Launches 26 Lives rescued 25 The War ended on the last minute of the 8th of May

MAY 9TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. A dinghy attached to a naval motor launch was seen by the life-boat coxswain to capsize off Fishcombe Point, throwing her crew of two into the water. A light south-westerly breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth.

The motor life-boat George Shee was launched at 11.19 in the morning and found the dinghy with her crew trying to right her. The lifeboat picked up the two men, took the dinghy in tow and arrived back at her station at 11.47. A signal was received from the naval authorities expressing appreciation of the rescue. - Rewards, £1 17s. 6d.

MAY 11TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

At 5.5 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that the S.S. Empire Dorritt, of Glasgow, had run aground on Barnard Sands. A light north-easterly breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. There was fog. The motor life-boat Michael Stephens was launched at 5.25 and stood by the steamer until 6.45, when she refloated. The life-boat escorted her until she was off the sands. Then the steamer went on her way, and the life-boat returned toher station, arriving at 8.30. - Rewards, £5 14s.

MAY 11TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

At 9.33 at night the Great Yarmouth coastguard reported that the local fishing smack Crecy was in need of help off Corton. The weather was foggy, a light easterly breeze blowing, and the sea calm. The motor lifeboat Michael Stephens was launched at 9.50 and with the aid of her searchlight found the fishing smack beached in six feet of water.

With difficulty she went alongside and advised the crew to remain. on board. At eleven o’clock, as the tide rose, the smack refloated. She was leaking. The life-boat towed her into harbour, and reached her station again at 12.45 next morning. - Property salvage case.

MAY 13TH. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

At 11.52 in the morning the coastguard reported two Danish motor fishing vessels, the Mary Iversen and the Gadanus, in difficulties on the Inner Middle Sandbank.

A fairly strong south-south-west breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat Anne Allen was launched at 12.6 and found the Mary Iversen high and dry.

The Gadanus sailed northwards, and the lifeboat stood by the Mary Iverson until 2.40.

Then the coastguard asked the life-boat to go to the help of the Gadunas. She learnt from her captain that he was getting short of fuel and she arranged with the naval authorities to send out a supply on the turn of the tide. She returned to her station at 3.58.

The Mary Iversen refloated at high tide.- Rewards, £7 7s. 6d.

MAY 13TH. - HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.

At 3.40 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that a small vessel was in distress off the South Stack. A squally south-west wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat A.E.D. was launched at 4.10 and twenty minutes later found the motor fishing vessel 750 with her engine broken down. She passed a rope to her, ready to tow her off, but a naval motor launch came up and took her in tow. The life-boat stood by until the motor fishing vessel was safely in harbour, and returned to her station, arriving at 6.30. - Rewards, £3 2s. 6d.

MAY 20TH. - TROON, AYRSHIRE. At one in the afternoon the naval authorities enquired about a small boat which had left harbour the previous evening but had not returned. An hour later the life-boat coxswain saw a small sailing boat off the north end of Lady Isle. A fresh south-easterly breeze was blowing, with squalls of rain and a moderate sea. The motor life-boat Sir David Richmond of Glasgow was launched at 2.25 and found the sailing boat Maretta Belle, of Troon, with two men on board. She had been at anchor since the previous night.

Head winds had prevented her from getting home. The life-boat rescued the men, took the boat in tow, and arrived at her station at 3.55. - Rewards, £4 7s. 6d.MAY 22ND. - ABERDEEN, AND TORRY LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS. At 5.26 in the afternoon the harbour master reported that H.M. motor torpedo boat 2007 had stranded one hundred and fifty yards east of the old south breakwater. A north-easterly wind was blowing, with a ground swell and breaking surf. The motor life-boat John Russell, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 5.50 and ran out anchors and lines in an unsuccessful effort to refloat the vessel. The Torry life-saving apparatus team had also been called out, and, when at 9.30 the commander of the M.T.B. decided to abandon ship, one of the crew, who had been injured, was landed by the apparatus.

Twenty men, the remainder of the crew, were rescued by the life-boat, which arrived back at her station at 10.10. Later the M.T.B. broke in two. - Rewards : Aberdeen life-boat, £14 15s. 3d. ; Torry L.S.A., £13 19s. 6d.

MAY 26TH. - BLACKPOOL, LANCASHIRE.

At 10.10 in the morning the police reported that an aeroplane had crashed in the sea opposite Cleveleys Hydro. There was a variable north-east wind and the sea calm.

At 10.30 the motor life-boat Sarah Ann Austin was launched and was guided to the position by aeroplanes. There she found a rubber dinghy, maps, first-aid kit, papers and bits of clothing, small pieces of wreckage, and a considerable quantity of oil and petrol on the water. The wreckage showed that the aeroplane had exploded when it hit the sea. The life-boat could find no trace of the crew. She handed over the wreckage to a motor launch of the Royal Naval Air Service, and returned to her station at 2.30.

- Rewards, £6 8s. 6d.

MAY 31ST. - CLOVELLY, DEVON. About 1.30 in the afternoon a message was received from the Hartland Point coastguard that an aeroplane had dived into the sea three miles north of Sharp Nose Point. A moderate gale was blowing, with a rough sea. At two o’clock the motor life-boat City of Nottingham was launched. It was done with difficulty owing to a bank of stones on the beach. She searched and found one body. About six o’clock she was directed to return to her station, and arrived at 7.15. - Rewards, £15 16s. 3d.

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

MAY 2ND. - HELVICK HEAD, CO, WATERFORD. A mine had become en.

tangled in the trawl of a local fishing vessel, It exploded and blew up the vessel. Another fishing boat picked up one survivor, but the life-boat found only oil and wreckage.- - Rewards, £5 4s. 6d. (See Helvick Head, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 57.) MAY 7TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. Four parachutes had been reported falling into the sea, but nothing could he found. - Rewards, £3 12s. 6d.

MAY 17TH. - FLEETWOOD, LANCASHIRE. An American aeroplane had crashed in the sea, but only a patch of oil and some wreckage were found. - Rewards, £12 14s. 3d.

MAY 7TH. - TORBAY, AND SALCOMBE, DEVON. The Norwegian minesweeper No. 382 had been reported blown up by a mine fifteen miles off Berry Head, but no survivors were found. The Salcombe life-boat put out at midnight on the 7th May and was the last life-boat to be called out for service during the war. - Rewards : Torbay, £l2 17s.; Salcombe, £11 11s. 9d.

MAY 10TH. - ST. DAVID’S, PEMBROKESHIRE.

A Beaufort aeroplane had crashed n the sea, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £8.

MAY 12TH. - RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN.

An R.A.F. aerial life-boat was adrift and flying a distress signal, but an air-sea rescue launch took her in tow. - Rewards, £9 8s.

MAY 13TH. - EASTBOURNE, SUSSEX.

A small yacht had capsized, but the yacht and her crew were brought ashore by another boat. - Rewards, £8 12s.

MAY 17TH. - MONTROSE, AND ARBROATH, ANGUS. A vessel had been reported on fire. It was a Liberator aeroplane which had crashed in the sea. A naval launch arrived first and picked up two bodies. The Arbroath life-boat did not launch, but her coxswain and motor-mechanic went in the air-sea rescue boat to save time.

- Rewards : Montrose, £13 12s. ; Arbroath, £2 10s.

MAY 17TH. - BERWICK - ON - TWEED, NORTHUMBERLAND. An R.A.F. aeroplane had crashed in the sea, but nothing could be found. A message came that a body had been seen, and the life-boat went out again, but again found nothing. - Rewards : first launch, £5 14s. ; second launch, £9 13s.

MAY 18TH. - SELSEY, SUSSEX. A seaplane had been reported to have crashed in the sea, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £8 1s.

MAY 21ST. - HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.

A boy had fallen over the cliff at North Stack, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £3 12s. 6d.

MAY 23RD. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE.

An aeroplane had crashed in the sea, but the pilot was able to reach shore in his rubber dinghy. - Rewards, £6 6s.

MAY 30TH. - BOULMER, NORTHUMBERLAND.

A small naval vessel had had trouble with her engine, but was able to repair it and to anchor nearer land. - Rewards, £14 0s. 6d.

MAY 31ST. - TOBERMORY, HEBRIDES.A vessel had been reported aground, but another vessel towed her to safety. - Rewards, £1 17s. 6d.

MAY 31ST. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

A trawler had gone aground, and one of her crew was injured, but a tug arrived with a doctor. - Rewards, £7 10s.