OCTOBER 13TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. At noon two Belgians were fishing between Berry Head and Hope’s Nose when the engine of their motor trawler De Meeuw broke down. A strong south-west wind was blowing, with rain squalls and steep, breaking seas. A returning trawler reported the trawler’s distress, and the motor life-boat George Shee put out at 2.47 in the afternoon.

At 3.5 she reached the De Meeuw and asked the men to keep their anchor down until she had taken them in tow. This was misunderstood by the Belgians, who chopped the wire away at once, and the trawler went broadside into the trough of the waves. The life-boat drew near to take a line from a man holding the forestay, but the life-boat touched the forestay. It parted and threw the man into the sea. He failed to catch two ropes which were thrown to him and was in danger of being crushed between the life-boat and the trawler. The other Belgian gripped the bulwarks of the trawler, and dropped full length over the side. The man in the sea caught hold of his legs and with great difficulty both men hauled themselves into the trawler again. Meanwhile the life-boat came close enough for one of her men to jump aboard the trawler. He was able to fix a tow.

At 3.20 the life-boat began to tow and, with the life-boatman at the wheel of the De Meeuw, brought her safely in and berthed her at four o’clock. The Belgian Marine Department sent its congratulations to the life-boat’s crew and the Institution made an increase in the usual money award on the standard scale to each member of the crew. - Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £6 6s. ; additional rewards, to crew, £7 ; total rewards, £13 6s.