Launches 61. Lives rescued 79.

DECEMBER 1ST. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

While the fishing fleet was out the northerly wind increased until it was blowing strongly, with squalls, bringing a rough sea, which made the harbour entrance dangerous for the returning boats, and at 11.15 A.M.

the motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched. She met three boats a mile beyond the Rock Buoy and escorted them into harbour. Putting out again she escorted in a further seven boats and returned to her station at 3.15 P.M. - Rewards, £7 11s.

DECEMBER 1ST. - FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. During the morning the wind increased, and the life-boat coxswain who was out fishing returned. By eleven o’clock a northerly gale was blowing, with a heavy sea and rain squalls, and as some of the fishing boats were still out the motor life-boat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley was launched at 11.25 A.M.. and went in the direction of the fishing grounds. She found the four Flamborough cobles - Quest, Doreen May, Imperialist, and Boy's Own - six miles E.N.E. of the station. The life-boat directed two to Bridlington, and escorted the other two to the shore at the north landing at Flamborough. She returned to her station at 4.17 P.M. - Rewards, £12 3s. 6d.

DECEMBER 1ST. - RUNSWICK, YORKSHIRE.

The Runswick and Staithes cobles were out fishing in a moderate wind, but during the morning the wind increased to a strong gale from the N.N.W., with a rough sea and heavy rain, and the motor life-boat Robert Patton - The Always Ready was launched at 11.35 A.M. The district inspector of life-boats, Commander T. G. Michelmore, R.D., R.N.R., who was at the station, went out with her. Off Staithes the life-boat found two cobles of Runswick and three of Staithes, and as in that weather it was impossible to make a landing at Staithes she escorted allfive into Runswick, and returned to her station, arriving at 2.15 in the afternoon.- Rewards, £10 15s.

DECEMBER 1ST. - FILEY, YORKSHIRE.

While the local fishing cobles were out, wind and sea increased, and some of the boats returned, but five stayed out. By 1 P.M. a strong N.W. wind was blowing, with a rough sea, and at 1.30 P.M. the motor life-boat The Cuttle was launched. Some of the boats were a long way off, but the life-boat escorted them all home, and returned to her station at 4.30 P.M. - Rewards, £12 9s.

DECEMBER 1ST. - LLANDUDNO CAERNARVONSHIRE.

At 3 P.M . the coast-guard reported a fishing boat in distress a mile or two west of Great Ormes Head, and the motor life-boat Thomas and Annie Wade Richards was launched at 3.30 P.M. A strong N.N.E. wind was blowing, with a rough sea.

The life-boat found the fishing vessel Margaret, of Conway, in tow of another fishing boat, and stood by until both boats had got into the lee of Puffin Island. At 6 P.M. the master of the Margaret said he wished to go to Conway, but the life-boat coxswain said he could not take the life-boat there and advised him not to attempt it.

After remaining with him for some time the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 8.30 P.M. - Rewards, £35 18s. 6d.

DECEMBER 2ND. - PORT ASKAIG, ARGYLLSHIRE. At 3.11 A.M. the Kilchoman coastguard reported a vessel ashore in the Sound of Islay. The weather was fine, with a light S.W. wind and a calm sea. The motor life-boat Charlotte Elizabeth was launched at 4.10 A.M. and found the steam trawler Celtia, of Fleetwood, aground on the S.W. point of Jura. She had a crew of twelve and was laden with fish for Fleetwood.

She was in no immediate danger, and another Fleetwood trawler, the Toronto, was standing by, but unable to go close inshore. The life-boat waited until daylight. She then piloted the Toronto inshore and also carried a cable from her to the Celtia. On the high tide the Toronto got the Celtia afloat and towed her into deep water. The life-boat returned to her station at 12.55 P.M. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 2ND. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. At 11 A.M. the  crew assembled for an exercise, but as a strong N.N.W. wind was blowing, with a rough sea, and some fishing boats were out the launch was delayed and the crew stood by. Incoming trawlers reported bad weather, and at 12.20 P.M. the motor life-boat Herbert Joy II was launched. She went in a northeasterly direction and found nine boats, all of which she escorted to harbour. She returned to her station at 4 P.M. - Rewards, £18 13s.

DECEMBER 4TH. - SEAHAM, DURHAM.

About 4.40 A.M. the coastguard reported a vessel aground at Hawthorne Point, two miles south of Seaham coastguard look-out.

A light S.W. wind was blowing, with a ground swell, and the weather was foggy.

At 5.30 A.M. the motor life-boat Elizabeth Wills Allen was launched and found that the vessel was the m.v. Rosedene, in ballast for Seaham. At her master’s request the lifeboat took out an anchor, and then stood by until the Rosedene had refloated. She returned to her station at 10.55 A.M. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 7TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. At 1 A.M. the coast - guard reported a message from the coastwatching post at Goring that it had seen red flares at sea about a mile away. A fresh S.W.

wind was blowing, with a moderate sea.

There was doubt whether or not a rescue launch would be sent and, after consultation with the naval authorities, the motor lifeboat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn was launched at 2.20 A.M. She found that a rescue motor launch from Littlehampton had, in fact, gone out and had found that an R.A.F. aeroplane had come down in the sea.

She had rescued three of the aeroplane’s crew. The other two had been lost. The life-boat attempted to tow in a Carley float, but it broke adrift. She brought in some gear from the aeroplane, and returned to her station at 6.30 A.M. - Rewards, £16 2s. 6d.

DECEMBER 9TH. - FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. About 5.45 P.M . it was learned that the motor fishing coble Doris had not returned. On board was the lifeboat coxswain, George Leng, with a crew of three. It was very dark, with a rough sea and a strong southerly wind. The motor life-boat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley was launched at 6.15 P.M. and found the Doris about one and a half miles away. Her engine had been disabled by heavy seas. The lifeboat towed her in, and returned to her station at 7.15 P.M - Rewards, £26 19s. 6d.

DECEMBER 12TH. - BALLYCOTTON, CO. CORK. During the evening a strong southerly gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea, and a pilot launch and a port control launch, both of Cork, were swamped and sunk in Cork Harbour when on their way to put a pilot and an examiner on a ship at the harbour mouth. Five lives were lost, and the news of the sinking was brought by one man from the pilot launch who swam ashore. It was then 8.30 in the evening, and the launches had sunk two hours before.

The news reached the Ballycotton life-boat station, through the Civic Guard, at 9.20 P.M., and the life-boat coxswain doubted the usefulness of sending out the life-boat as she would have nearly twenty miles to travel, and in that weather she could not reach the scene until after midnight, nearly six hours since the launches had sunk. But the coxswain was told that the life-boat was wanted, and the motor life-boat Mary Stanford put out at 10 P.M. The night was very dark, with squalls of rain and lightning, and the coxswain described it as one of the worstsoutherly gales in his experience. In addition to the severe weather there was the danger of mines. Going round Ballycotton Lighthouse the coxswain had to keep about four miles off the land owing to the breaking seas, and the life-boat shipped several heavy seas.

She reached Cork Harbour at 12.40, and by the light of her own searchlight, and searchlights from the forts, she searched for the launches, but found nothing except pieces of wreckage, and went on to Queenstown, where she arrived at 3 A.M. on the 13th. The weather was so bad that she was unable to return to her station for two days.

She left Queenstown at 9.10 in the morning of the 15th and reached Ballycotton at 12.30 that afternoon. There she went alongside the steam trawler Dereske, of Milford Haven. Two hours before, the trawler had signalled to the shore that she was without water. Her captain now told the coxswain that they had been without fresh water for eight days, as salt water had got into the tanks, that they were melting ice both for cooking and drinking, and that several of the crew were covered with boils due to the chemicals in the ice water. He also said that he could not bring the vessel into the harbour as the authorities would not give him permission. The life-boat went to her station and the honorary secretary rang up the customs officer at Queenstown and got permission. The life-boat then returned to the trawler and put one of her crew on board, and the trawler, with the life-boat in attendance, came into harbour under her own steam. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at 3.30 in the afternoon.

It had been a long and arduous journey, and the Institution gave a reward of 30s. to each member of the crew in addition to the ordinary rewards: on the standard scale for the two services of £4 15s. 6d., making a total reward to each man of £6 5s. ; rewards on the standard scale and other payments, £41 10s. 6d. ; additional rewards, £12 ; total rewards and other payments, £53 10s. 6d.

DECEMBER 13TH - 14TH. - DUNMORE, EAST, CO. WATERFORD, AND KILMORE, CO. WEXFORD. Just before half-past five in the evening the coast watcher at Hook Point telephoned to the Dunmore East station that a vessel was off the Hook showing flares. The honorary secretary was about to call out the crew when he saw a steamer coming round Hook Point and asked her by morse if she had seen any vessel in distress. The reply was no, and the honorary secretary decided not to send out the lifeboat.

At 9.15 another telephone message came to say that the vessel was still there, and the motor life-boat Annie Blanche Smith was launched at 10.15. A gale was blowing from the S.S.W., with a very heavy sea. The life-boat searched for some hours, but found no sign of the vessel in distress and returned to her station at three in the morning.

Meanwhile the Kilmore station had received at eight in the evening a telephone message from the life-saving service that a ship was in distress 4 1/2 miles S.E. of the Hook. Other messages came confirming this. The sea was coming right into the harbour, and up the slipway, and it was impossible to launch the life-boat, but the crew stood by. They stood by all night, and at 7.50 the next morning, as day was breaking, the motor life-boat Ann Isabella Pyemont was launched with great difficulty.

The Dunmore East lifeboat was also launched again at daybreak, and the two life-boats found the vessel in distress at the same time a mile south of Baginbun Head.

She was the Admiralty trawler Moray, and the tug Empire Ned was standing by. The Dunmore East life-boat returned to her station, where she arrived again at 12.5 in the afternoon, leaving the Kilmore life-boat to give what help was needed.

The trawler by this time had weighed her anchor, and was trying to unshackle the wire from it, so that she could pass it to the tug for towing. The tug tried twice to get a heaving line on board the trawler but failed.

The life-boat then passed the line for her, but the trawler was still trying to get her wire unshackled, and after about twenty minutes the heaving line parted. Again the life-boat got the line on board the trawler, but this time it fouled the tug’s propeller. All this time the vessels were drifting towards Ingard Point, and the life-boat coxswain then warned the trawler that she was getting into shallow and dangerous water. The tug then asked for the help of a man with local knowledge, and the life-boat put her secondcoxswain on board. At last the trawler got her wire unshackled from the anchor ; another line was passed to her by the lifeboat ; the trawler’s wire was hauled on board the tug and shackled to her hawser ; and the tug began to tow. The trawler by this time was dangerously near the rocks, and the towing had started only just in time to save her. The life-boat stood by until the tug and trawler were well clear of Bag in bun Head  and then, at the tug ’ s request, went to Kilmore with a message for a pilot to be ready at Dunmore East to meet them as they came in. She returned to her station at two in the afternoon.

At 3.15, when the tug and trawler were seen to be coming into harbour at Dunmore East, the Dunmore East life-boat put off for a third time with a pilot on board. She went ahead of the tug until they were in sufficient shelter for it to be possible to put the pilot aboard. The weather was so bad that the life-boat, on arriving at Passage East at 6.30 in the evening, remained there for the night, returning to her moorings at Dunmore East next morning.

The Institution awarded its thanks inscribed on vellum to COXSWAIN WILLIAM BLAKE, of Kilmore. No money awards were made to the Kilmore coxswain and crew as they were paid salvage by the owners of the Moray.

Rewards to Dunmore East, £13 2s. 6d., £5 14s., and £13 4s. 6d.

DECEMBER 13TH. - DUNGENESS, KENT.

At 4.20 A.M. a telephone message was received from the naval authorities at Dover,through the Lade coastguard, that three of H.M. tank landing vessels were in difficulties.

The night was very dark, with a strong southerly wind blowing and a rough sea.

At 4.40 A.M. the position of the vessels was given, and twenty minutes later the motor life-boat Charles Cooper Henderson was launched. About two miles north-east of Dungeness Lighthouse the life-boat found two of the vessels. Both were riding to anchors and the life-boat went alongside and spoke to them by megaphone saying she would remain by them until daylight. She found the third vessel five miles N.E. by N.

of the lighthouse. At daybreak, three minesweepers came up to escort the vessels to harbour and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 8.30 A.M. - Rewards, £22 5s. 6d.

DECEMBER 13TH. - WALMER, KENT.

At 8.20 A.M. the Deal coastguard asked for the life-boat crew to be assembled. At 9.18 A.M. a further message came that a vessel was over the Brake Sands, and the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 9.30 A.M. A moderate S.S.W. gale was blowing, with rain squalls and a heavy sea. The life-boat found the Admiralty L.C.T. 534 in a dangerous position with stern anchor down. She had a crew of twelve. The life-boat’s second-coxswain went aboard her, and at the request of the officer in charge the life-boat escorted the vessel to the Downs. There an armed trawler arrived and took over, and the lifeboat reached her station again at 11.30 A.M.

- Rewards, £15 14s.

DECEMBER 14TH . - STORNOWAY, ISLAND OF’ LEWIS. Shortly after midnight the naval base reported that H.M. L.C.T. 398, a tank landing craft, was ashore on the S.E. corner of Goat Island in Stornoway Harbour, and that her crew of fifteen had landed on the island and were in need of immediate help. As a strong southerly gale was blowing, with a rough sea, and no small boat could go out, the motor life-boat William and Harriot was launched at 1.35 A.M., taking a rowing boat in tow. A few minutes later she reached the lee of the island, sent the rowing boat to the beach, rescued the men, and returned to her station  at 3.15 A.M. - Rewards, £9 7s. 6d.

BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT PETERHEAD DECEMBER 15TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE. At 3.50 in the morning the coastguard reported to the motor-mechanic of the life-boat signals of distress from a vessel in the direction of Buchan Ness. The motormechanic went at once to the lifeboathouse.

He could see the vessel in distress, with the coastal searchlights on her. She appeared to be a trawler.

The coxswain of the life-boat was ill, and Captain James Winter, the harbour master, took command, but the coxswain left his sick bed, helped to call the crew together and to launch the life-boat, and remained at the station until the life-boat returned.

The motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow was launched at 4.20.

There was a strong wind from the southsouth- east, with a heavy sea. The night was very dark, with rain. The lifeboat reached the trawler at 4.35 and found that she was the Loch Wasdale, of Aberdeen. She was lying on the Skerry Rocks, off Buchan Ness. Her stern was right under water and heavy seas were breaking over her. Her crew were clinging to the forward rigging and the deck. In the heavy seas and the darkness it was very difficult for Captain Winter to see exactly how the trawler was lying, and the best method to come alongside her. He tried first to go under her lee, but he could not come near because of the rocks, so he took the life-boat round to the windward side, and made straight for the trawler.

He knew that there was a great risk, for he could not tell if there was enough water, or if the life-boat would be wrecked herself on the rocks. He took the risk.

The life-boat went in on the top of a big sea, and her crew threw a line to the trawler and hauled the life-boat alongside. The trawler was lying on her side and was lifted by every sea that came in. At one moment she threatened to roll over and to crash on top of the life-boat. The next the life-boat was herself lifted by the seas and in danger of being flung on top of the trawler. But Captain Winter handled her with great courage and skill, and, with his engines running, kept her alongside, while, one by one, the twelve men of the trawler jumped and were seized and hauled aboard the life-boat. One of them fell between the two boats, and was badly crushed, but he too was dragged aboard. Then, just as the life-boat, with every man rescued, drew away, the wreck turned over and sank. Had the life-boat come only a few minutes later, or had Captain Winter hesitated to take herstraight in to the rescue, the whole of the trawler’s crew would have been lost. At 5.15 the life-boat was back again at her station. She had been away for only 55 minutes. The rescued men were loud in their praise, and the trawler’s chief engineer said that he had thought that the life-boat could not possibly reach them.

The success of the service was due principally to the intrepid courage and skill of Captain Winter, and his courage was all the greater as he had not been at sea for some years, and he was 69 years old. The Institution made the following awards : To CAPTAIN JAMES WINTER, the acting coxswain, the bronze medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To DAVID F. WISEMAN, the motormechanic, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To the acting coxswain and each of the seven members of the crew a reward of £2 in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale of £1 17s. 6d. ; To Coxswain John McLean a special reward of £2 ; To Mrs. M. Craighead, acting as honorary secretary in the absence of her husband serving in the Royal Air Force, who took an active part in mustering the crew, a letter of thanks ; Standard rewards, £15 18s. ; additional rewards, £18 ; total rewards, £33 18s.

DECEMBER 15TH. - DUNMORE EAST, CO. WATERFORD. The S.S. Irish Beech arrived off Dunmore East in a southerly gale, with very heavy seas. The pilot boat had gone up the river for shelter and the pilot was unable to go out to the steamer. As no other boat was available the motor life-boat Annie Blanche Smith was launched at 10.45 A.M. with the pilot aboard. She escorted the Irish Beech to near Duncannon, and there was able to put the pilot aboard her.

The life-boat returned to her station at 1 P.M.

- Rewards, £6 13s.

DECEMBER 16TH. - FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. The motor life-boat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley was launched at 11.45 A.M. in a heavy S.S.E. gale, with a rough sea, to the help of the local motor fishing coble Boy's Own. She found her six miles E.N.E. of Flamborough and escorted her home, arriving at 3 P.M. - Rewards, £14 0s. 6d.

DECEMBER 17TH. - ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK.

Shortly before 10 A.M. the coastguard reported an object, apparently a boat, about one mile E.S.E. of Sizewell look-out, and the No. 1 motor life-boat Abdy Beauclerk was launched at 10.20 A.M. A light southerly wind was blowing, with a choppy sea.

Guided by smoke bombs dropped by an aeroplane, the life-boat found, a quarter of a mile off shore opposite Sizewell Gap, a German aeroplane’s rubber dinghy, but there was no one on board. The life-boat brought in the dinghy, arriving at 11.40 A.M. - Rewards, £24 1s. 6d.

DECEMBER 20TH. - DUN LAOGHAIRE, CO. DUBLIN. During the afternoon two small fishing boats were seen off Bullock.

A strong southerly wind was blowing, with a very choppy sea. One boat was seen to take the other in tow, but they could not make any headway in their attempt to row to the shore, and at 3.25 P.M. the motor life-boat Dunleary II was launched. She towed the two boats to Bullock and returned to her station at 4.15 P.M. - Rewards, £7 11s.

SILVER MEDAL SERVICE AT BALLYCOTTON DECEMBER 23RD . - BALLY-COTTON, CO. CORK. At nine in the morning a message was received at the station that a vessel was in distress about five miles south of Power Head. She could be seen from Ballycotton, but she was showing no signals of distress. A gale was blowing from the south-south-west, with heavy squalls of rain and a rough sea. The gale grew steadily more violent ; the vessel was drifting fast ; and at 12.45 the motor life-boat Mary Stanford put out. The vessel was then about 4 1/2 miles south of Ballycotton Lighthouse and was drifting towards the north-north-east. The life-boat reached her about 1.30 in the afternoon and found her to be the steamer Irish Ash, of Dublin, with a crew of 35 men.

Her captain said that the circulating pumps and the ballast pumps had broken down and that he would like the life-boat to stand by him.

This she did, and about three in the afternoon the coxswain advised the steamer’s captain to anchor. The steamer was then about a mile south of Cape1 Island and was drifting fast towards it. She let both anchors go, and they held. The captain had heard by wireless that a steamer was coming out to his help, but when she arrivedthe captain said that he would wait for a more suitable ship to tow him off and that he thought that he might soon get his pumps working. In that case he would try to go back to Queenstown under his own steam. The life-boat then went to Knockadoon with a message from the captain asking for engineers to be sent to him from Queenstown, but in the heavy seas she could not go alongside the pier and returned to the Irish Ash again.

She continued to stand by until after nine that night. By that time the repairs had been made and, with the life-boat escorting her, the Irish Ash started to steam slowly towards Queenstown, but she had not gone far when her engines broke down again.

She was then four miles south of Ballycotton Island.

The wind was still increasing, and a very heavy and confused sea was running, made much worse by the ebb tide. The steamer’s head fell off, and, rolling heavily and broadside on to the seas, she began to drift towards the island at an alarming speed. Had she struck she would have gone to pieces on the rocks in a few minutes, and there would have been very little hope of rescuing her crew. It was then 10.30 at night. If she and her crew were to be saved the life-boat must tow her head round so that she would drift clear of the island. The coxswain took the life-boat close under her bows and shouted for a rope. At the same time his men threw a line aboard the steamer. To this the steamer’s crew attached a wire. The life-boat hauled it aboard, made it fast, and started to tow. A very heavy sea struck her and the wire broke.

A second wire was made fast, but twice it broke. Then a rope was made fast. With this the life-boat succeeded in towing the steamer’s head round, and she drifted past the island with less than half a mile to spare. She was now in shallower water, the seas were less violent, and the coxswain advised her to anchor again. This she did. After standing by her for another half an hour, to be satisfied that the anchor would hold, the life-boat returned to Ballycotton to refuel and to deliver the message which she had failed to deliver at Knockadoon. She reached Ballycotton at 1.45 in the morning of the 24th. Since nine the previous morning her crew had had no food or drink, except for half a bucket of tea which the Irish Ash had lowered to them. The petrol tanks were refilled, the crew had a meal, and the life-boat put out again to the Irish Ash at 2.30.

She found that she had dragged another half a mile towards the shore in the strong flood tide and was getting near the Ballycrenane Rocks, but her captain still hoped to start his engines again and shortly after six in the morning they were working. The anchor was weighed, and the life-boat led the steamer to a safe anchorage half a mile north-north-west of Ballycotton light.

The life-boat again went ashore to see if the engineers had come from Queenstown, and as they had not the Irish Ash’s captain decided to go there under his own steam. The wind had shifted to the north-west and there was a little shelter. The life-boat went with her and they arrived at Queenstown about 2.30 in the afternoon. The lifeboat left again at 4.30 and was back at her station at 6.30 that evening.

It was then thirty hours since she had put out. Her crew were soaked to the skin and exhausted. The coxswain’s wrists were swollen to twice their normal size and his voice had gone.

The two motor mechanics were completely worn out, for it had not been possible for the life-boat to anchor at any time and they had been on their knees at the controls during the whole time.

It was a very long and hard service, and the life-boat had been handled very skilfully and courageously. The Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN PATRICK SLINEY, the Institution’s silver medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To MICHAEL L. WALSH, the secondcoxswain, and THOMAS SLINEY, the motor-mechanic, the bronze medal for gallantry, and to WILLIAM SLINEY, the assistant motor-mechanic, a clasp to his bronze medal, in each case with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum;To each of the other four members of the crew, THOMAS F. WALSH, bowman, and BERTIE LYNCH, JAMES MCLEOD and MICHAEL C. WALSH, lifeboatmen, the Institution’s thanks inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each of the seven members of the crew a reward of £3 in addition to the reward on the standard scale of £5 13s., making a total reward to each man of £8 13s. ; Standard rewards to crew and launchers, £42 7s. ; additional rewards to crew, £24 ; total rewards, £66 7s.

The owners, Irish Shipping Ltd., gave £100 to the crew of the life-boat.

DECEMBER 29TH. - AMBLE, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At about 10 A.M. the local fishing coble Treasure was seen to be in trouble trying to get into harbour, and at 10.15 the motor life-boat Frederick and Emma was launched. A gale was blowing from the north, with a heavy sea. The life-boat stood by at the harbour entrance until the Treasure had come into the harbour, and returned to her station at 10.50 A.M. - Rewards, £7 12s.

DECEMBER 29TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL.

At 11.45 A.M. a telephone message was received from the naval authorities asking for the life-boat to stand by, as an R.A.F. rescue launch had gone to sea and found the weather too heavy to return. A gale was blowing from the N.N.W., with a rough sea. The No.1 motor  life-boat Princess Mary was launched at 12.24 P.M. and found the launch two miles west of Stepper Point. She stood by her and by wireless directed her safely into harbour, where the two boats arrived at 1.18 P.M. - Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £4 2s.

DECEMBER 29TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. At about noon some small fishing boats were seen south of the harbour. A strong northwesterly wind was blowing, with a very rough sea and snow squalls. The coastguard kept them in view, saw that one of them was in difficulties, and rang up the life-boat station.

At 1.12 P.M. the motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched and found that the boat was the rowing boat Molly, of Gorleston, with one man aboard. She was drifting with her anchor down. The life-boat towed her in, reaching harbour at 1.40 P.M. - Rewards, £5 12s.

DECEMBER 29TH. - BUCKIE, BANFFSHIRE. At 2.35P.M . the coastguard reported that a vessel was attempting to enter harbour. A strong N.N.E. gale was blowing, with a heavy sea. Other vessels could be seen outside, and it was decided to send out the motor life-boat K.B.M. She left at 2.45 P.M. and stood by until 6 P.M., by which time the Danish motor fishing vessel Vestarland had got into harbour and the other vessels had made for the Moray Firth for shelter. - Rewards, £10 8s. 6d.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given :

DECEMBER 1ST. - BALLYCOTTON, CO. CORK. The engine of the Belgian motor trawler Blauwvoet, formerly of Ostend, had broken down, but another Belgian trawler came to her help. - Rewards, £6 19s.

DECEMBER 3RD. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX.

A rubber dinghy had been reported at sea, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £22 7s.

DECEMBER 5TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON,NORFOLK. A n Admiralty trawler had been in collision, but she could not be found and she got in without help. - Rewards, £13 11s. 6d.

DECEMBER 6TH. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.

A flashing light had been reported, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £32 16s.

DECEMBER 7TH. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

A steamer had been in collision, but a destroyer picked up the survivors.- Rewards, £10 7s.

DECEMBER 9TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL, CLOVELLY, AND APPLEDORE, DEVON. On the afternoon of the 9th December Padstow No. 1 motor life-boat put out to the help of a Whitley bombing aeroplane which had been reported down in the sea.

She searched throughout the night without result. On the following day an extensive search was made by the Clovelly and Appledore life-boats, but they found nothing.- Rewards : Padstow, £9 14s. ; Clovelly, £25 9s. ; Appledore, £24 12s. 6d.

DECEMBER 10TH. - FENIT, CO. KERRY.

An object had been seen, but it was found to be a large tree. The crew did not wish to be rewarded.

DECEMBER 11TH. - FILEY, YORK-SHIRE. A British Halifax bombing aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but her crew were saved by a Filey fishing boat. - Rewards, £24 4s. 6d.

(See Filey, “ Services by Shore-boats,” 1943, page 58.) DECEMBER 12TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. A fishing boat was in difficulties, but another fishing boat took her in tow. - Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £4 19s.

DECEMBER 13TH. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX.

A steamer showing a red light had been reported, but no vessel in need of help could be found. - Rewards, £43 15s. 6d.

DECEMBER 13TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET. A small boat from a naval drifter had been smashed on rocks, but the only man aboard got ashore without help.- Rewards, £6 13s.

DECEMBER 13TH. - PORTPATRICK, WIGTOWNSHIRE. A steamer had gone ashore, but her crew were rescued by the coastguard life-saving rocket apparatus.- Rewards, £6 19s.

DECEMBER  13TH. -HOLYHEAD , ANGLESEY. A vessel had been reported in distress off Rhoscolyn, but the only steamer found was the Norwegian Nesttun, and she was going on her way. - Rewards, £5 12s.

DECEMBER 15TH. - PENLEE, CORNWALL.

An aeroplane’s dinghy had been reported showing a light south of the Wolf  Lighthouse, but nothing was found . - Rewards, £27 3s.

DECEMBER 15TH. - PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE. A British Anson aeroplane had come down in the sea, but her crew were rescued by a steamer. - Rewards, £8 4s.

DECEMBER 18TH. - ST. MARY’S, SCILLY ISLES. An aeroplane’s dinghy had been reported some miles S.W. of the Bishop Rock, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £12 4s. 6d.

DECEMBER 18TH. - BEAUMARIS, ANGLESEY, AND LLANDUDNO, CAERNARVONSHIRE.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but it was found to have crashed on land. - Rewards : Beaumaris, £15 ; Llandudno, £35 0S. 6d.

DECEMBER 19TH. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but the life-boat found nothing. Later a body was washed ashore. A letter of thanks was received from Air Commodore of the R.A.F. station at Cranwell, for this and previous services.- Rewards, £18 17s. 6d.

DECEMBER 20TH. - WELLS, NORFOLK.

A dinghy, assumed to belong to an aeroplane, had been reported, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £22 19s. 3d.

DECEMBER 23RD. - PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE. Survivors of a steamer which had been mined reported that other survivors were adrift, but they gave the wrong position, so the life-boat found nothing, and another vessel rescued them.- Rewards, £20 16s.

DECEMBER 23RD. - CROMER, NORFOLK.

An aeroplane had burst into flames and crashed into the sea, but only the blazing petrol tank and wreckage were found.- Rewards, £19 8s.

DECEMBER 24TH. - SENNEN COVE, CORNWALL. A Whitley aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but four men from it were rescued by a patrol trawler. The others were not found. - Rewards, £9 10s.

DECEMBER 25TH. - PORTPATRICK, WIGTOWNSHIRE. A steamer was on fire, but a trawler had gone to her help. - Rewards, £10 8s. 6d.

DECEMBER 27TH. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. A sailing barge had been blown up, but one of her crew was rescued by another barge and the other one was lost.

- Rewards, £9 3s. 6d.

DECEMBER 27TH. - BARROW, LANCASHIRE.

A Swordfish aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £20 19s.

(See Millom, “Services by Auxiliary Rescueboats,” page 72.)

DECEMBER 3 1 ST. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

Two Spitfire aeroplanes had collided over the sea, but nothing was found.

- Rewards, £27 12s. 6d.

DECEMBER 31ST. - BALLYCOTTON, CO. CORK. Signals of distress had been made by a vessel, but before the life-boat reached her she signalled again that she did not need help and the life-boat was recalled. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.

DECEMBER 31ST. - RHYL, FLINTSHIRE, AND HOYLAKE, CHESHIRE. A boat with twenty men on board had been reported adrift in the Dee Channel, but nothing was found. - Rewards : Rhyl. £20 15s. ; Hoylake, £31 3s. 6d.