Launches 49 Lives rescued 252

DECEMBER 2ND. - MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.

During the morning a wireless message was received at Holyhead, and telephoned to Moelfre, asking for a life-boat to take a badly-injured man off the S.S. Harmattan.

The weather was stormy and cold, with a westerly wind and a rough sea. After the arrival of naval medical staff by ambulance the motor life-boat G.W. put out half an hour after noon. About forty-five minutes later she reached the steamer five miles eastsouth- east of the life-boat station. In that rough sea it was only after three attempts that the medical party succeeded in boarding the steamer, and only with difficulty that the injured man was lowered on a stretcher into the life-boat. She brought him safely ashore at three o’clock. - Rewards, £8 9s.

DECEMBER 2ND. - CULLERCOATS, NORTHUMBERLAND.

During the afternoon two small fishing boats were overtaken by bad weather. A strong westerly wind, increasing to gale force, was blowing, and the sea was rough. They were both rowing boats. One reached harbour, but the other, with two men on board, could make no headway, and the motor life-boat Westmorland was launched at 4.15. She found the boat, the Star, off Sharpness Point and towed her into harbour at 5.35. - Rewards, £24 0s. 6d.

DECEMBER 7TH - 10TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK.

At 11.45 in the morning, the naval base at Great Yarmouth asked, through the coastguard, that the life-boat should launch to the British-manned Liberty ship Samnethy, which had stranded on Hammond Knoll two days previously, and at 12.20 the No. 1 motor life-boat H. F. Bailey was launched with a crew of six. The weather was fine The life-boat reached Hammond Knoll: twenty-three miles from the life-boat station, at 3.15 and found four naval salvage tugs and a motor launch in attendance on the Samnethy.

The coxswain boarded the Samnethy and discussed the position with the captain and salvage officer. The life-boat was only required to remain handy in case it became necessary to abandon ship, and the captain agreed to provide food. All through thenight of the 7th and the day of the 8th the life-boat remained at anchor. About, midnight on the 8th the wind and sea increased and the life-boat had to move out to deeper water.

The weather continued to get worse, the wind rising at times to a gale, with squalls of sleet, heavy seas and intense cold, and at about nine in the morning of the 9th the coxswain warned the salvage officer that if men were to be taken off, It must be done before dark. At 2.30 in the afternoon the life-boat was secured alongside, but heavy seas parted the rope which fouled the lifeboat’s port propeller. It was cleared by the special knife provided. At 3.30 the life-boat was again secured alongside, rising and falling some twelve to fifteen feet, and took off 35 men. She put them on board a tug, to which she herself made fast. At 7.30 she was called alongside the Samnethy again. This time she took off the thirteen remaining members of the crew and four salvage officers. She then made for Gorleston, which she reached at one in the morning of the 10th, and landed the seventeen men. Later in the day tugs brought the Samnethy into Yarmouth Roads.

It had been an arduous service of sixty hours. The rescued men gave £42 10s. to the life-boatmen in gratitude for it. The Institution wrote to the Ministry of War Transport to express its appreciation of the help given by the signalling of the Winterton coastguard. To each member of the life-boat crew the Institution made an increase in the usual money reward on the standard scale.

Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £67 15s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £18 ; total rewards, £85 15s.

DECEMBER 10TH. - BRIDLINGTON, YORKSHIRE. At 11.45 on the night of the 9th of December, the coastguard reported a vessel firing distress signals three miles north-east of Flamborough Head. A strong north-west wind was blowing, with a heavy sea. The motor lifeboat Stanhope Smart was launched at 12.10 in the morning of the 10th. As she rounded Flamborough Head she ran into heavy weather and shipped a considerable amount of water. After a long search, in which she asked a steamer for information and signalled Flamborough Head, she was guided by the S.S. Westwood, and found the S.S. Eddie, of Fraserburgh, about six miles cast of Filey, with a heavy list to port. She had a crew of ten, and was laden with steel blocks. H.M.S. Puffin was standing by. The master of the Eddie feared she would capsize, and was considering abandoning her. He could not launch the ship’s boat on account of the heavy list, and when he launched a raft it was swept away in the heavy seas. After several attempts the second-coxswain of the life-boat was put on board the Eddie. Then, escorted by the lifeboat, she made for Bridlington Bay, accompanied by S.S. Westwood and H.M.S. Puffin, and arrived safely. The master said that he would not have turned for Bridlington without the support of the life-boat’s presence.

- Property salvage case.DECEMBER 10TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 6.10 in the evening the naval control informed the life-boat coxswain that H.M.S. tug Leigh was sending out an SOS signal. The night was very dark and cold, with a south-east gale blowing and a rough sea. At 6.30 the motor life-boat J. B. Proudfoot, on temporary duty at the station, was launched and ten minutes later found the tug on a sand bank. She was one hundred and fifty yards east of the pier and was driving towards it. The tug had only a few fathoms of chain and her anchor and windlass were practically useless. Her crew of six and three boarding officers were ready to leave, but two life-boatmen were put on board her in the hope of preventing her from smashing into the pier and of getting her to a safe anchorage. The life-boat ran out an anchor for her. This held the tug and so saved both the tug and the pier from damage.

The life-boat returned to the Leigh and, after some time, succeeded in taking off the three boarding officers, but the tug’s crew decided to stay on board. The life-boat landed the officers and returned to the tug to find the anchor still holding. It continued to hold until the tug was able to move under her own power. The life-boat then moored her to the pier and reached her station again at 9.30 that night. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 10TH. - FISHGUARD, AND ST. DAVID’S, PEMBROKESHIRE. At 4.46 in the afternoon a message was received from the coastguard that a vessel had sent up red flares about seven miles west of Strumble Head. A moderate north-west wind was blowing, with a rough sea. At six o’clock the motor life-boat White Star was launched, and found the S.S. Dan Beard, of New Orleans, wrecked and surrounded by oil and wreckage. There was no one on board.

When the life-boat had made certain of this she searched for survivors, but found nothing except a ship’s life-buoy with a light.

One of the life-boat’s crew, T. M. Neal, was taken seriously ill, so the life-boat returned to her station, and he was landed and taken home by a police car. He was paralysed, and shortly afterwards he died. The lifeboat informed the coastguard of her fruitless search, and the naval authorities asked her to launch again and continue it. This she did, but she found neither the boats nor men and returned to her station at ten o’clock next morning.

At 7.20 on the evening of the 10th the coastguard asked the St. David’s life-boat to search off Strumble Head itself, and at 8.20 the motor life-boat Civil Service No. 6 was launched. As she came near the Head she found wreckage, oil on the water and then a raft with twelve men. Their clothing was saturated with oil and their hands very greasy, and it was very difficult to get them into the life-boat, so one of her crew, J. Jenkins, got on to the raft to steady it alongside the life-boat. The life-boat then made for Fishguard, but before she arrived there one of the rescued men died. She put out again and continued her search until daybreak, but found nothing, and returned to her station at 10.45 next morning. She had been slightly damaged through striking wreckage and the raft, and the hands, arms and faces of the lifeboat crew were blackened with oil. On their return they were treated with lotion as a precaution against dermatitis. The flag officer-in-charge of the naval base at Milford Haven expressed his appreciation of the life-boats’ help. - Rewards, Fishguard £33 6s. ; St. David’s, £31 12s. 6d. The Institution also paid the funeral expenses of the Fishguard life-boatman, T. M. Neal, who had died.

DECEMBER 13TH. - NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE. At two in the afternoon the Hoylake coastguard reported an aeroplane down in the River Mersey off Gladstone Dock.

The weather was foggy, with a light southeast wind. The sea was smooth. The No. 2 motor life-boat Edmund and Mary Robinson put off at 2.10 and a quarter of an hour later found a Walrus amphibious aeroplane, with only a pilot of Air Transport Auxiliary on board. He had been forced to come down by shortage of fuel. The life-boat towed in the aeroplane and returned to her moorings at 5.5.

From the 14th to the 19th life-boatmen helped with the refuelling of the aeroplane, which was then flown away.

The air authorities expressed appreciation of the life-boat’s services. - Rewards, £9 1s.

Other expenses paid by the Ministry of Aircraft Production.

DECEMBER 14TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

At 10.45 in the morning the coastguard reported white rockets at Bullers of Buchan, about four miles to the south of Peterhead. A strong south-south-east wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow was launched at 11.10 and met the S.S. Charlus, of Sunderland, making for Peterhead. She was bound light, from Fraserburgh to Sunderland, with a crew of eleven. She was making water, her pumps were choked and she had a dangerous list. Her crew, however, remained aboard and the life-boat escorted her into the bay. She then ran into harbour and, as no small boat could have ventured out in that sea, she took a pilot to the steamer. Piloted by him, and with the life-boat in close attendance, the steamer came into harbour and was safely moored at mid-day. - Rewards, £8 8s.

DECEMBER 15TH. - KIRKCUDBRIGHT.

At five in the afternoon the Ross Lighthouse reported by telephone that a vessel appeared to be drifting, but was not showing any distress signals. A south-easterly gale was blowing, with a very rough sea, and it was very dark. The air-sea rescue base at Gibbhill was asked whether it could send a boat out to warn the vessel, which was coming up the estuary towards the bar. As the base was unable to do this, it sent an officer by car to signal to the vessel. It was then learned that she needed help, and at 8.30, when the tide allowed, the motor life-boat Morison Watson was launched. A quarter of an hour later she reached the vessel which was then about one hundred yards off shore near TorrsPoint. She was the auxiliary schooner Mary B. Mitchell, of Dublin, with a crew of eight, bound, laden with burnt ore, from Dublin to Silloth. The life-boat rescued her crew and, as she could not be re-housed in that rough weather, went up the river to the quay at Kirkcudbright, where she arrived at ten that night. She intended to put the men on board the schooner again next morning, but found that she had drifted across the bay during the night and had been wrecked. It was reported that the Mary B. Mitchell had been a “ Q ” ship in the war of 1914-1918 and later had been used for taking films at sea. - Rewards, £23 3s.

DECEMBER 15TH - 19TH. - PORT ASKAIG, HEBRIDES. At 9.15 at night the Kilchoman coastguard reported a vessel ashore at Black Rock, Jura. A strong south-cast wind was blowing, with a heavy sea. Sleet was falling and the night was dark. The motor life-boat Charlotte Elizabeth left her moorings at ten o’clock and found the Admiralty tank-landing craft 4CVC, with a crew of nineteen, bound from Ardrossan to Oban. A wireless message from the landing craft advised the life-boat not to come alongside, but to stand by. A tug was expected, but as, at daybreak, none had arrived, the lifeboat went alongside and rescued the crew.

Twice, while doing it, she touched bottom.

She reached her station again at eleven that morning, the 16th. On the 17th she was out from 2.30 to 5.30 in the afternoon, in an unsuccessful attempt to recover the ship’s confidential papers. On the 18th the lifeboat crew helped in pumping the stranded craft, being engaged from 8.30 in the morning until seven in the evening. These efforts did not succeed in refloating the landing craft, and on the 19th the life-boat was again employed, from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon, on salvage work.

- Rewards, £18 14s., and property salvage case.

DECEMBER 16TH and 17TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. At 12.12 in the afternoon the coastguard telephoned that a steamer, off Goring, was going round in circles and sounding her whistle. A strong south-west wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn was launched at 1.4. In the absence of the coxswain on pilotage duties the station secretary, Captain C. T. Keigwin, R.D., R.N.R., went out and co-operated with the second-coxswain in handling the life-boat. About an hour later the life-boat found the Polish steamer Chorzow a mile south of Goring. She was bound, laden with coal, from Newport to Shoreham, She had a crew of over twenty, one of them a woman. As the captain of the Chorzow was uncertain of his position two life-boatmen were put aboard to pilot the steamer to an anchorage off Shoreham, and to warn the captain that if it came on to blow he should up-anchor and get out to sea. After the Chorzow had anchored the life-boatmen were taken off and the lifeboat returned to her station, arriving in harbour at 4.38.

The secretary kept in touch with the coastguards, who were watching the Chorzow, and at 3.40 in the morning of the 17th he was told that she was drifting and out of control. It was not thought that the lifeboat could be of service, but when the steamer was about 500 yards from the shore, and likely to strand, she was launched. It was then 4.57. The steamer went ashore on the beach 100 yards from the coastguard lookout, and the life-boat made repeated, but unsuccessful, efforts to get alongside, in the course of which one of her crew was nearly swept overboard by the heavy seas. The steamer’s crew were rescued from the shore by the coastguard life-saving apparatus. After standing out to sea for a time until conditions allowed her to return, the life-boat came in at 11.20 that morning. The owners of the steamer, the Gdynia-America Shipping Lines Ltd., gave £10 10s. in appreciation of the lifeboat’s help. - Rewards, £6 5s. and £22 9s. 6d.

SILVER MEDAL SERVICE AT TORBAY DECEMBER 17TH. - TORBAY, DEVON.

Shortly after midnight on the 16th of December the Paignton police telephoned that a ship was ashore at Hollacombe Point, near the Torquay and Paignton Gas Works. A later message said that there were two. One was a tug and the other a vessel which she had in tow. A gale was blowing from the south-east, with very heavy seas and torrential rain. At 12.43 in the morning of the 17th the motor life-boat George Shee slipped her moorings.

She had on board only six men instead of the usual crew of eight.

Just after one o’clock she saw a white masthead light and a green deck light.

They were on board the tug Empire Alfred. The night was so dark, and the rain so fierce, that even with the searchlight the coxswain could see nothing but the two lights, and it was impossible to tell which way the tug was lying. She must have been not more than fifty yards from the shore and the surf was breaking four hundred yards out. The lead gave the life-boat a depth of not more than two fathoms and the coxswain went astern at full speed and lay on the edge of the breakers. He made a second attempt to find how the tug lay, but failed, and at the third attempt he shouted to the tug’s crew to put up a stern light for his guidance. With the help of this light he was able to judge her position. She had her bow on shore,with the wind and sea on her starboard quarter, and it was impossible to approach her on her lee side because of a ledge of rock. With the lights and his lead to guide him the coxswain went to the weather side. The tug was rolling heavily, but the life-boat secured alongside fore and aft. There she lay, with the seas breaking right over her and the tug, and again and again, in the trough of the seas, the life-boatmen felt their boat touch bottom. As the life-boat rose on the crests of the seas the men of the tug jumped for her, but in the darkness and the rain - with the searchlight still useless - it was half an hour before the last of the fourteen was aboard.

All the time life-boatmen stood by the ropes ready to cast them off if the lifeboat and tug should not move to the seas together.

The vessel which the tug had had in tow was lying farther inshore in still shallower water. She was yardcraft 345. The life-boat moved in, looking for her, at a very reduced speed, and taking soundings all the time.

Suddenly the depth altered from about two fathoms to just over a fathom, and the coxswain gave the order "come astern full.” At the same moment the life-boat hit the sea-bottom and the men were nearly shaken off their feet.

The vessel was then, it was estimated, about 40 yards nearer the shore.

When the life-boat had come out into deeper water, the coxswain and the captain of the tug decided that it would be better to take the rescued crew to Brixham at once, as they were all drenched and some of them had very little clothing, and to return to attempt again the rescue of the crew of the yardcraft.

The life-boat reached Brixham at 4.51 in the morning, and a quarter of an hour later set out again. Knowing the shallowness of the water where the vessel lay, and the danger, among the rocks, of damaging his rudder and losing control of the boat, if he had suddenly to come out at full speed astern, the coxswain decided to anchor and veer down. Visibility had now improved a little, and he could see the vessel and judge his distances. The life-boat paid out 80 fathoms of cable, and when she had dropped down to the vessel, found her lying broadside on to the seas, which were sweeping clean over her. The lead then gave 1 1/2 fathoms, and it was impossible to get under her lee, through lack of water.

Again there was nothing to be done but to attempt a rescue from the weatherside. The coxswain handled the life-boat with great skill, knowing that any mistake would mean great damage, or even disaster to her, but no mistake was made and he came safely alongside and made fast. The vessel was rolling and bumping very heavily in the sea and there was a fierce undercurrent. Again and again it carried the life-boat away, and she had to be brought back alongside.

Owing to the absence of two men of her crew the assistant motor-mechanic had to be on deck, and the mechanic had to handle his engines alone. The cockpit was often flooded, but he made no mistake, and the coxswain said afterwards that he appeared to know by instinct what to do. There were only five men on the yardcraft, but, owing to the under-current, it took a long time to rescue them, and after four had been safely taken off it was well over twenty minutes before the last man was safely on board the life-boat.

The life-boat reached Brixham for the second time at 7.50 in the morning. She had then been out just over seven hours.

It was a most difficult and dangerous service in the heavy seas, shallow water and intense darkness, and that it was successfully carried out, with only very slight damage to the lifeboat, was due to the splendid seamanship and courage of the coxswain, the great skill with which the motormechanic, alone at his controls, handled the engines and the unhesitating support which the coxswain received from all the crew.

The Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN FREDERICK C. SANDERS, the silver medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To RICHARD T. HARRIS, motormechanic, a second-service clasp to the bronze medal for gallantry whichhe already held, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To SAMUEL B. GLANVILLE, bowman, HENRY O. THOMAS, assistant motor-mechanic, HAROLD P. SOPER and ABRAHAM BARTLETT, life-boatmen, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each member of the crew a special reward of £1 in addition to the usual reward on the standard scale.

Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £12 10s.; additional rewards to crew, £6 ; total rewards, £18 10s.

DECEMBER 17TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 6.25 in the morning a request was received from the naval control for the life-boat to go to the Maplin Sands where a vessel had been driven ashore on the Blacktail Spit. A strong southerly gale was blowing, with a very rough sea. At 6.55 the motor life-boat J. B. Proudfoot, on temporary duty at the station, was launched, and found H.M.S. Jeanie Deans ashore about half a mile west-south-west of Blacktail Spit. She was being swept by heavy seas. The Jeanie Deans signalled the life-boat to stand by her, so that, should a tug arrive, she could pass a tow rope. This the life-boat did, and at daylight H.M. tug Advice arrived. By now the tide had turned and the sea had increased.

The life-boat anchored, veered down to within 120 feet of the Jeanie Deans, and with her line-throwing gun fired a veering line on to her port bow. To this the crew of the Jeanie Deans bent on a warp and this the life-boat hauled in and bent on to it a cable.

The life-boat then approached the tug which had let go her anchor and was dropping towards the life-boat. The life-boat eventually succeeded in passing the cable to the tug which then bent a tow-wire to it, and this the crew of the Jeanie Deans pulled on board. She was now in a bad way, continually pounded by heavy seas. The tug took the weight on the tow-wire, but after she had been pulling for some time it broke.

A second attempt was made. The life-boat had to go head first to the sands, the seas making a clean sweep over her, filling her canopy and carrying two of her crew under it. Fortunately they were not injured. In spite of all the difficulties, the tow-wire was reconnected, and the Jeanie Deans’ own towwire was also connected to the tug. The tug now took the weight on two tow-wires and was successful in pulling the Jeanie Deans off the sands, just before high water. It was then just after one o’clock in the afternoon.

Without the life-boat the Jeanie Deans and her crew of 90 could not have been saved, for the tug could never have got near her because of her greater draught and the heavy seas. The life-boat was asked to stand by until the Jeanie Deans reached harbour, but on the return journey she saw two barges flying distress signals, about half a mile west of South Shoebury Buoy. As the Jeanie Deans was now able to travel under her own power, the life-boat went to the barges, which were the Ida, of Harwich, and the Xylonite, of Ipswich, loaded with flour. They were anchored in a very exposed position, were badly damaged and unmanageable. The four men of their crews had been exposed to the gale for a number of hours. They were wet, cold and hungry and it was only with difficulty that the life-boat rescued them. After landing the men at Southend Pier, where they were given hot food and dry clothing, the life-boat put out again to save the barges and their valuable cargo. Life-boatmen hauled up their anchors and by using all available sail on the barges the life-boat was able to tow them to Southend. She returned to her station at 4.15 next morning.

The naval authorities expressed their appreciation of the valuable help given by the life-boat to the Jeanie Deans. - Rewards, £8 8s. for the rescue of the men on the barges, property salvage cases for both the Jeanie Deans and the two barges.

DECEMBER 17TH. - BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT. At 9.12 in the morning a message was received from the naval authorities that a vessel was on the barrage boom.

A southerly gale was blowing and the sea was broken and confused. At 9.40 the motor life-boat Jessie Lumb was launched and the whole of the boom was searched without result. The life-boat returned to Sea View for further information and then found that men were clinging to the top of a line of barrage buoys. These buoys were fitted with iron spikes about two feet long and the mooring chains between them were also protected with spikes. There were six men.

They had been clinging to the buoys for about eight hours, had suffered terribly from exposure and were now too exhausted to do anything to help themselves. It was with great difficulty that the life-boat rescued them. Her coxswain drove her over the chains connecting the buoys, threw ropes to the men and dragged them to the life-boat.

They were the crew of the steam drifter Manora. In the gale and darkness she had been driven off her course, while going to the help of another vessel showing distress signals in Spithead, had ran on the boom, been holed, and had sunk in a few minutes. The life-boat landed the rescued men at Sea View Pier and they were taken to hospital by ambulance. The life-boat returned to her station at 11.50, but could not be re-housed until 4.30, owing to the heavy swell on the slipway. - Rewards, £18 12s.

DECEMBER 17TH. - EXMOUTH, DEVON.

At 4.20 in the afternoon a call was received from a vessel in distress off Beer Head. A strong south-south-west wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Catherine Harriet Eaton was launched, with the help of a naval party, at 4.40, and two hours later found the Dutch motor ship Ooster Haven one mile south-south-east of Beer Head. She was at anchor on a lee shorewith her propeller disabled. In addition to her crew, she had on board eleven survivors from another vessel whom she had picked up in the English Channel. A tug was expected and the life-boat stood by. At 7.30 a destroyer with an escort vessel arrived, and the lifeboat took a doctor from the destroyer to the Ooster Haven, to attend to injured men among the rescued. Later she took him back to the destroyer. A trawler arrived at eight o’clock and an attempt was made to tow the motor vessel, but the wire parted and the life-boat helped to pass a new wire. At 10.30 the expected tug arrived and an hour later she had the Ooster Haven in tow. The lifeboat remained with them until 12.40 next morning. Then, as the Ooster Haven was out of danger, she returned to Exmouth, arriving at 3.20. - Rewards, £29 16s. 6d.

DECEMBER 17TH. - WALMER, KENT.

The naval officer-in-charge, Ramsgate, asked that a doctor should be taken to the American steamer James E. Haviland. A strong southwest wind was blowing and the sea was very rough. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 6.15 in the evening with a doctor and put him on board the James E. Haviland, near the South- West Goodwin Buoy. The life-boat waited, but the sea was running so high that the mooring ropes which held her to the steamer parted and she had to lie off until the doctor was ready to re-embark. With difficulty she took him on board again, but her rudder was damaged. She returned to her station at 8.35. - Rewards, £30 13s. 6d.

DECEMBER 18TH. - MARGATE, KENT.

A request was received from the medical officer of H.M.S. Speedy for the life-boat to go out to her for a man with scarlet fever.

At 1.15 in the afternoon the motor life-boat The Lord Southborough (Civil Service No. 1) was launched. A south-west breeze was blowing, with a choppy sea. The life-boat brought the sick man ashore. The medical officer accompanied him and the life-boat later took him back to the Speedy. When she returned she was fumigated before being housed. - Rewards, £8 11s.

DECEMBER 18TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.

At 7.20 in the evening the coastguard telephoned that a vessel was ashore on the North Head at the harbour entrance. A light south-west wind was blowing, with a ground swell. Visibility was poor. The motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow put out at 7.40 and within a few minutes had found the motor vessel Finlande hard aground. She was a French trawler of 1,300 tons, working from Hull, to which port she was bound with a cargo of fish from Iceland reported to be valued at £10,000. Her crew numbered thirty-six, and she was said to be the largest fishing trawler in the world.

As she was leaking badly and fast on the rocks her crew had decided to abandon her.

The swell was heavy, but the crew were able to jump aboard the life-boat. One man fell into the sea, but he was quickly pulled out.

The life-boat reached harbour again at 8.30. - Rewards, £11 17s.

DECEMBER 20TH. - PORT ST. MARY, ISLE OF MAN. At 12.5 in the afternoon the Ramsey coastguard reported that they had received information of a vessel in distress. Ten minutes later the position was given as Castletown Bay, and five minutes later distress signals were reported. A moderate south-south-west gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. The motor life-boat Sir Heath Harrison was launched at 12.42 and reached the position at two o’clock.

There she found the motor fishing boat 693, on Admiralty service. She had a crew of three, and was bound, light, from Poole to Glasgow. She was making for Douglas when her engine broke down. With the help of a small sail she had managed to reach Castletown Bay and had anchored, but her anchor had begun to drag. The life-boat took off the crew and brought them into Castletown.

There they obtained an extra anchor and the life-boat took them, the anchor and some naval men out to the fishing boat again and they made her secure. This done the lifeboat returned to her station, bringing with her the crew of the fishing boat and the naval men. She arrived at 5.30 that afternoon.- Rewards, £20 6s.

DECEMBER 24TH . - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE. About 1.45 in the afternoon information was received through the signal station that landing craft (G)110 had been in collision and was sinking near the gate vessel. The weather was foggy, with a light north-east wind and a smooth sea. The motor life-boat City of Bradford II was launched at 1.57, and found the vessel near the Cleeness Buoy. She was in tow of H.M.T. Arlette, and had one hundred and twenty-five men on board. Escorted by the life-boat the landing craft (G)110 was towed into Grimsby Docks. The life-boat returned to her station, arriving at four o’clock.- Paid permanent crew.

DECEMBER 27TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 10.55 in the morning a message was received from the naval control for food to be taken to the drifter Ocean Lover, which had been lying a mile east of the boom for four days owing to thick fog. At 11.15 the motor life-boat J. B. Proudfoot, on temporary duty at the station, was launched and went first to the vessel guarding the boom. This vessel was also found to be short of food. Some of the bread for the Ocean Lover was given her, and in its place a box of biscuits from the life-boat’s own store was given to the Ocean Lover. The life-boat also took out the captain of the American vessel Sun Yat Sen, which was lying a mile above the boom, and the commander of H.M.C.S. Calgary, which was lying at Sheerness. - Rewards, £11 5s.

DECEMBER 28TH. - NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE. At 4.50 in the afternoon a message was received from the New Brighton stage that the ferryboat Wallasey was ashore north of Seacombe, with passengers on board.

A slight south-east breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth, but there was frost and dense fog. At 5.20 the No, 2 motor life-boatEdmund and Mary Robinson was launched and went at low speed, on account of the fog.

She passed two tankers which had also run ashore. At 6.30 she reached the Wallasey, went alongside and took off 61 women and children and landed them at Seacombe Ferry.

She then returned to the Wallasey and took off forty-one women, children and servicemen, and landed them at Seacombe Ferry. She again returned to the Wallasey, but the ferry-boat floated shortly afterwards and went to Seacombe and there landed the remainder of her passengers, about 200.

The fog continued to be very dense, visibility was nil, and as it was thought imprudent to attempt to return to New Brighton, the lifeboat remained tied up at Seacombe until 5.20 in the morning of the 29th. She reached her station again at 7.5 that morning. A letter of appreciation was received from the owners of the Wallasey. - Rewards, £14 12s.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given :

DECEMBER 2ND. - ANSTRUTHER, FIFESHIRE.

A Liberator aeroplane had crashed in flames, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £19 11s. 6d.

DECEMBER 1 0TH. - FOWEY, CORNWALL.

Several Admiralty landing craft had been reported in difficulties, but they were able to go on their way without help.- Rewards, £7 13s.

DECEMBER 11TH. - FENIT, CO. KERRY.

Flashing lights had been reported, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £20 13s. 6d.

DECEMBER 12TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing was found.

During the search a life-boatman was put on board one of two rescue launches, which were also searching, and acted as pilot to enable her to cover a larger area. - Rewards, £9 16s. 6d.

DECEMBER 12TH. - BEAUMARIS ANGLESEY. An aeroplane had been reported to have crashed in the sea, b u t nothing could be found. - Rewards, £9 0s. 6d.

DECEMBER 17TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 8.40 in the morning the coastguard reported a vessel ashore on the Brake Sands and asked that the life-boat should be launched immediately.

A south-west gale was blowing, with a rough sea. It was low tide and the seas were all broken water for about half a mile out. Beyond that a heavy sea was running. As the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was being launched the slip chain became unhooked and the life-boat was launched prematurely, with only the motor-mechanic, C. P. Cavell, on board. At the time he was down in the engine-room, but he quickly came up on deck.

Realising he was alone he started the starboard engine, went to the wheel and took the life-boat out into deeper water. He then started the other engine and cruised about until he had a signal from the beach that they were ready for him to beach the boat.

This he did successfully. The life-boat was again launched at 9.45, but found that the collier Afon Gwili, which had been ashore, had refloated. The mechanic’s quick grasp of the situation, prompt action and seamanship undoubtedly saved the life-boat from considerable damage, and the Institution awarded to him its thanks inscribed on vellum. - Rewards, £16 1s.

DECEMBER 17TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT.

A landing barge had gone ashore, but the life-boat was recalled as it had been learnt that none of the crew was on board the barge. - Rewards, £7 18s.

DECEMBER 17TH. - SELSEY, AND SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A Lancaster aeroplane had crashed off Worthing, but nothing was found. - Rewards, Selsey, £17 18s. 6d. ; Shoreham Harbour, £17 12s. 6d.

DECEMBER 18TH. - PENLEE, CORNWALL.

A German submarine had struck the Wolf Rock and sunk. Naval vessels also sent to the rescue and picked up a number of survivors. but none was rescued by the lifeboat.

- Rewards, £13 11s. 6d.

DECEMBER 1 8TH. - FOWEY, CORNWALL.

A vessel, believed to have been torpedoed, had been reported in distress, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.

DECEMBER 19TH. - THE MUMBLES, GLAMORGANSHIRE. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £8 8s.

DECEMBER 21ST. - MARYPORT, CUMBERLAND.

An aeroplane had reported an object in the sea off Workington, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £20 5s. 6d.

DECEMBER 21ST. - DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN. A Beaufighter aeroplane had crashed in the sea, but only wreckage was seen. - Rewards, £6 13s.

DECEMBER 22ND. - HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY. An aeroplane had crashed in flames, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £8 10s.

DECEMBER 25TH. - LYTHAM-ST. ANNES, LANCASHIRE. The crew of an R.A.F.

aeroplane had baled out and some of the airmen had come safely down. A search was made for three who were missing, but without success, and at dawn the men were found ashore. - Rewards, £15 6s.

DECEMBER 2 8TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK.

A parachute had been reported in the sea, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £40 15s.

DECEMBER 29TH. - FENIT, CO. KERRY.

Rockets or Very lights had been seen, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.