BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT THE HUMBER FEBRUARY 27TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE. About three in the morning the Royal Naval Shore Signal Station on the Humber reported that a mine had exploded in the convoy anchorage north of one of the two gate vessels, which formed part of the boom defence at the mouth of the Humber. The signal station asked the life-boat crew to stand by. Ten minutes later another message came that a vessel had been sunk a quarter of a mile north of the gate vessel.

The life-boat was launched at once.

A full gale was blowing from the south south- east, with a heavy sea. The night was very dark, and it was snowing.

The life-boat made for a steamer which had red lights in her rigging, and found her to be the S.S. Venus, of Rotterdam, which had fouled the boom defence. Her master asked for tugs, so the coxswain took the life-boat to the gate vessel and asked it to telephone for tugs. He also asked for the position of the vessel that had been reported sunk. It was given as about half a mile to the north. The life-boat went there, but could find nothing, and as she was searching she saw rockets going up a little way off to the north-eastward.

The coxswain knew that many mines had been dropped in this part of the river by enemy aeroplanes only a day or two before. He knew the risk he was running, but he took the risk and made at once for the rockets. They had been fired by the air raid balloon ship Thora, which had gone aground on the edge of the Trinity Sands, just inside the mouth of the Humber offthe north bank. Like the life-boat she had been looking for the vessel reported sunk, but her anchor cable had got round her propeller, had damaged her steering gear and had also fouled her balloon cable. Out of control, she had struck the sands and lay there with the seas breaking over her full length from astern. It was now about 4.45 in the morning.

The coxswain took the life-boat through the surf past the Thora’s weather side, round her bows, where the water was so shallow that the lifeboat touched bottom, and under her lee side. A rope was thrown to the Thora, and by means of this rope, and by working his engines, the coxswain was able to hold the life-boat - with seas breaking over her - close to the Thora long enough for the eight men of her crew to jump aboard.

The actual rescue took only a few minutes. Then the life-boat made for Grimsby to land the men, asking by radio telephone for the pier lights to be shown to guide her in. She arrived there shortly before seven that morning and returned to her station at 9.30.

It was not only a skilful, but a very courageous rescue, in circumstances of great danger, and the Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN ROBERT CROSS, a clasp to his bronze medal for gallantry with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each of the seven members of his crew a special reward of £2. Permanent paid crew, rewards, 13s 6d. ; additional rewards, £16 ; total rewards, £16 13s. 6d.