DECEMBER 30TH. - EASTBOURNE, AND HASTINGS, SUSSEX. At about four o’clock in the afternoon the coastguard informed the Eastbourne life-boat station that a U.S.A.

Liberator aeroplane had come down in the sea off Pevensey Bay. A light north-west wind was blowing, with a slight sea. The motor life-boat Jane Holland, was at once launched and found and brought ashore three airmen’s coats, one pair of trousers, an oxygen tank, a wireless set, and an identification disc, but there was no sign of the men.

She returned to her station at 6.5.

The Hastings station was informed by the Fairlight coastguard at 3.57 that, the aeroplane was in the sea four miles south-west-bywest from Bexhill, and the motor life-boat Cyril and Lilian Bishop was launched at 4.20.

She found only a patch of oil, and arrived back at her station at 7.40. It was learned later that, six airmen had been picked up by fishing boats. - Rewards, Eastbourne, £21 8s. 6d. ; Hastings, £60 10s. 6d. (See Pevensey Bay, “ Services by Shoreboats, ” 1944, page 54.).