Launches 42 Lives rescued 16 APRIL 1ST. - NEWBIGGIN, NORTHUMAPRIL BERLAND. At 1.40 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that the local fishing coble Fisher Lass was overdue. There was a dense fog, and a heavy swell was breaking on the shore. The coble would be in danger if she attempted to land. The motor life-boat Augustus and Laura was launched at 2.35, and found the coble one-and-a-half miles southsouth- west of Newbiggin Point, with her fuel almost exhausted. With the coble in tow the life-boat came in at 5.20. - Rewards, £12 13s.

APRIL 1ST. - AMBLE, NORTHUMBERLAND.

The motor-boat Pioneer left at 1.30 in the afternoon for Coquet Island to exchange lighthouse keepers. There was a dense fog. The Pioneer had not returned at five o’clock and was then two-and-a-half hours overdue. The motor life-boat Frederick and Emma was launched and at 5.25 found the Pioneer near Coquet Island. She escortedher to Amble, arriving at six o’clock.- Rewards, £5.

APRIL 2ND. - PORT ASKAIG. HEBRIDES.

Shortly after mid-day a request was received from a county council official for the use of the Port Askaig life-boat, on Islay, to go to Colonsay and bring to Islay a mental patient, from there to be sent to a mental hospital. The doctor concerned was consulted. As he was certain that other available boats were unsuitable the motor life-boat Charlotte Elizabeth was launched at 1.30. The weather was fine. The life-boat made a good run to Colonsay, took the patient and his attendants on board, and left for Islay about 5.30. Very soon she ran into dense fog, and at 6.30 had to anchor. She remained at anchor until five o’clock next morning. The patient was very violent throughout the journey and from the time when the life-boat anchored had to be restrained.

The life-boat arrived at her station at seven o’clock. - Rewards, £13 8s. Repaid to the Institution.

NORTHUMAPRIL 5TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. Information was picked up by North Foreland Radio and passed through the coastguard to the life-boat station that a steamer was aground off Great Yarmouth and in need of tugs. At 7.11 in the morning the motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched. A light northerly wind was blowing, with a moderate sea.

There was fog. The life-boat found the American steamer Samuel Parker, of 7,000 tons, bound for Hull with a cargo of grain.

She had grounded three miles from Great Yarmouth on the South East Scroby Sands.

A tug had already fixed a tow rope, and the captain of the steamer asked the coxswain to come on board. He took the wheel, and the tug towed the Samuel Parker off about 9.15.

The coxswain remained on board until the Newarp Light-vessel was sighted. He then returned to the life-boat, and she arrived at her station at noon. - Property salvage case.

APRIL 5TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX.

At 2.40 in the afternoon a message was received from Shoebury garrison that seven men, engaged on demolition work, were stranded on the boom defence a mile-and-ahalf out to sea and that an amphibian craft had been smashed against the boom in trying to rescue them. A very strong north-easterly wind was blowing, with a rough sea and heavy rain. The motor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No. 3) was launched at 3.10 and found the men clinging to the piles of the boom, exhausted. She had great difficulty in getting close to the boom, owing to the strong tide, but in the end she succeeded in rescuing the men, taking them aboard, one at a time, over the bows. She returned to her station at Southend pier, where she landed them at five o’clock. A letter of appreciation was received from the Ministry of Supply Experimental Station, Shoeburyness, and the civilian employees made a donation of £10.- Rewards, £4 1s, 6d.APRIL 6TH. - BUCKIE, BANFFSHIRE.

About 4.30 in the afternoon the coastguard telephoned that a vessel was ashore at Covesea Skerries and a few minutes later reported that she was firing red lights. At five o’clock the motor life-boat K.B.M. was launched in a westerly wind, with a choppy sea, and, at 7.20, found the Danish fishing vessel Bent Erik on the rocks. She had five aboard. Her skipper came off her in a Carley float, and then, as the water was too shallow for the life-boat to get close alongside, two of the crew of four came off in a small boat. At the skipper’s request the life-boat towed this boat to windward so that, with the two men on board, it could blow down to the Bent Erik, and they could rescue the other two men. It was lost to view. The life-boat made a long search, but could not find it. As the tide rose she was able to go near enough to the Bent Erik to rescue the two men still aboard by life-buoy and ropes. The two men in the small boat were picked up about thirty-five hours later by another Danish boat, five miles off Peterhead. The life-boat, which had been slightly damaged, reached her station again at two o’clock next morning. - Rewards, £8 8s. 9d. (See Lossiemouth, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 73.)

APRIL 7TH. - POOLBEG, CO. DUBLIN.

Three men in a rowing boat were seen at 1.5 in the afternoon to be drifting towards the north wall breakwater, and the motor lifeboat Helen Blake, with the second-coxswain in charge, was launched at 1.25. A strong south-westerly breeze was blowing, and the sea was rough. The life-boat found the boat, but she was empty. Her crew had been rescued by a schooner. The life-boat towed the boat to Pigeon House harbour, and reached her station again at 2.15 that afternoon.

- Rewards, £4 5s.

APRIL 10TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

About 3.30 in the morning the local motor fishing boat Provider went out to haul crab pots. She was the only boat to leave as the weather was threatening. By nine o’clock the conditions at the harbour entrance were very dangerous, and at 9.25 the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched, to await in the harbour the return of the Provider. A north wind was blowing, and the sea was very heavy. At 12.15 she saw the Provider approaching from the north. She put to sea and met her off the Bell Buoy and returned ahead of her. At the inner harbour bar she turned round in readiness for any emergency. As the Provider came to the outer bar she was buried by a very heavy sea, but recovered herself and came safely in.

The life-boat reached her station again at 1.10 that afternoon. - Rewards, £5 13s. 6d.

APRIL 12TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. At 8.45 in the morning a fishing boat at anchor in the South Shear was seen to be flying a distress signal, and at 9.30 the motor life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson was launched. A north-westerly breeze was blowing, the sea calm. She found the Arklow fishing boat Pride of Kilmichael with her propeller shaft broken, and towed her into Rosslare harbour at 10.30. - Rewards, £1 16s.

Partly permanent paid crew.

APRIL 13TH. - BERWICK - ON - TWEED, NORTHUMBERLAND. At 3.23 in the afternoon the coastguard telephoned that a fishing vessel, under sail, was a quarter of a mile east of Berwick pier. She was trying to enter the harbour, but was unable to do it.

The motor life-boat J. and W. was launched at 3.40. A light westerly wind was blowing, the sea smooth. The life-boat found the auxiliary drifter Industry, in ballast, on her way from Dundee to Newhaven, took her in tow and brought her to a safe berth at 4.30.- Rewards, £9 17s.

APRIL 15TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. During the evening a young man, a visitor to Brixham, fell from the cliffs between Landscove Camp and Berry Head and was severely injured. His cries for help were heard by another young man, walking along the coast path. He went for help, and news of the accident came through the police and the coastguard to the life-boat station. The lifeboat mechanic was ill and the bowman absent, and with a crew of only four the motor lifeboat George Shee was launched at 8.42, with her boarding boat in tow. By the light of her searchlight she found the man collapsed on the rocks. Two life-boatmen rowed the boarding boat to the rocks and with much difficulty, lifted the man into her and brought him out to the life-boat. She landed him at 9.36. He sent a letter of thanks. - Rewards, £5 18s.

APRIL 17TH. - BARRA ISLAND, HEBRIDES.

The motor fishing vessel Press Home, of Castlebay, was reported to be four hours overdue, and at 11.45 the motor lifeboat Lloyd's was launched in a moderate northerly wind, with a slight sea. She found the Press Home four miles south-east of Muldonaich Island, with her engine broken down, towed her to Castlebay and arrived back at her station at 1.15 next morning- Rewards, £9 13s.

APRIL 20TH. - DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN. At ten o’clock at night the coastguard telephoned that the customs officer at Cockenzie had reported a ship sending up flares in Aberlady Bay. The motor life-boat George and Sarah Strachan was launched at 10.19. A moderate westerly wind was blowing, with a moderate sea.

After a prolonged search the life-boat found the motor launch Minnetonka, with a crew of two. Her engine had broken down. She towed her into Port Seton harbour, and returned to her moorings at Dunbar at 5.15 next morning. - Rewards, £8 15s.

APRIL 21ST. - POOLE AND BOURNEMOUTH, DORSET. During the afternoon the motor boat Skylark, of Poole, foundered in Bournemouth Bay when on a pleasure cruise with about seventy people on board.

The weather was fine, the sea smooth. The information reached the life-boat stationthrough the police and the coastguard about 2.55, and the motor life-boat Thomas Kirk Wright was launched at 3.10. She found the work of rescue had almost been completed by other boats, but picked up a man on a raft and put him on board one of the other boats.

She returned to her station at five o’clock.

Only one life was lost, a member of the crew of the Skylark who jumped overboard, collapsed and was drowned. - Rewards, £3 10s. 6d. (See Bournemouth, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 75.)

APRIL 21ST. - PORT ST. MARY, ISLE OF MAN. At 4.50 in the afternoon the life-boat motor-mechanic saw a small motor boat about three miles south-south-east of the harbour with a large piece of cloth fixed to a pole. At 5.15 the motor life-boat Sir Heath Harrison was launched. A strong northerly wind was blowing, with a choppy sea. The life-boat overtook the boat, which was being blown out to sea. Two men were on board. They were on a pleasure trip. Their engine had broken down and the boat had made a lot of water. The life-boat took the two men on board and, with their boat in tow, returned to Port St. Mary harbour, arriving at 6.10.- Rewards, £9 14s. 6d.

APRIL 22ND. - HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.

At 3.45 in the afternoon the coastguard reported two small boats drifting three miles south-west of the South Stack. The motor life-boat A.E.D. was launched at 4.10 in a light south-westerly wind, with a smooth sea.

She found both boats empty and towed them to Holyhead, arriving at 7.20 that evening.- Rewards, £4 15s.

APRIL 26TH. - AITH, SHETLANDS. At 3.30 in the afternoon a doctor telephoned that on the previous afternoon a man on Papa Stour had fallen down the cliffs and fractured a thigh. It was urgent that the man should be brought to Lerwick Hospital, but a northnorth- east gale was blowing, with snow showers, and the sea was heavy. No ordinary boat could attempt the passage. It was agreed that the motor life-boat, The Rankin, should be used, and, with the doctor on board, she set out at five o’clock for Papa Stour.

She got back to Aith, with the injured man, at nine o’clock, and the man was sent to the hospital. - Rewards, £7 3s. 9d. Repaid to the Institution.

APRIL 28TH. - BRIDLINGTON AND FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. On the night of the 27th the Dutch motor vessel Thea, of Groningen, bound with a cargo of china clay from Grangemouth to Antwerp, foundered in Bridlington Bay. She had eight on board. Six of them launched the ship’s boat, but as the Thea turned turtle her mast struck the boat and all six were thrown into the sea. One of them was the skipper’s wife.

They all succeeded in getting into the boat again and made land at Barmston. There they said that the other two men were adrift on a raft. The coastguard telephoned the information to the Bridlington life-boat station at 1.40 in the morning of the 28th, and at two o’clock the Bridlington motor life-boat Stanhope Smart was launched. A strong north-easterly wind was blowing, with a rather heavy sea. An hour later the Flamborough motor life-boat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley joined in the search. The boats searched a wide area, but found no trace of the men.

The Bridlington life-boat picked up and brought in an empty ship’s boat. She returned to her station at 7.45. The Flamborough life-boat reached her station at 7.50.

Rewards : Bridlington, £17 4s. 3d. ; Flamborough, £29 2s. 9d.

APRIL 27TH - 29TH. - BARMOUTH, MERIONETHSHIRE ; ABERYSTWYTH, CARDIGANSHIRE ; PWLLHELI, CAERNARVONSHIRE ; AND FISHGUARD, PEMBROKESHIRE.

While the motor fishing vessel Provider was on passage in ballast from Caernarvon to Barmouth on the 26th of April, her engine broke down. When she was long overdue the coastguard reported her as missing to the Barmouth life-boat station at 1.31 in the afternoon of the 27th, and the motor life-boat Lawrence Ardern, Stockport was launched at 1.50. Aeroplanes also went out. A strong north-easterly wind was blowing and the sea was rough. The life-boat made a long search in the St. Patrick’s Causeway area, but could find nothing and arrived back at 9.10 that evening. A t Aberystwyth the life-boat crew had assembled on the evening of the 27th, but knowing that the Barmouth life-boat and aeroplanes were out, she did not launch, as she had no information of the position of the Provider.

The station kept in touch with the coastguard and the R.A.F., and at 3.15 in the afternoon of the 28th it learned that an aeroplane had seen the missing boat some fifteen to twenty miles south-west of Bardsey Island. At 3.40 the motor life-boat Frederick Angus was launched. She searched, but found nothing, and returned to her station at 2.40 next morning to refuel. She was about to put out again when news came that the boat had been found. The coastguard had also notified Pwllheli on the afternoon of the 28th and the motor life-boat John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood was launched at 4.25. She too failed to find the Provider and arrived back at 11.30 that night. While the Aberystwyth and Pwllheli boats were out the coastguard suggested that the Fishguard life-boat, which was fitted with wireless, should join in the search, and at 10.17 that night, the 28th, the motor life-boat White Star was launched. A fresh easterly wind was then blowing, with a choppy sea. At 3.40 next morning, when about thirty-five miles north-north-east of Fishguard, she saw the light of an electric torch. It was from the Provider. She had been drifting helplessly for three days. The life-boat towed her into Fishguard, arriving at 10.30 in the morning of the 29th. The rescued men expressed their thanks and made a donation to the Institution. - Rewards : Barmouth, £19 17s. 6d. ; Aberystwyth, £35 7s. 6d. ; Pwllheli, £13 16s. ; Fishguard, £13 19s.The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given :

APRIL 4TH. - FISHGUARD, PEMBROKESHIRE.

A drifting raft had been seen, but it had no one on board. - Rewards, £6 3s.

APRIL 4TH. - BALTIMORE, CO. CORK.

A fishing boat was missing, but she was towed in by another fishing boat. - Rewards, £17 14s.

APRIL 5TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

An aeroplane was reported to have made a forced landing on the sea, but nothing could be found. - Paid permanent crew.

APRIL 6TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A small boat with three boys in it had been reported in difficulties, but it rearhed land safely. - Rewards, £5 10s.

APRIL 6TH. - STORNOWAY, HEBRIDES.

A fishing boat had been drifting, and another had sunk, but both crews got ashore.- Rewards, £13 16s.

APRIL 7TH. - LERWICK, SHETLANDS.

The Norwegian Shark fishing boat Lestholm had got into difficulties, but was taken in tow by another Norwegian boat. - Rewards, £14 1s.

APRIL 7TH. - HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.

Two men in a dinghy were missing, but nothing could be found. A donation was made to the Institution by Wrekin College and a gift from it was made by the Institution to the life-boat crew in addition to the rewards.

- Rewards, £5 14s.

APRIL 9TH. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX. A fishing boat had been reported with a lot of smoke coming from her, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £18 9s. 9d.

APRIL 10TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. Red flares had been seen, but were found to be from naval vessels at exercise. - Rewards, £11.

APRIL 10TH. - PORTRUSH, CO. ANTRIM.

A Seafire aeroplane had crashed in the sea, but only wreckage was found. - Rewards, £5 1s.

APRIL 15TH. - PORTPATRICK, WIGTOWNSHIRE.

A vessel laden with ammunition had a fire on board, but it was got under control and the life-boat was recalled.- Rewards, £3 2s. 6d.

APRIL 16TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

A small sailing boat had been reported missing, but the people on board had beached her and come ashore. - Rewards, £8 15s.

APRIL 17TH. - NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX, AND WALMER, KENT. The French trawler Bar had gone ashore near Beachy Head, but she refloated without help, and the Newhavenlife-boat returned to her station. The trawler had been reported to Walmer as ashore near the South Foreland, and the Walmer life-boat put out, but was recalled when the correct position became known. - Rewards : Newhaven, £12 8s. 6d ; Walmer, £22 1s.

APRIL 19TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. An angler had fallen into the sea, but only his cap could be found. - Rewards, £4 4s.

APRIL 20TH. - CLOVELLY, DEVON. Red flares had been reported, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £25 6s. 6d.

APRIL 20TH. - GIRVAN, AYRSHIRE. A fishing boat had been seen flying a distress signal, but only a barrel was found. The boat had sunk suddenly, with her crew of three. - Rewards, £4 7s. 6d.

APRIL 27TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

A small sailing yacht had gone ashore south-east of Donna Nook, but her crew got ashore. - Paid permanent crew.

APRIL 27TH. - CROMARTY. Two boys had gone adrift on a small raft, but were rescued by two men in a rowing boat.- Rewards, £3 2s. 6d. (See Fortrose, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 73.).