NOVEMBER 30TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 11.30 at night the Deal coastguard reported a vessel aground on the Goodwin Sands. A south-easterly wind was blowing and the sea was rough. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 11.50. She found two steamers aground on the South Goodwins, within 500 yards of each other. One, the American steamer U.S.O., did not need help. The life-boat went to the other. She was the cargo steamer Andre' Thome' of La Rochelle, of over 2,000 tons, bound, laden with pitch, from Middlesbrough to Dieppe. She had a crew of 28. Her master asked the life-boat to help him refloat her by laying out a kedge anchor. Six life-boatmen went on board her, and with the help of a motor boat, which had also put four men onboard the steamer, the life-boat laid out the anchor.

It was then half an hour after midnight.

The sea was increasing, and the coxswain decided to lie off. The life-boat was tossing violently, and, as she was casting off the securing ropes, one of her crew, W. Willis, was thrown overboard between the life-boat and the steamer. The motor-mechanic, C. P. Cavell, saw him go, left his controls and sprang to the side just in time to seize him.

They were both in danger of being crushed between the two vessels, but were hauled onboard unhurt. As the weather was the American steamer U.S.O. refloated, and at 9.30 the Andre' Thome' was also floating.

If the kedge wire had been slipped at once she would probably have come clear of the Sands, but there was some hesitation, and she grounded again. The coxswain then decided, at the master’s request, to stand by until next high water, and he tried to take the life-boat alongside, but she was caught in a tide rip, and although her engines were going full speed ahead, she was carried under the steamer’s after quarter. Her main mast, which was stowed, was broken in two, and a stanchion was pulled out. After this the coxswain decided to lie off some distance from the steamer. Here she lay for that day, and the greater part of the night, and at three in the morning of the 2nd of December she again went alongside and again was flung against the steamer, hitting her with her stem head fitting, which was slightly strained, but she succeeded in taking off her six men and the four men of the motor boat. She then returned to Walmer to refuel, and put out again at seven o’clock. It was now impossible to go alongside the steamer. The wind had risen to a gale and the heavy seas were breaking right over her. She was continually flashing “Come,” but it was impossible to go near her, and the coxswain decided to lie off until the flood-tide should ease. At 9.15 he saw that the seas were forcing the steamer along the sands, and half an hour later she had righted and was in deep water. She was able to get under way, and the life-boat escorted her clear of the Goodwins. She arrived back at her station at 11.55 that morning. She had been out for 36 hours. getting rapidly worse, it was thought advisable that the motor boat should return ashore, and Willis was sent back in her.

At 8.20 next morning, the 1st of December, For his prompt and plucky rescue of the life-boatman flung overboard, the Institution awarded to the motor-mechanic, C. PERCY CAVELL, its thanks inscribed on vellum.- Rewards, £96 3s.