JANUARY 3RD. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

At 9.10 P.M. the naval officer in charge telephoned that R.A.F. high-speed launch No. 124 was somewhere off Hartlepool.

Her compass had gone wrong and she could not find port. A moderate northerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea. At 9.30 P.M. the motor life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched and after a long search found the launch at midnight five miles east of Heugh Light. The life-boat hailed the launch, but owing to the noise of the launch’s powerful engines, could hear no reply, so she set a course for Hartlepool and the launch followed her. In Hartlepool bay they met H.M.T. Loch Hope coming out to search, and the life-boat handed the launch over to her. Then going to the entrance channel buoy she played her searchlight on it to help the Loch Hope lead the launch into harbour, and returned to her station at 2.10 A.M. - Rewards, £14 5s.