OCTOBER 25TH. - BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT, AND SELSEY, SUSSEX. During a south-westerly gale, with very rough seas, the naval authorities at Portsmouth asked the Bembridge life-boat to go to the help of two ships in distress off Horse Sands Fort, and at 9.57 at night the motor life-boat Jesse Lumb was launched. She found H.M. Tug Swarthy on the defence boom, between Horse Sands Fort and the mainland, and H.M.S. Saltburn foul of the boom. Her repeated and hazardous efforts to get alongside the tug were prevented by the stones and railway metals embedded in the boom, but with the rising tide the tug was swept across the boom and the life-boat was then able to go alongside and rescued fourteen men. It was then about midnight.

The master and two seamen of the tug were on a Carley float. They were lost sight of.

The life-boat searched and could not find them, but they came ashore near Longstone Harbour. The life-boat took the rescued men into Portsmouth.

At Selsey the news that the ships were in distress was received about 9.30 at night, and the motor life-boat Canadian Pacific was launched just before ten o’clock. She arrived a quarter of an hour after midnight to find that the Bembridge life-boat had just rescued the crew of the tug. She too made for Portsmouth.

After landing the rescued men at Portsmouth the Bembridge life-boat went out again to the Saltburn. The Selsey life-boat was also asked to go out, and the two boats reached her about 3.15 in the morning. She had now been swept across the boom and was badly holed. The life-boats stood by until daylight. As there was no improvement in the weather, orders were given to abandon ship. The Bembridge life-boat took off 63 men, the Selsey life-boat 25, and landed them at Portsmouth. It was then shortly after ten in the morning of the 26th. The Bembridge life-boat returned to her station, where she arrived shortly after two o’clock that afternoon. She had been on service for sixteen hours in very severe weather. The Selsey crew were given hot baths and breakfast by the Navy, which then took them home by lorry. They returned to Portsmouth next day for their life-boat. - Rewards : Bembridge, £24 5s. 6d. ; Selsey, £32 10s. 6d..