Launches 31 Lives rescued 13 SEPTEMBER 1ST. -

COURTMACSHERRY, CO. CORK. At 10.20 at night a fisherman returned from trawling and reported that a lobster boat appeared to be in distress near How Strand, to the east of Courtmacsherry Bay. A whole north-west gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea, and the night was thick with rain. The motor life-boat Sarah Ward and William David Crosweller was launched at 11.20 and found the fishing boat Margaret, of Skibbereen, riding to her anchor in a very dangerous position. She had a crew of three. The life-boat towed her into port, arriving at 1.30 next morning. - Rewards, £10.

SEPTEMBER 2ND. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

Soon after six in the morning the coastguard reported that a dinghy from a Wellington aeroplane had been seen nearly nine miles from Skegness pier. A strong south-easterly wind of nearly gale force was blowing, with a rough sea and driving rain.

The motor life-boat Anne Allen was launched at 6.52, searched without result, and returned at 11.5. At 2.30 in the afternoon she was called out again and, with a doctor and two orderlies on board, went to the Long Sand, twelve miles south-south-west of Skegness.

There an R.A.F. rescue launch had gone aground. The launch had on board four survivors of the crew of six of the Wellington aeroplane whose dinghy she had found. The Skegness life-boat stood by until the launch refloated. The rescued men preferring to remain in her, the life-boat returned, arriving at 7.20 that evening. 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, £18 14s. ; additional rewards, £10 1s. 9d. ; total rewards, £28 15s. 9d.

SEPTEMBER 2ND. - DUNGENESS, KENT.

At 12.45 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that the phoenix 121, one of the concrete caissons used for building the invasion port on the coast of Normandy, to which the life-boat had taken a relief crew and food on the 31st of August, was dragging her anchor five miles north-east-by-north of Dungeness. A whole gale was blowing from the south-west, with a heavy sea and rain squalls. The motor life-boat Charles Cooper Henderson was launched at one o’clock and by skilful seamanship in very difficult conditions she rescued the crew of four. She reached her station again at three o’clock.

An increase in the usual money reward on the standard scale was given to each member of the crew. Standard rewards, £13 6s. ; additional rewards, £8 0s. 6d.; total rewards, £21 6s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 3RD. - DONAGHADEE, CO. DOWN. At five o’clock in the afternoon it was learned that a yacht was in distress off the Copeland Islands in Belfast Lough. A south-south-east gale was blowing, with a very rough sea. The motor life-boat Civil Service No. 5 was launched at 5.15 and found the yacht Trefoil, of Donaghadee. She had two men on board, one of them very exhausted. The life-boat took them off the yacht and, with the yacht in tow, reached Donaghadee at 6.20. - Rewards, £4 14s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 7TH. - BLACKPOOL, LANCASHIRE.

At 4.40 in the afternoon the St. Anne’s coastguard reported that an aeroplane had crashed in the sea about three miles west-south-west of Squires Gate. A light north-west breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth. The motor life-boat Sarah Ann Austin was launched at five o’clock, taking with her an R.A.F. doctor, another R.A.F.

officer and two police officers. She found two dinghies with three men in them, the crew of a Fleet Air Arm Barracuda aeroplane.

The men were wet, cold and slightly injured.

The life-boat took them and the dinghies on board and landed them at Blackpool at 6.45.

- Rewards, £6 1s. 6d

SEPTEMBER 15TH. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE. At six in the morning the coastguard reported a drifter ashore on the rocks near St. Combs. A light southeast wind was blowing, but the sea was rough on the beach and there was some fog.

The motor life-boat John and Charles Kennedy was launched at 6.30 and found the steam drifter Rosehearty, of Fraserburgh, with a crew of ten aboard. She was bumping heavily on the rocks. The life-boat ran out an anchor from the drifter. She then made her hawser fast to the drifter, held her stern to the sea, and waited for the tide. While heaving on her anchor the drifter parted the anchor rope and the anchor was lost. The life-boat’s anchor was then put out, but when she started towing the ropes again broke. These were again made fast and finally the drifter floated at 10.45. The drifter and the life-boat reached harbour at 12.20 that. afternoon. - Property salvage case.

SEPTEMBER 15TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE. At 6.5 in the morning the coastguard reported that a vessel was ashore a mile north of Peterhead, making signals of distress. There was a dense fog, with a light south-east wind and a moderate swell. The motor life-boat Julia Park Barry of Glasgow was launched at 6.40 and found the Peterhead steam drifter Whitehill hard aground and listing to port. She was returning from the fishing grounds with herrings.

Her crew of ten would not leave her, and the life-boat returned to get the services of a fishing boat and an anchor. She then ran out the anchor while the fishing boat got ropes aboard the Whitehill, ready to tow. But when the tide made the drifter floated off.

She was leaking badly, but, with the life-boat in attendance, she reached harbour under her own power at ten o’clock. - Property salvage case.

SEPTEMBER 17TH. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK. Shortly after one in the afternoon information was received that a vessel was in difficulties, and later it was learned that she was showing a distress signal. The weather was fine and the sea smooth. The motor life-boat Foresters Centenary was launched at 1.25 and a mile north of Sheringham found the Admiralty motor vessel No.

649. She was a new vessel, with a crew of six, and had broken down while bound north from a building yard. The life-boat towed her to Wells and then returned to her station, arriving at 9.45 in the evening. - Property salvage case.

SEPTEMBER 18TH. - ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK.

At 1.38 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that a glider was down in the sea one and a half miles south-east of Aldeburgh.

A north-easterly wind was blowing, with a slight swell. The No. 1 motor life-boat Abdy Beauclerk was launched at 1.45 andfound a Walrus amphibious aeroplane alongside the glider. She had rescued four men from it and the life-boat rescued another from a rubber dinghy. The coxswain then offered to take the four men of the glider off the Walrus, but the pilot declined as he thought that he could get into the air again. He could not, but instead taxied ashore and landed the four men. The life-boat arrived back at 2.30. - Rewards, £17.

SEPTEMBER 24TH. - TORBAY, DEVON.

At 11.53 in the morning a message was received from the resident naval officer at Brixham, through the coastguard, asking for the life-boat crew to assemble. A strong north-west wind was blowing, but the sea was slight. On receipt of a further message from the resident naval officer the motor lifeboat George Shee was launched at 12.5. In Brixham outer harbour she found H.M.

M.T.B.679. Her engine had broken down, and she was in a dangerous position. The life-boat was asked to stand by until the M.T.B. secured a mooring berth. This the life-boat did, and arrived back at her station at one o’clock. The resident naval officer complimented her crew on their services.- Rewards, £4 8s. 6d.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given : SEPTEMBER 1ST. - SEAHAM, DURHAM.

A fishing coble’s engine had broken down, but she was towed into Hartlepool by another fishing boat. - Rewards, £7 1s.

SEPTEMBER 2ND. - WELLS, NORFOLK.

Red flares had been seen, but nothing could be found, and it was later reported that an RAF. rescue boat had picked up four airmen. - Rewards, £22 14s. 3d. (See Skegness, “Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 32.)

SEPTEMBER 2ND. - POOLE AND BOURNEMOUTH, DORSET. A landing craft had been reported adrift, but the lifeboat was recalled by the naval authorities.

- Rewards, £4 8s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 8TH. - HELVICK HEAD, CO. WATERFORD. Rockets and flares had been seen, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £10 9s.

SEPTEMBER 9TH. - EASTBOURNE, SUSSEX.

The life-boat had been called out to a tug towing concrete defences, with a trawler in attendance, but her services were not needed. - Rewards, £15 18s.

SEPTEMBER 13TH. - COURTMACSHERRY HARBOUR, CO. CORK. A passenger aeroplane had been reported missing, but later it was learned that she had been found.- Rewards, £7 6s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 15TH. - KILLYBEGS, CO. DONEGAL. Flares had been reported, but they came from destroyers engaged in a search for an aeroplane which had crashed.- Rewards, £8 15s.

SEPTEMBER 15TH. - THE MUMBLES, AND BARRY DOCK, GLAMORGANSHIRE.

The American Forces tug N o . 6 7 2 had grounded on the Tusker Rock, off Porthcawl, but she overturned before the life-boat reached the scene. Eight of her crew of twelve got ashore in their life-belts ; the remaining four were lost. Later it was reported that the ship’s boat was adrift with men aboard, and the Barry Dock life-boat was sent out, but she was recalled by the coastguard. - Rewards : The Mumbles, £8 1s.

3d. ; Barry Dock, £9 18s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 19TH. - DUNMORE EAST, CO. WATERFORD. An object had been reported in the water, but it was found to be only six rusty floats lashed together. - Rewards, £4 7s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 20TH. - DONAGHADEE, CO. DOWN. A vessel had been reported in distress nineteen miles away, but the life-boat was recalled as the vessel, the American steamer Lawrence D. Tyson, had been taken in tow. - Rewards, £8 1s. 3d.

SEPTEMBER 21ST. - WALMER, KENT. An aeroplane had crashed in the sea, but only wreckage was found. - Rewards, £11 1s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 23RD. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, AND WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX.

It was thought that aeroplanes had collided and one was reported to have come down in flames, but nothing could be found. - Rewards : Clacton - on - Sea, £9 12s. 6d. ; Walton and Frinton, £14 1s.

SEPTEMBER 24TH. - SENNEN COVE, AND PENLEE, CORNWALL. Three naval barges had been reported in distress, but nothing could be found. The Sennen Cove coxswain died in hospital while the life-boat was out on service, and her mechanic and signalman, his nephew, were absent, visiting him. - Rewards : Sennen Cove, £9 6s. 9d. ; Penlee, £16 16s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 24TH. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK. A local fisherman’s boat had got adrift and as the weather was too bad for another fishing boat to go out, the life-boat was lent to the men to recover the boat. - No rewards.

SEPTEMBER 26TH. - KILLYBEGS, CO. DONEGAL. A sailing boat had been reported in distress, but no boat was found or reported missing. The Bullock-More Buoy had broken adrift and may have been mistaken for a boat. - Rewards, £8 15s.

SEPTEMBER 27TH. - ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK.

A parachute had been reported drifting seawards, but no parachute or wreckage could be found. - Rewards, £17 4s.

SEPTEMBER 30TH. - AMBLE, NORTHUMBERLAND. A British aeroplane had crashed, but the airman was picked up by a fishing boat. - Rewards, £5. (See Amble, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 64.).