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..