboat could reach him. - Rewards, £9 18s.