NOVEMBER 17TH.. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX.

At 9.5 in the morning the coastguard telephoned that a naval landing craft between Hastings and Fairlight was making bad weather. Seventeen minutes later he reported distress signals from the vessel. She was going ashore between Pett Level and Winchelsea.

A strong southerly wind was blowing, with a very rough sea. The motor life-boat Cyril and Lilian Bishop was launched at 10 o’clock and went to the position given off Pett, but she saw nothing. The landing craft had in fact gone ashore at Galloways and the twenty-nine men on board had been able to get to land. The life-boat searched nearly to Rye Harbour and when two miles south-west of it she capsized, turning completely over. The coxswain and two others were washed out, but all three were saved.

Another man had his nose broken. When the life-boat righted herself the engine was easily restarted, and the life-boat arrived back at Hastings at 1.10 that afternoon. The lifeboat had received some damage and was placed off service. It had been a trying ordeal for the crew, and the helpers on shore had been wet through twice. An increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew and to the helpers. - Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £31 5s. ; additional rewards to crew and helpers, £24 14s. ; total rewards to crew and helpers, £55 19s. The man who broke his nose was compensated..