Launches 74. Lives rescued 140.

OCTOBER 1ST - 22ND. - CROMER, NORFOLK. During the month both of the Cromer life-boats were launched several times and gave help to the S.S. Teddington, which had stranded after enemy attack in September.

For details see September 17th, page 69.

OCTOBER 4TH. - PWLLHELI, CAERNARVONSIIIRE.

At 8.40 P.M. the Abersoch coastguard reported that the R.A.F. at Penrhos had seen flares eastwards of St. Tudwall’s Island, at 9 P.M. that an aeroplane was down in the sea, and at 9.15 P.M. that a motor launch, H.M.S. Glendower, belonging to the camp, which had put out at 1 P.M. with a party of Wrens and sailors aboard, had not returned. At 10 P.M. the motor life-boat C. and S. was launched. A moderate easterly wind was blowing, with a slight sea. At 10.30 P.M. the life-boat saw flares, and four and a half miles S.W. of the life-boat station she found the motor launch with her engine broken down. She took her in tow, with the party of seven on board, and reached Pwllheli at 11 P.M. She was ready to go out again in search of the aeroplane, but the call was cancelled as it had been found that no aeroplane was missing. - Rewards, £11 14s.

OCTOBER 6TH. - CULLERCOATS , NORTHUMBERLAND. At about 11.26 A.M. the life-boat coxswain received a telephone message from the Blyth coastguard that a vessel was ashore about one mile south of St. Mary’s Island, and at 11.35 A.M. the motor life-boat Westmorland was launched.

The weather was foggy, with a light E.S.E.

wind, and a slight swell. The life-boat foundthat the vessel was the mine-sweeping trawler Nodzu, and stood by. After about an hour the trawler came off without help as the tide rose, and made for harbour escorted by the life-boat, which arrived back at her station at 2.15 P. M . - Rewards, £14 14s. 6d.

OCTOBER 8TH. - BARROW, LANCASHIRE.

At 3.12 A.M. a telephone call came from the coastguard at Walney that the coast watcher at Ravenglass had reported a vessel in distress and firing rockets, and the motor life-boat N.T. was launched at 3.45 A.M.

A light, variable wind was blowing, with a moderate swell. On Barn Shoal, one mile south of Seascale, the life-boat found the steam trawler Recinia, of Milford Haven.

She had a crew of twelve and was bound with fish for Fleetwood. At the request of the master the life-boat stood by to see if the Recinia would refloat at high water, but she was found to be leaking. The master said that he would remain on board until low water and then take his crew ashore and arrange for the sale of the fish. The life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 5.45 P.M.

- Rewards, £22 19s.

OCTOBER 10TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

At about 10.30 A.M. the harbour entrance had become dangerous owing to a heavy fresh which was running out on the ebb tide. A strong N.N.W. breeze was blowing, and the sea was rough. Four fishing cobles were out, and the coxswain and second-coxswain of the motor life-boat.

were among the fishermen at sea. The coxswain of the pulling boat decided to take out the motor lifeboat Mary Ann Hepworth, and she left at 10.45 A.M. She escorted the cobles Freda, Dorothy, Brighter Hope and Enterprise separately into harbour, and returned to her station at 1.30 P.M. - Rewards, £7 6s. 6d.

OCTOBER 11TH. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

At 9.55 in the morning a message came from the coastguard that a rubber dinghy, with two men on board, was in the sea eleven miles E.S.E. of Skegness. A strong northerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea, and squalls of rain. The coastguard said that a naval patrol boat had been sent out and, for that reason, the life-boat was not launched. Ten minutes later another call came from the coastguard asking that the life-boat should go at once. The patrol boat had not sufficiently powerful engines to face the tide and strong wind. At 10.40 the motor life-boat Anne Allen was launched.

Aeroplanes guided her towards the dinghy, and she found it, 11 miles away, at 11.35.

There were five men on board. They were the crew of a Whitley bomber which had come down in the sea on her way back from Germany. The life-boat brought back the dinghy as well as the men and reached her station again at 12.40 P.M. The rescued men thanked their rescuers, who also received a telegram of congratulation from the Royal Air Force, and letters of thanks were received by the Institution from the officer commanding No. 58 Squadron, the Air Counciland the Director-General of aircraft safety.

- Rewards, £10 1s. 6d.

OCTOBER 11TH. - SUNDERLAND , DURHAM. At 9.57 A.M. the coastguard reported that the after part of the tanker Pontfield, in tow of a tug, was making heavy weather off the port. On 15th September the Pontfield had struck a mine off Cromer and been broken in two. The fore part had sunk and the after part had been towed to Yarmouth. The tug Empire Henchman was now taking her to the Tyne for repairs.

The vessels had already been seen to be in difficulties, and the life-boat crew was standing by, and at 10.45 A.M. the motor life-boat Edward and Isabella Irwin put out.

A strong and squally N.E. breeze was blowing and the sea was rough. The life-boat rescued twenty-two men from the Pontfield, and returned at 11.40 A.M. In the afternoon the tug fired rockets, and, at 5.40 P.M., the lifeboat put out a second time. She found that the Empire Henchman wanted her to take off a pilot and put him on board the Pontfield.

She took him off but found it impossible to put him on the Pontfield, so she brought him ashore, arriving at 7.30 P.M. - Rewards, £7 15s. 6d. and £15 7s. 6d.

(See Cromer “ Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 69.)

OCTOBER 1 4TH.. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. On the night of the 13th the Carne look-out post reported that it had heard a ship give three blasts on her whistle near Findale Perch, and thought she must have gone aground. The weather was calm, with a smooth sea, but there were occasional squalls and showers of rain which made observation difficult. The life-boat station asked the look-out post to send a man of the coastal life service to investigate, and later the look-out post reported that the ship had passed towards Greenore Point and, later still, that a ship had arrived about a quarter of a mile off the pier and was blowing her whistle continuously. Morse signals were made to her asking what was the matter and if the life-boat was wanted, but no reply was received. and at 12.40 in the morning of the 14th the motor life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson was launched. She found the steam trawler Solan, of Hull. The trawler had gone aground and had refloated, but she was leaking badly. The life-boat put her second-coxswain on board to act as pilot, and, with the life-boat escorting her, the trawler came to the pier and berthed. - Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £4 13s.

OCTOBER 15TH. - DUNMORE EAST, CO. WATERFORD. Distress signals were seen from a fishing vessel in Waterford Harbour, and at 6.10 P.M. the motor life-boat Annie Blanche Smith was launched. A strong S.W.

wind was blowing, and the sea was rough.

The life-boat found the motor trawler Pride of Rosslare, of Dublin, with a crew of two, disabled by the failure of her engine. She towed her to Dunmore East. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.

OCTOBER 16TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK.

At 5.30 A.M. messages were received from the coastguard that an aeroplane had caught fire and crashed into the sea a quarter of a mile off Happisburgh Beach, and at 5.46 A.M. the No. 1 motor life-boat H. F. Bailey was launched. There was a moderate S.W.

breeze, with a slight sea. The life-boat found parts of an aeroplane, thought to be a British Beaufighter, and the shattered body of one of the crew. She brought back his remains and returned to her station at 10 A.M. - Rewards, £19 8s. 6d.

OCTOBER 16TH. - MARYPORT, CUMBERLAND.

At about 5.10 A.M. the Workington coastguard reported a red flare five to six miles away in a westerly direction, and asked for the life-boat crew to stand by. A westerly gale was blowing, with a heavy sea and rain squalls. At about 6 the coastguard asked that the life-boat should be launched, and the motor life-boat Joseph Braithwaite put out at 6.45 A.M. Off Whitehaven she found the motor fishing vessel Karen Maria, of that port, with a crew of four, in tow of another fishing boat. The engine had failed. Escorted by the life-boat the two fishing boats reached Whitehaven safely, and the life-boat returned to her station at 11.30 A.M. - Rewards, £13 12s.

OCTOBER 17TH. - GALWAY BAY. At 4.15 P.M. the motor life-boat City of Bradford No. I, on temporary duty at the station, was launched to take a priest and doctor to a sick woman on Inisherr Island. Half a gale was blowing from the S.W. and the sea was rough. - Rewards, £14 2s.

OCTOBER 17TH. - HOYLAKE , CHESHIRE. During the evening the lifeboat telephone messenger saw flares in the Hilbre Swash, bearing approximately 300° from the life-boat house, and reported them to the coastguard. Then, at 7.32 P.M., the coastguard reported red flares two to three miles N.W. from Hoylake look-out ; the life-boat crew was, assembled by messengers, and at 8.33 P.M. the motor life-boat Oldham was launched. A fresh, squally S.W. wind was blowing, with a rough breaking sea. The life-boat went round East Hoyle Bank, and at 9.30 P.M. found the motor launch Constance, of Mostyn. She had been engaged in salvage work on the wreck Nestos. Her engine had failed, and she way leaking badly and in danger of sinking. The life-boat went alongside, rescued the crew of seven, and landed them opposite Hoylake Baths at 10.15 P.M.

Accommodation for them was found by the Women’s Voluntary Service. The life-boat was rehoused at 12.15 A.M., and a few hours later the Constance had become a total wreck.

- Rewards, £20 2s.

OCTOBER 18TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. About 12.20 in the early morning information was received from the naval control at the pier-head that a barrageballoon- drifter and a barge had been driven ashore on the West Shoebury Sands. A S.W. gale was blowing, with a rough sea. Themotor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No. 3) was launched at 12.45 A.M. and found both vessels high and dry. A destroyer then signalled to her by morse that a vessel was ashore on Middle Shoebury Sands, and that she was in urgent need of help. The guard vessels were not expecting the life-boat, and it was only after a great deal of manoeuvring that she was able to get through the boom defences. She found the ex-Belgian defence vessel Andre Marcel with a crew of seven on board. As soon as there was water enough, the life-boat went alongside, and the captain asked her if she could save his vessel. The life-boat found that the Andre Marcel had only a very small anchor and chain, and that she had no spare chain, wire or anchor. The life-boat got out her own spare warp and anchor, dropped the anchor, and passed the warp to the Andre Marcel so that it could be put round her windlass. She then got a tow rope on board the Andre Marcel and, with the life-boat towing, the Andre Marcel's engine running and her crew heaving on the windlass, an attempt was made to haul the vessel off. The engine soon ran hot and became useless, and it was only after a long time of heaving on the windlass and hauling on the tow rope that the Andre Marcel was refloated. The life-boat towed her for two miles, but, as the gale was increasing, she sent a message for a tug, which arrived an hour later. After a good deal of manoeuvring in the heavy seas, the life-boat got a tow rope from the tug to the Andre Marcel. She then went back to pick up her own anchor and warp and returned to her station. There she learned that a barge, two miles to the west of the pier, was making very bad weather, and went out again. She found the barge to be the Plover, of London. The Plover had by this time been driven over a sandbank, and was in smoother water. Her captain thought that he would not need help, and the life-boat again returned to her station.

It was then 1.20 P.M. The naval authorities sent a message of thanks. - Property salvage case.

OCTOBER 18TH. - FILEY, YORKSHIRE.

A strong westerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea, and during the morning the lifeboat coxswain was on watch, as some motor fishing cobles were out at sea. At 1.25 P.M.

one of two cobles which were still out was reported two miles off, and the motor lifeboat The Cuttle was launched at 1.40 P.M.

She escorted in the cobles Windsor Lad and John and Mary, and returned to her station at 3.30 P.M. - Rewards, £11 10s.

OCTOBER 18TH. - FLEETWOOD, AND BARROW, LANCASHIRE. At 4.15 P.M.

the naval authorities asked the Fleetwood life-boat to go to the help of a vessel aground about one hundred yards W. by N. of Shell Wharf Buoy, and the motor life-boat Ann Letitia Russell was launched at 4.40 P.M.

A strong N.W. wind was blowing and the sea was very rough. The life-boat found that the vessel was the ex-Belgian tanker Laurent Meeus, of Ghent, of 6,429 tons, loaded with oil, bound from the U.S.A. to Heysham.

Her master asked the life-boat to stand by, and one of the life-boatmen, who was also a pilot, was put on board her. As the tide rose the Laurent Meeus got off under her own steam and was brought to a safe anchorage off the Wyre Light. The Barrow station had received the call a quarter of an hour after Fleetwood, and the motor life-boat N.T.

was launched at 4.45 P.M. She reached the Laurent Meeus at 6.15 P.M., a few minutes after the Fleetwood boat, and after standing by for a time returned to her station. Both life-boats reached their stations again at 8.45 P.M. - Rewards : Fleetwood, £18 17s. : Barrow, £19 7s.

OCTOBER 19TH. - COVERACK, CORNWALL.

At 10.31 P .M. information was received, through the coastguard, that the coastwatching post at Kennack had seen an aeroplane crash into the sea in Kennack Bay, and in eight minutes the motor life-boat The Three Sisters was away. A strong S.W.

wind was blowing, with a rough sea and rain.

Searching off Lankidden, below Blackhead, the life-boat picked up several pieces of wreckage from an aeroplane. She continued her search, but found nothing more, and returned to her station at 1.30 A.M. The lost aeroplane was identified as a British Beaufighter, and the life-boat was thanked by the Group of the R.A.F. to which the aeroplane belonged. - Rewards, £16 18s. 6d.

OCTOBER 20TH. - HOLY ISLAND , NORTHUMBERLAND. At 11.30 on the night of the 19th the coastguard reported that a steamer in the harbour was making signals of distress. A strong westerly gale was blowing, with a rough sea. The life-boat crew were called out and found that the steamer was only twenty yards from the life-boat slipway, so near to it that the lifeboat could not be launched. They waited until the steamer had drifted clear, and were able to launch the motor life-boat Milburn at 12.30 on the morning of the 20th. The life-boat found that the steamer was the Boy Jermyn, of Grimsby, a drifter engaged on salvage work, carrying a crew of five.

She put one of her crew on board her to act as pilot, and stood by her until she had reached safety. The life-boat returned to her station at 3.30 A.M. - Rewards, £16 17s. 6d.

OCTOBER 20TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

At 4.25 A.M. a message was received from the coastguard that a red flare near Scotstoun Head had been reported from Rattray. Half an hour later it was reported that six red flares had been seen, and that permission had been received from the naval base for the life-boat to be launched. As the crew were assembling a third message came that the flares were south of Rattray Lighthouse.

At 4.45 A.M. the motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow, was launched. A N.W. gale was blowing and the sea was choppy. The life-boat reached the steam trawler Leo, of Grimsby, stranded on the sands. She was lying in six feet of water, and as her crew were in no immediate danger the life-boat stood by, waiting for the tide to rise. At eight o’clock, an hour after high water, the life-boat made fast to the trawler, and after three hours of hauling succeeded in getting her afloat. The life-boat  then returned to her station, arriving at 11.30 A.M.

- Property salvage case.

OCTOBER 20TH. - WHITEHILLS, BANFFSHIRE. At 9.30 A.M. the Banff coastguard reported distress signals three miles N.E. by N. from East Head, Portsoy, and the motor life-boat Civil Service No. 4 was launched. A W.N.W. gale was blowing, with a very rough sea. The life-boat found H.M. Minesweeper Guide On, broken down and leaking. The examination vessel was standing by. She and the life-boat allowed her to drift towards Macduff, keeping by her all the time. Then, in the lee of Banff Harbour, the master of the examination vessel was put aboard the minesweeper to pil other in to harbour. The life-boat remained in attendance until the Guide On had reached the shelter of the harbour under her own power, and then returned to her station, arriving at 11.35 P.M. - Rewards, £7 17s. 9d.

OCTOBER 2 0TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. At 10.45 A.M.

the S.S. Wallace Rose entered the bay flying signals for a boat and stretcher, as she had shipwrecked men on board. The life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson was launched at 11 A.M. with customs and police on board, and with the life-boat station secretary, Mr. W. J. B. Moncas, in the crew. A S.W.

wind was blowing. She found that the Wallace Rose had rescued eight men from an upturned ship’s boat, and three bodies.

They all belonged to the ex-Norwegian steamer Rusk, which had been sunk by a German aeroplane, while bound, light, from Cork to Newport. Five other members of her crew were reported to have reached Cahir Point in another boat. Two others were unaccounted for. The life-boat brought off one man who was sick and the three bodies, and landed them at 12.30 P.M. Her boarding boat took out provisions to the Wallace Rose, and the steamer then made for Newport, taking with her the other seven rescued men. - Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £2 2s. 6d.

OCTOBER 21ST. - DUN LAOGHAIRE, CO.

DUBLIN. At about 11 A.M. the harbour master was informed by telephone that a ship’s boat, the Dronze, of Howth, had left Howth at 9 P.M. the previous evening to go to Sutton, four miles away, but had not been seen since passing the Bailey Lighthouse at 9.30 P.M. Enquiries were made without result, but a boat could be seen anchored on the Burford Bank in Dublin Bay, and at 12.55 P.M. the motor life-boat Dunleary II was launched to her. The sea was smooth and a moderate westerly breeze was blowing.

The life-boat found that this boat was the missing boat. Her engine had failed and she had lost her rudder. The two men on board were almost exhausted. The life-boat took them on board, and with their boat in tow, brought them to Dun Laoghaire, arriving at 2.20 P.M. - Rewards, £3 6s.

OCTOBER 22ND. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE. At 2.5 A.M. a message was received from the coastguard at Kinnaird Head that a red flare had been seen off Cairnbulg Briggs, near the beacon, and at 2.30 A.M. the motor life-boat John and Charles Kennedy was launched. A moderate W.N.W.

wind was blowing, with heavy rain showers, but the sea was smooth. The life-boat found H.M. Trawler Alder stranded on the end of Cairnbulg Briggs. She anchored and veered down stern first to the trawler. Though the sea was smooth there was a good deal of broken water round the trawler. It was not easy to get alongside her, and the life-boat was smashed against her. Forty feet of the port-wale was splintered, ten of the iron stanchions bent, the cockpit fractured, and other damage done, but her seaworthiness was not affected. She rescued the Alder’s crew of twenty and returned to her station, arriving at 3.25 A.M. - Rewards, £14 9s. 6d.

OCTOBER 22ND. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

Fishing cobles had put to sea at 8 A.M., and all except three had returned by noon. By 1 P.M. a strong N.N.E. wind was blowing, with a heavy sea, making it dangerous for cobles to come into harbour, and at 1.55 P.M. the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth put out. The cobles were then about two miles to the north.

They were the Ramlah, Freda, and Rosamund.

They had a pretty bad time getting into the harbour through the heavy seas but, escorted by the life-boat, they made it safely.

- Rewards, £8 5s. 6d.

SILVER AND BRONZE MEDAL SERVICES AT CROMER AND GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON OCTOBER 26TH - 27TH. - CROMER, AND GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. About eight in the morning a message came from the Cromer coastguard that the Yarmouth naval base had asked for the life-boat to go to a vessel ashore on Hammond Knoll about 22 miles east of Cromer, and the Cromer No. 1 life-boat H. F. Bailey was launched at 8.15. A full gale was blowing from the north-north-east, with heavy squalls of rain, hail and sleet. The sea was very rough, the weather very cold.

The life-boat reached Hammond Knoll at 11.35, and found that the vessel was the S.S. English Trader, ofLondon, with 44 men on board. Five others had been swept overboard and drowned before the life-boat arrived.

The steamer was lying on the sands with her hull nearly under water, and the seas, the coxswain said afterwards, presented him with the most appalling problem that he had ever had to face.

They were not true-running seas. One would run along the weather side from forward, and another from aft, and when they met they would go up nearly mast high and then crash down on the steamer. At times the only parts of her visible were the tops of her masts, the lee side of the chart room, where the crew were huddled, and the funnel.

On the lee side the sea was nothing like as bad as on the weather side, but it was still very heavy, very confused and running in all directions.

The fore derricks had broken loose and were swinging about with every sea, the hatch covers were off, and the sea was covered with cargo washed out of the hold. It was clear that it would be impossible to go alongside at present, and the life-boat went as close as possible and signalled that she would make her attempt at slack water which would be about four in the afternoon. However, about 1.15 the coxswain thought that there was a chance. He succeeded in getting fairly close to the lee side of the steamer, but very heavy seas, coming round both her bow and stern, piling up, and bursting amidships, made it impossible to go alongside.

The life-boat fired a line, but it had to be aimed at a high angle, if it was to reach the crew on the bridge, and it was blown back.

FIVE LIFE-BOATMEN OVERBOARD The life-boat pulled out again, and about 2.15 made a second attempt. She was forced to approach broadside to the sea, and what happened next is best described in the coxswain’s own words : “ We were trying to approach about half speed, and when still about 100 yards away a huge wall of water suddenly rose up on our port side, a shout of ‘ look out ‘, and before I could even give a half turn of the wheel I was lifted out of the boat just as though I had been a bit of cork. We were simply overwhelmed by the sheer weight of water. How the boat righted herself I shall never understand.

It must indeed have been the hand of Providence. The boat must have been hit hardest abaft the fore cockpit. Had she been hit as hard along her whole length there would be no life-boat crew in Cromer today.” The captain of the English Trader said afterwards that he saw her keel come right out of the water.

The second coxswain and three other members of the crew were thrown clean overboard with the coxswain, two others were thrown out of the boat,, but managed to grab the guard rails and haul themselves aboard again, and the rest were flung here and there, knocked about and winded.

As the boat righted herself the second-coxswain’s son sprang to the wheel, brought the boat under control again, and steered to where his father and the coxswain were floating.

They were hauled on board, and the coxswain at once took command again.

The life-boat then went to pick up the other three men, but the crew had great difficulty in getting them on board. They were so waterlogged that it took five minutes to haul in each man. The signalman of the boat,, W. E. Allen, the last to be rescued, had then been 25 minutes in the water.

He was unconscious. The crew succeeded in reviving him. He sat up, spoke a few words, then suddenly collapsed and died.

It was now about three in the afternoon, nearly seven hours since the life-boat had left Cromer, and her crew were all pretty well exhausted.

Various small ropes had been washed overboard. These had got round the propellers, reducing the boat’s speed and making it more difficult to manoeuvre her. The coxswain decided to make at once for Great Yarmouth.

On her way she tried to speak to the Yarmouth naval base by radio telephone to ask that a doctor and an ambulance might be waiting for her when she came in. She could not get through to the base, but her message was picked up by the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat and she relayed it to Yarmouth. When she got this message the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat Louise Stephens was already at sea on the way to help the English Trader.

About 11.40 in the morning she had had a request from the coastguard to go out to Hammond Knoll to reinforce the Cromer life-boat, and had been launched at noon. She had a very difficult journey, 19, miles in the face of a strong northerly gale, with a rough sea and a flood tide. The journey took her 3 1/2 hours, and she reached Hammond Knoll about 3.30, just half an hour after the Cromer life-boat had left it on her way to Great Yarmouth. The two life-boats had passed without seeing one another.

While the water was slack, between 4 and 6 o’clock, the Louise Stephens made five separate attempts to go alongside the English Trader and get under her lee. She was very heavily buffeted, and shipped a great deal of water. She was faced too with the same difficulties as the Cromer life-boat, the loose, swinging derricks and the floating cargo, but at one of the five attempts she succeeded in firing a line over the wreck, got a mooring rope secured between them, and was able to haul alongside, but the rope parted, and the life-boat was swept away. The seas were increasing, and darkness was now setting in. The captain of the English Trader himself blew a whistle and waved to the life-boat to go away. It was now 6.15 and the coxswain decided to return to Gorleston for the night.

Meanwhile the Cromer life-boat had arrived at Yarmouth at six in the evening. There a doctor and an ambulance were waiting, and the body of the signalman was put ashore.

Some of the crew were so exhausted that they had to be helped out of the boat, but they immediately refuelled her and made ready for a further attempt at rescue early next morning.

The crew were then taken to the Shipwrecked Sailors’ Home where they were given hot baths, hot drinks and food and dry clothes. At the same time a telephone call was put through to Cromer for more dry clothing and oilskins, and for another man to take the place of the signalman. They came at once by car.

The Gorleston life-boat was now on her way home. The bad weather and the absence of lights made it a difficult journey, but the coxswain stood inshore, picked up the land, followed the coast down, and reached Gorleston about 10.30 at night. The crew were so wet and cold, the night so dark, that the coxswain decided not to refuel the life-boat until morning. He told the crew to assemble again at 5.30.

Late that night, when the Cromer coxswain heard that the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat had returned, he telephoned her coxswain to discuss their arrangements for the next morning. He said that he intended to go to sea again at four o’clock. The Gorleston coxswain said that he would wait until day.

CROMER’S THIRD ATTEMPT Next morning, between 3.30 and 4 o’clock, the Cromer coxswain was up and got weather reports both from the Yarmouth naval base and the Cromer coastguard. Both told the same. Wind and sea had gone down a very little, but the weather was much what it had been the day before. At 4.15 he called at the naval base and asked that the boom defence might be opened. At 4.40 the life-boat put to sea. She had still three hours of darkness before her. The ropes were still round her propeller. She had 22 miles to go against the gale. It took her three hours and twenty minutes. She reached the sands about eight in the morning.

By that time the wind had backed to the north-west, and wind and sea had both gone down. The fore part of the English Trader was now under water, but the life-boat was able, without difficulty, to go alongside the steamer’s lee rail, which was only about two feet above her, and within half an hour the 44 survivors of the crew had been taken on board the life-boat and she was making again for Yarmouth. She arrived there and landed the men about 11.30 in the forenoon. Although both wind and sea had gone down, there was still too much sea for it to be possible to haul the Cromer life-boat on to her slipway, and her crew left her at Gorleston and returned to Cromer by car.Meanwhile the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat had put out at 6.30 in the morning and reached Hammond Knoll at 8.30, to find that the Cromer life-boat had rescued the crew and was now returning. The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat arrived at her station again at 11.30.

THE REWARDS Both the Cromer and Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boats made very gallant attempts on the first day in circumstances of great difficulty and danger, and the Cromer crew showed an indomitable spirit in preparing for sea again immediately they arrived at Yarmouth on the evening of that day, in spite of the terrible and exhausting experience through which they had passed, and in setting out again on the second attempt in the early hours of the following morning.

The Institution made the following awards : To CROMER To COXSWAIN HENRY G. BLOGG, a third clasp to the silver medal for gallantry which he already held ; To each of the following members of the crew, already holders of the bronze medal for gallantry, with one or more clasps, another clasp : To JOHN J. DAVIES, SENIOR, secondcoxswain, and HENRY W. DAVIES, motor-mechanic, third clasps ; To JAMES W. DAVIES, assistant motor-mechanic, and the late EDWARD W. ALLEN, boat signalman, second clasps ; To WILLIAM T. DAVIES, bowman, and JOHN J. DAVIES JNR. and SIDNEY C. HARRISON, life-boatmen, clasps ; To each of the following members of the crew, HENRY T. DAVIES, boat signalman, WILLIAM H. DAVIES, ROBERT C. DAVIES and JAMES R.

DAVIES, the bronze medal for gallantry ; To the coxswain and each of the above eleven members of the crew a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum, except to the late Edward W. Allen, whose widow was awarded, in place of it, a relative’s certificate recording the gallantry of his death ; To the coxswain and each of the ten members of the crew who took part in both services, a reward of £5, in addition to the ordinary rewards on the standard scale of £1 8s. 6d., for the first service and £2 16s. 6d. for the second service, making a total monetary reward to each man of £9 5s. ; To the late EDWARD W. ALLEN, a reward of £5 in addition to the ordinary award on the standard scale of £1 8s. 6d.

for the first launch, making a total monetary reward of £6 8s. 6d. ; To GEORGE R. COX, life-boatman, who took the place of Edward W.

Allen on the second service, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum and a reward of £2 in addition to the ordinary scale reward of £2 16s. 6d., making a total reward of £4 16s. 6d.

Total rewards on the ordinary scale to crew and helpers for both services, £52 16s. ; additional rewards to crew, £62 ; other expenses, £26 19s. ; total rewards and expenses, £141 15s.

A pension was granted to the widow of Edward W. Allen on the same scale as if he had been a sailor of the Royal Navy killed in action, and the funeral expenses were paid by the Institution.

Letters of thanks were sent to Miss Pertwee, matron and secretary of the Shipwrecked Sailors’ Home, Great Yarmouth, and to Police Constable R. C.

Crighton, through the Chief Constable, Great Yarmouth, for his help to the crew when they came ashore exhausted.

To GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON To COXSWAIN CHARLES A. JOHNSON, a third clasp to the bronze medal for gallantry, which he already held ; To each of the other six members of the crew, JOHN R. WRIGHT, secondcoxswain, THOMAS C. MORLEY, bowman, GEORGE F. MOBBS, motormechanic, ARTHUR G. BUSH, assistant motor-mechanic, WILLIAM PARKER, signalman, and LEWIS D. SYMONDS, life-boatman, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each of the six members of the crew a reward of £3 in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale, of £2 16s. 6d. forthe first service and £1 8s. 6d. for the second service, making a total reward to each man of £7 5s. ; Total rewards on the ordinary scale for both services to crew and helpers, £25 8s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £21 ; total rewards, £46 8s. 6d.

Total monetary rewards to both stations, £188 3s. 6d.

Many messages of congratulations were received, including messages from the flag officer at Great Yarmouth, the inspector of coastguard, and the owners of the English Trader, the Trader Navigation Co., Ltd. The owners also made a donation to the Institution.

OCTOBER 2 6TH. - AMBLE, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 8.20 in the morning a message came from the senior naval officer, through the Blyth coastguard , that the Admiralty patrol vessel Robin a Ingles appeared to be in difficulties. She was at anchor on a lee shore N.E. of Amble harbour, and a N.E. gale was blowing, with a heavy swell. At 8.45 the motor life-boat Frederick and Emma was launched and went alongside the Robina Ingles. In doing so she damaged her bow. While she was rescuing the crew of four, the cable parted and the Robina Ingles began to drift on to the rocks. This made the rescue very difficult, but the four men had been taken off before the vessel struck the rocks, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 9.40 A.M . - Rewards, £7 12s.

OCTOBER 27TH. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.

At 12.50 in the afternoon the landlord of the Crown Inn, on the sea front, was serving in his bar. The morning had been foggy, but at that moment the sun came through and as it did so the landlord glanced out of the window and saw a speck on the sea about two miles north of Sheringham.

He got his telescope on it, and saw that the speck was men on what looked like a raft.

Just then the second-coxswain of the lifeboat came in for his lunch-time glass of beer.

He went off at once with the news, and at 1.5 the motor life-boat Foresters Centenary was launched. A light W.N.W. wind was blowing, and the sea was rough, with a strong swell after a very heavy gale the day before.

The life-boat reached the “ speck ” twenty minutes later and found that it was a rubber dinghy with five airmen on board. They were all Poles, the crew of a Wellington bomber which had come down in the sea off the Wash at about 8.30 the night before in the gale. They had taken to their dinghy but, in the heavy seas, the sixth member of the crew had been unable to reach it and had been drowned. The other five men had been drifting and tossing in their dinghy in heavy seas for seventeen hours, soaked and sea-sick.

The life-boat crew rescued them, gave them rum, chocolate and biscuits from the emergency rations and brought them ashore, landing them at 2 P.M. A letter of thanks was received from the Directorate of Aircraft Safety. - Rewards, £19 16s. 6d.

OCTOBER 29TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

At 5.30 A.M. the coast - guard reported signals of distress, and a few minutes later said that a vessel was ashore one mile north of Rattray Head. At 6.35 A.M. the Peterhead motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow was launched. A N.N.E. gale was blowing, with heavy seas. After punching north through sleet and hail for about two hours the life-boat found H.M. trawler Flotta, with a crew of thirty-three.

She had been on escort duty, she was now high up on the beach, and her crew were being landed by the coastguard rocket lifesaving apparatus. The life-boat stood by until 10A.M. and then returned to her station, which she reached at 11.15 A.M.- Rewards, £10 0s. 6d.

BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT SHERINGHAM OCTOBER 30TH - 31ST. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK. At 7.47 in the evening of the 29th of October the Sheringham coastguard reported that a vessel off Cley, about five miles west of Sheringham, was showing a signal that she was out of control and that the Yarmouth naval base had suggested that the life-boat should put out to investigate. A very strong gale was blowing from the north-east, dead on shore, with a very heavy sea, and the honorary secretary decided not to take the very great risk of launching the life-boat against the gale unless the vessel actually showed signals of distress.

The crew had been assembled, and the coxswain, and some of the men, continued to stand by until midnight.

At 1.7 on the morning of the 30th the Cromer coastguard telephoned that the vessel was drifting ashore at Clcy. The honorary secretary then telephoned to Cley coastguard and found from him that the vessel was still a mile off shore and was signalling for a tug. The coastguard had replied to her signal that it was impossible to send out a tug in such weather, but that the crew of the life-boat was standing by to launch.

The captain of the vessel had replied that he would signal again if he wanted the life-boat. By 7.50 in the morning the weather hadmoderated a little, and the honorary secretary informed the Cromer coastguard that the life-boat could be launched if she were needed. At 9.23 the Cley coastguard reported that the vessel had signalled that she was drifting and wanted help, and it was decided to launch. Although the weather had moderated a little, it was still blowing hard from the north-east.

A very rough sea was running, and there were hard squalls of rain and sleet.

The motor life-boat Foresters Centenary was taken out of her house at a quarter to ten. The tide was low and, with a shortage of launchers, it was a very difficult launch. The life-boat on her carriage had first to be taken down the steep pebble beach, then through a narrow channel in which were about two feet of water, and then over a sandbank which was just covered with water. On this sandbank the carriage stuck, and it was a hard struggle to move it again, but in the end the launchers dragged the lifeboat into a sufficient depth of water, and at 10.23 she left her carriage. As it was low water the sea at the place of launching was not heavy, and it was broken by an outer ledge of rocks. The life-boat had to be taken through a narrow channel in this ledge, across which heavy seas were breaking.

The coxswain handled her very skilfully and brought her safely through the channel. Once she was in deep water her chief difficulties were over.

She reached the vessel at 11.5 and found her to be the Canadian steamer Eaglescliffe Hall, of Montreal. She had not gone ashore, but was lying with her two anchors down head to sea in about four fathoms of water. She had drifted through a boom defence, had carried part of it away, and had a lot of wires and buoys trailing from her propeller.

The life-boat went alongside and made fast. Fifteen of the steamer’s crew came down a rope ladder and dropped into the life-boat, but the captain and eight of the crew said that they would remain aboard, as the weather was moderating. The actual work of rescue had taken forty minutes. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 12.25 that afternoon.

The weather continued to improve, and on the following day, at the request of a naval salvage officer, the life-boat took the fifteen rescued men, a salvage officer and supplies of food out to the Eaglescliffe Hall again, A tug had now come to tow out the steamer, and the life-boat piloted her until she had towed the steamer into deep water.

The Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN JAMES E. DUMBLE, the bronze medal for gallantry and a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum; To the coxswain and each member of the crew a reward of £2 in addition to the usual money award of 19s. on the standard scale ; A letter of thanks to Mr. H. R.

Johnson, the honorary secretary, who was at the telephone continuously from 7.47 on the evening of the 29th until 1.30 in the afternoon of the 30th ; Additional awards were also made to the 44 launchers ; Standard rewards to the crew and launchers, £21 19s. 6d. ; additional rewards to the crew and launchers, £27 10s. ; total rewards, £49 9s. 6d.

OCTOBER 30TH. - MINEHEAD, SOMERSET.

At about 11.5 A.M. the resident naval officer at Watchet reported an object at sea two miles to the N.E. of Minehead. It was thought that it might be a rubber dinghy as an aeroplane had crashed the previous evening, but on being examined through the range finder of a coastal battery, it appeared to be a balloon.

On the request of the resident, naval officer the motor life-boat Kate Greatorex was launched at 11.45; A.M. A strong N.N.E.

wind was blowing, with a moderate sea.

The life-boat found a partially submerged barrage balloon, and towed it to Minehead, arriving at 2.30 P.M. - Rewards, £8 9s.. 6d.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given : OCTOBER 1ST. - PETERHEAD, AHERDEENSHIRE.

A fishing boat had been reported overdue, but it was found that she had put into Aberdeen. - Rewards, £13 3s. 6d.

OCTOBER 3RD. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

Two longshore fishing boats had made signals of distress, but they reached harbour without help. - Rewards, £8 10s. 6d.

OCTOBER 3RD. - HELVICK HEAD, CO. WATERFORD. A ship had been attacked by a German aeroplane, but she was only slightly damaged and made port without help. - Rewards, £15 18s.OCTOBER 4TH. - STORNOWAY, ISLAND OF LEWIS. A steamer had gone aground north of Rudha Hunish, Skye, but she got off without help and went on her way.- Rewards, £7 9s. 3d.

called. - Partly paid permanent crew.

Rewards, £6 3s. 6d.

OCTOBER 6TH. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE. A naval trawler which was leaking had been reported to be making for Fraserburgh, but she made for Aberdeen instead. - Rewards, £14 9s. 6d.

OCTOBER 6TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

A salvage steamer bringing scrap iron from a wreck had struck some rocks during. a fog and had sunk, but her crew were picked up from their small boat by an Aberdeen trawler. - Rewards, £13 3s. 6d.

OCTOBER 9TH. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE.

A small motor coble had been seen making way with difficulty in bad weather, but she reached St. Combes without help. - Rewards, £8 5s. 6d.

OCTOBER 9TH. - MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.

A British bomber aeroplane had been reported in the sea eighteen miles S.E. of Douglas, which would make her 39 miles from Moelfre, but it was found that the lifeboat was not needed and she was recalled.- Rewards, £8.

OCTOBER 10TH. - PORT ASKAIG, ARGYLLSHIRE. An R.A.F. pinnace had foundered and her crew had taken to their small boat, but they were rescued by H.M.S. Lochiel a few minutes before the arrival of the life-boat. - Rewards, £10 9s. 6d.

OCTOBER 11TH. - ST. IVES, CORNWALL.

A German aeroplane had been shot down about ten miles north-west of St. Ives, but no survivors could be found, only the wrecked aeroplane. - Rewards, £27 5s. 3d.

OCTOBER 12TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. Red rockets had been reported and then a message came that an aeroplane had crashed on the coast, but nothing was found, and later it was learned that the aeroplane had crashed on land.- Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £6 10s. 6d.

OCTOBER 13TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

A British aeroplane was thought to have crashed in the sea ten miles north o f Whitby, but nothing  s found. - Rewards, £19 19s. 6d.

OCTOBER 14TH. - GIRVAN, AYRSHIRE.

An aeroplane was reported to have crashed into the sea between Ailsa Craig and Bennane Head, but no trace of it could be found.- Rewards, £15 9s.

OCTOBER 1 4TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. Rockets had been reported some miles S.S.E. of Greenore Point, but when it was learned that a convoy had been attacked well over on the Welsh side of St. George’s Channel the life-boat was re-

OCTOBER 20TH. - KILMORE, CO.FORD. At 6.30 in the evening a small tramp steamer was seen on her way westwards inside the Coningbeg Lightship, when two German aeroplanes attacked her. One aeroplane dropped three bombs, but they all missed, and the aeroplanes made four or five machine-gun attacks, but the steamer put up a spirited resistance. Both aeroplanes then made off southwards, and the steamer continued on her way to Waterford. At seven o’clock another ship was seen coming up from the east, and at about 7.20 she was attacked by a single aeroplane when about two miles S.E. of the Little Saltee Island.

This ship, too, put up a stout resistance, and a big flame was suddenly seen to go up. It was then 7.30. The motor life-boat Ann Isabella Pyemont was at once launched and got away at 7.45. She made for the scene of the attack, but could find nothing. The Coningbeg Lightship was now firing signals for the life-boat which went and spoke her.

The lightship reported that so far as she could see the attacked ship had shot down the aeroplane. The life-boat at once went back and searched right down to Black Rock off Carnsore Point, but she could find nothing and returned to her station at 11.30 P.M Rewards, £30 8s.

OCTOBER 20TH. - PORTPATRICK, WIGTOWNSHIRE.

A motor vessel apparently in difficulties from the failure of her engine was seen to be in tow of another vessel, but the life-boat was recalled when the vessel was seen to slip her tow and go on under her own power. - Rewards, £4 15s.

OCTOBER 23RD. - MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.

An aeroplane was reported to have come down in the sea, but it was found later that it had landed safely. - Rewards, £12.

OCTOBER 24TH. - ABERDEEN. An aeroplane had caught fire and come down in the sea, but the airman was picked up by a naval vessel. - Rewards, £14 11s. 6d.

OCTOBER 24TH. - PORTHDINLLAES, CAERNARVONSHIRE. An aeroplane had come down in the sea, but the crew were rescued by an Air Sea Rescue launch, which also towed the aeroplane to port. - Rewards, £11 8s.

OCTOBER 24TH. - ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK.

An aeroplane was reported to have crashed into the sea, but the life-boat found nothing. - Rewards, £19 11s. 6d.

OCTOBER 27TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but only an oxygen cylinder was found.

- Rewards, £31 19s. 9d.

OCTOBER 28TH. - RHYL, FLINTSHIRE.

A British aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £28 16s. 9d.

OCTOBER 31ST. - RAMSGATE, KENT.

An airman had been reported down in the sea, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £15 9s.