FEBRUARY 19TH. - TORBAY, DEVON.

At 4.47 in the afternoon the resident naval officer telephoned through the coastguard that landing craft belonging to the United States Amphibious Force were ashore on Paignton beach, between the Esplanade Pier and Redcliffe Hotel. Four vessels were ashore, L.C.I. 493, 498, 502, and 506, each with men on board. A fresh east-north-east wind was blowing, with a heavy swell, and it was very cold. The motor life-boat George Shee was launched at 5.8, reached the landing craft half an hour later, and helped in the work of salvage under directions of the American officers. She was out until 3.20 next morning. A wireless message then recalled her so that she could be refuelled and her crew rested. It was dead low water, hut in spite of the absence of lights and the presence of moored shipping, her coxswain brought her safely in and she was moored at 4.30 in the morning of the 20th.

Five and a half hours later she was asked to take the coastguard Boxer rocket apparatus to Paignton, and at 12.10 in the afternoon she left Brixham pier with it. She had also on board the district officer of coastguard and a naval signalman. On arriving off Paignton the life-boat anchored and veered down to the stranded landing craft. The motion of the boat made the firing of the rocket difficult, but a successful shot was made. Unfortunately it was wasted, for the crew of the landing craft, in spite of signals, hauled on the line until it parted, before the life-boat could pass it to a towing vessel.

Towing operations for the day were then abandoned and the life-boat landed the apparatus at Brixham at 4.30 that afternoon and reached her moorings ten minutes later.

On the afternoon of the 21st, she put out at 4.40 for the third time, to stand by, but later was signalled to return and was moored again at 6.45. In the end all four craft were towed off the beach. The American naval authorities expressed appreciation of the excellent seamanship and splendid co-operation of the life-boat’s crew. - Rewards, £10 16s. 6d. ; £7 7s. 6d. ; £9 11s. 6d..