MAY 5TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL.

At about midnight on the 4th May information was received from the Padstow coastguard that a convoy had been attacked from the air about ten miles N. by W. of Stepper Point, and that one of the ships was on fire.

At 1 A.M. the motor life-boat Queen Victoria, on temporary duty at this station, put out. The sea was smooth, with a light S.E. breeze.

The life-boat found the laden motor vessel Marie Flore, of Antwerp, ablaze from stem to stern. She went alongside, but got no response to shouts. All she found was a ship’s boat, and this she took in tow. She then offered to help the Dutch motor vessel Narwal, which was towing another vessel which had been damaged in the same attack, but her help was not needed and when the vessel in tow sank, the Narwal rescued the six survivors. The life-boat then returned to her station, but put out again to continue the search. She went back to the burning Marie Flore, found that the fire had partly died down, put three men on board her and, with other help, towed her into harbour, returning to her moorings at 2.15 PM Property salvage case..