OCTOBER 13TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

Late in the afternoon an American tank landing craft, manned by about a dozen British naval men, had got into difficulties off the Chesil Beach in a heavy south-west gale, with a very rough sea. An Admiralty tug went to its help, but failed to get round Portland Bill. The motor life-boat William and Clara Ryland was launched at 5.50. She succeeded in getting near the vessel which had now driven ashore, but she was ordered by the naval authorities to stand away, for fear she would be smashed, and nine of the men on the L.C.T. lost their lives. Gallant efforts were made by the coastguard lifesaving apparatus from Portland and it saved some lives, but a huge sea swept away the apparatus and Commander J. R. Pennington Legh, D.S.C., R.N.(ret.)., H.M. Inspector of Coastguard for the Southern Division, and coastguard R. H. Treadwell lost their lives.

The life-boat arrived back at her station at 9.43 that evening. Her crew were commended by the flag officer-in-charge at Portland. An increase in the usual money reward on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew. Standard rewards £13 2s. 6d. ; additional rewards, £8 ; total rewards, £21 2s. 6d..