Launches 54 Lives rescued 76

DECEMBER 4TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

At five in the morning the local motor fishing vessels Pilot Me and Gem put to sea in bad weather. During the morning the weather worsened and at one o’clock the coastguard reported that a fishing boat could be seen approaching and it was thought advisable for the life-boat to put out. A strong northerly wind was blowing and the sea was heavy. The No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched at 1.30. She found the Pilot Me four miles north of Whitby and escorted her into the harbour. She remained there, ready to go out again, until a message came at 3.45 that the Gem had put into Hartlepool. The life-boat returned to her station at four o’clock. - Rewards, £7 11s.

DECEMBER 5TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. At 11.5 at night the Brixham coastguard reported that a vessel, anchored about a quarter of a mile north of Brixham breakwater, was making distress signals. A northerly breeze was blowing, and the sea was rough. The motor life-boat George Shee was launched at 11.35 and found the drifter Westward Ho, of Torquay. She had been herring-fishing, but had used up her fuel by keeping her engines running while she recovered her nets, and her anchor had failed to hold her. Her crew asked the life-boat to tow them to Brixham. This she did, and returned to her station at 12.15 the following morning. - Rewards, £12 9s.

DECEMBER 6TH. - FILEY, YORKSHIRE.

During the afternoon the local motor fishing coble Sheila became overdue. A northwesterly breeze was blowing and the sea was calm, but it was thought advisable for the motor life-boat to put out before dark and The Cuttle was launched at 2.35. She found the Sheila with her engine broken down, a mile east of Speeton coastguard station. She had a crew of three. The life-boat towed her in and arrived back at her station at 4.15. - Rewards, £12 1s. 6d.

DECEMBER 7TH. - FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. At 5.30 in the morning the life-boat coxswain heard an SOS call.

There was a dense fog. A nasty swell was running with a southerly wind which freshened later into a gale. The motor lifeboat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley was launched, with difficulty, at six o’clock, and near the south landing in Bridlington Bay found two Scottish drifters ashore. They were the Loranthus, of Banff, and the Harvest Reaper, of Buckie, on their way home from the Great Yarmouth herring-fishing. Fishermen had already gone on board them from cobles. The life-boat put four men on board one of the drifters and stood by. As the tide flowed, the cobles ran out kedges and the drifters refloated about 1.5. The life-boat reached her station again in rapidly worsening weather at 2.10 that afternoon. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 7TH. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

When the evening came the local motor fishing boat Rose Mary had not returned and anxiety was felt for her safety.

About eleven o’clock the coastguard reported a small vessel making distress signals a quarter of a mile east of Heugh Light. A strong south-south-east breeze was blowing and the sea was rough. The motor life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched at 11.5 and found the Rose Mary, with a crew of four, anchored on a lee shore.

Her engine had broken down. The life-boat towed her to Hartlepool and arrived back at her station at 12.25 next morning. - Rewards, £13 1s.

DECEMBER 8TH. - FALMOUTH, CORNWALL,.

At eleven in the morning the coastguard reported a vessel in distress off The Manacles. A strong north-easterly gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. The motor life-boat Crawford and Constance Conybeare was launched at 11.30 and found the S.S. Irma, of Sweden, bound for Cardiff, half a mile north-east of The Manacles. She was drifting, towards the rocks. The master asked the life-boat to stand by until a tug came out and the life-boat wirelessed for one.

After she had attended to a vessel in distress in the harbour, the tug Zwarte Zee came out and took the Irma in tow. The life-boat stood by until the Irma was moored in the harbour and arrived back at her station at 5.45 that afternoon. - Rewards, £10 8s. 6d.

DECEMBER 1 0TH. - DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN. At 2.30 in the afternoon the motor life-boat George and Sarah Strachan was taken out for exercise by the district inspector. The sea was choppy. After she had been at sea about half an hour she came across an auxiliary naval ketch, with a cutter in tow, a mile northeast of the harbour. The ketch’s engine had broken down and there was not enough wind for her to get under way by sail. She had two on board. The life-boat towed her to harbour, arriving back at her station at fouro’clock.

- Rewards, £6 13s.

DECEMBER 9TH - 10TH. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK. On the night of the 26th of October the S.S. Bilsdale, of Middlesbrough, ran ashore two miles north-west of Cley. The motor life-boat Foresters Centenary went to her help, but the master declined it, and as the crew were not in danger the life-boat returned to her station. The steamer remained ashore. An attempt to refloat her was to be made on the morning of the 9th of December by a Great Yarmouth tug, and an official of the Ministry of Transport asked the life-boat to be in attendance. About four in the morning the tug was seen, and at 4.20 the life-boat was launched. A light south-east wind was, blowing, with a moderate swell. It was found that the Bilsdale was being driven up the beach by the swell, the attempt to refloat her was abandoned, and the life-boat reached her station again at seven that morning. On the afternoon of the next day the coxswain received a telephone message that the tug was on her way to make a further effort, and at 3.20 the life-boat was again launched. The sea was smooth and a light wind was blowing. High water was about eight o’clock, and half an hour later the tug towed the steamer off, and made with her for Great Yarmouth. At the request of the master the life-boat started to escort them, but when off Sheringham the coxswain was told that the steamer was not leaking, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at ten that night. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 11TH. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. The local fishing boats were out, a strong south-south-east wind was blowing, raising a heavy, broken sea, and the life-boat crew were standing by. At 3.23 in the afternoon the Burniston coastguard telephoned that a boat had broken down half a mile north-north-cast of Long Nab and was drifting towards Hundle Point. The motor life-boat Herbert Joy II was launched at 3.30, and found the keel boat Mary Joy, off Scalby Ness. The keel boat was then heading for Scarborough under her own power, and the life-boat escorted her. They arrived at 4.30.

- Rewards, £22 16s.

DECEMBER 12TH. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

At 8.50 at night the coastguard reported a small vessel flashing SOS signals half a mile east of Heugh Light. A light westerly breeze was blowing and the sea was slight. The motor life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched at

DECEMBER 16TH. - TORBAY, DEVON.

At daylight the life-boat coxswain saw a yacht at anchor about half a mile from Preston Sands, Paignton. She was in an exposed position, and an east-north-east breeze was blowing, with heavy seas, but the yacht was not showing any signal of distress.

Later the Torquay harbour master reported that she needed help, and at 11.35 the motor life-boat George Shee was launched. She found that the yacht was the Harbinger, cruising from Burnham-on-Crouch to Cherbourg.

She was riding heavily to her anchor.

The life-boat helped her to weigh anchor and towed her into Torquay harbour. She reached her station again at two that afternoon.

The owner sent a donation to the Institution. - Rewards, £6.

9.5 and found the motor yacht Platypus, with two on board, bound for Whitby. Her engines had broken down. She was nearly on the rocks. The life-boat towed her to harbour and then returned to her station, arriving at ten o’clock. - Rewards, £13 1S.

DECEMBER 13TH. - WALMER, KENT.

About 8.40 in the morning a message was received that a steamer was aground off Walmer Castle. A light north-north-west breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth, but there was a thick fog. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 8.45 and found the S.S. Empire Kinsman, of Sunderland, bound for London from Le Havre.

The life-boat put a man on board and although no immediate help was needed the master asked her to stand by. She stood by until eleven o’clock, when the steamer refloated and got under way. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 11.30. - Rewards, £14 12s.

DECEMBER 13TH. - FILEY, YORKSHIRE.

The district inspector was at the station preparing to take the life-boat out for exercise, when at 2.40 in the afternoon the coastguard reported the local fishing coble Windsor Lad in difficulties off Filey Brigg. A light westsouth- west breeze was blowing, with a slight sea. The motor life-boat The Cuttle was launched at 2.45 and found the coble under sails and oars. Her engine had broken down. The life-boat towed her to Filey, arriving at 4.30. - Rewards, £10 3s. 6d.

DECEMBER 16TH - 17TH. - SOUTHEND ON - SEA, ESSEX. At eight at night information was received from the king’s harbour master at Sheerness that two lighters had parted from their tug and were adrift, with two men on board. A moderate northeast breeze was blowing, with a rough sea.

The motor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 8.25 and went to the Grain Spit area where the lighters had last been reported. With her searchlight she looked for them, but could not find them and returned to her station at 10.15. Another message came from Sheerness next morning, asking that another search should be made. The lighters were still missing. At seven o’clock the life-boat again put out and found the lighters ashore near Yantlet Creek. They were being pounded by heavy seas. The life-boat went alongside and life-boatmen boarded one of the lighters. In the cabin they found the two men in a state of collapse. They took them on board the life-boat, where they were made as comfortable as possible, and she landed them at Southend at 8.30. At 6.45 that evening, the 17th, the life-boat was asked by the owners to tow the lighters off and into deep water so that a tug could tow them away. She was launched at 7.10 and found the lighters afloat, but the tug did not arrive and she returned to her station at nine o’clock. The owners made gifts to the institution and to the life-boat crew. - Rewards : first service, £12 19s. 6d. ; second service, £6 11s. ; third service, £16 14s. 6d.

DECEMBER 17TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

During the afternoon information was received through the coastguard that the motor fishing vessel Helping Hand, of Lowestoft, with seven on board, was in difficulties, but that a tug had gone to her aid. An easterly gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. At 5.30 the trawler Brisbane, which then had the Helping Hand in tow, asked for the life-boat. The Helping Hand had broken her propeller shaft and was leaking. The motor life-boat Michael Stephens was launched at 5.45 and at seven o’clock found the two vessels a mile east of the East Newcombe Buoy. Both asked that the life-boat should remain by them, and on the advice of the coxswain they went ten miles to windward away from the sands.

Heavy seas broke aboard the three vessels, and it was so cold that the sea water froze on the life-boat. The tug, which had failed to find the vessel the previous night, arrived at five next morning and took the Helping Hand in tow. As the Helping Hand’s steering gear was damaged, the life-boat, at her master’s request, went with them to Lowestoft, where the Helping Hand was beached at 9.45. This was a long, cold service in bad weather, and the master thanked the life-boat crew for standing by throughout the night. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 18TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

At 3.50 in the afternoon the coastguard telephoned that the motor vessel Esso Ottawa, of Liverpool, was drifting towards the Newcombe Sands. She was a tanker of 900 tons and had a crew of eight. An easterly gale was blowing, with a rough sea.

The motor life-boat Michael Stephens was launched at 4.12. Her coxswain was absent on account of illness, following the arduous service of fourteen hours to the Helping Hand the previous night. The life-boat arrived to find the tanker on the sands a mile southsouth- east of Lowestoft firing distress signals.

She was rolling heavily, but the life-boat went alongside and took off her crew. She landed them at 4.30. Later the Esso Ottawa was brought in by a tug. - Rewards, £12 16s. 6d.

DECEMBER 19TH.- FILEY, YORK-SHIRE. During the afternoon it was thought advisable for the motor life-boat to put out, as the fishing cobles were still at sea.

The sea was slight, but the strong northeasterly breeze was increasing. The Cuttle was launched at 1.30, met the Peggy II and escorted her to the harbour. She put out again, escorted in the coble Jean and Barbara, and arrived back at her station at 2.50.- Rewards, £12 1s. 6d.

DECEMBER 21ST. - ST. ABBS, BERWICKSHIRE.

At 1.45 in the afternoon the motor fishing boat Laurel put out from St. Abbs to search for another local boat, the motor fishing boat Faithful, which, with a crew of three on board, was overdue. A south-west gale was blowing, with a rough sea. At two o’clock a flare was seen and the motor lifeboat Annie Ronald and Isobella Forrest was launched. She found the Faithful three miles east-north-east of St. Abbs. Her propeller had been fouled by a rope and she had been in danger of being swamped by the heavy sea. Her flare had also been seen by the Laurel, which had her in tow, but as they were making little progress the life-boat took them both in tow, and brought them into St. Abbs at three o’clock. - Rewards, £7 17s.

DECEMBER 22ND. - CLOUGHEY, AND DONAGHADEE, CO. DOWN. At 5.50 in the morning the Tara coastguard telephoned the Cloughey life-boat station that a vessel was ashore between Kearney Point and North Rock. A strong southerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Herbert John was launched at 6.37 and an hour later found the ex-naval motor vessel 1503, with a crew of five. She was on the rocks in a difficult position, but after several attempts the life-boat was able to go alongside her and rescue her crew. She landed them at 9.30, and one of them died shortly afterwards.

The life-boat put out again at 10.30 to help a tug in an attempt to salve the vessel, but in the rough seas they could do nothing and had to return. The life-boat reached her station at 1.30 that afternoon. The Donaghadee life-boat Civil Service No. 5 launched at 6.15 in the morning, but found that the crew had already been rescued by the Cloughey lifeboat and returned to her station at 11.30.- Rewards : Cloughey, £17 18s., and property salvage case ; Donaghadee, £10 8s. 6d.

DECEMBER 22ND. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

At 4.55 in the afternoon the Portland Bill coastguard telephoned that a red distress signal had been seen a mile north of the Shambles Light-vessel. A strong southsouth- west wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat William and Clara Ryland was launched at 5.18 with the secondcoxswain in charge. A few minutes later the Wyke Regis coastguard reported the Admiralty L.C.T.711 making for Portland harbour in tow of a naval tug. This landing craft had made the distress signal. She did not now need help, but she signalled the life-boat that her consort, L.C.T.723, from which she had parted company about an hour earlier, was somewhere about and probably in difficulties.

The life-boat went to look for the second vessel, and found her about one mile off White Nose, on the north side of Weymouth Bay. She had broken down and was drifting on to a lee shore. She had not shown any distress signals as she was not aware that she was in danger of going ashore and breaking up on the rocks. She had eleven on board.

The life-boat passed a tow rope to her. She was an unwieldy craft, but after careful manoeuvring the life-boat got her under control and towed her into Portland harbour, where a naval tug took charge of her at 7.45 that evening. The naval authorities and the coastguard expressed their admiration of the prompt and seamanlike way in which the life-boat had carried out the rescue.- Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 23RD. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. At four in the morning the Walton-on-the-Naze coastguard reported a message received from the S.S. Parkeston that a barge was in distress on Platters Ground.

A fresh south-westerly breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat E.M.E.D. was launched at five o’clock and, helped by the train ferry searchlight, found the barge Glencoe, of Rochester, laden with potash. Her sprit band had carried away and her loosened wire stays dangerously swept her deck, making it impossible for her crew of two to control her. The life-boat towed her to Ipswich and arrived back at her station at 3.30 that afternoon. - Property salvage case.

DECEMBER 24TH. - WALMER, KENT.

At 12.30 in the afternoon the Deal coastguard reported that a vessel had been seen at noon heading towards the Goodwin Sands.

It was misty, and she had not been seen since.

A north-westerly breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth. The life-boat coxswain put out in his motor boat to investigate and found the S.S. Northeastern Victory, of San Francisco, of 7,600 tons, bound for Antwerp, stranded on the South Goodwin Sands. The motor boat returned and the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at five o’clock. She found that the Northeastern Victory had broken her back and that her engine-room was flooding. A wireless message from Lloyd’s agent at Dover advised the master to land the crew. He decided that he and six officers would stay, but that the remaining thirty-six men should leave.

The life-boat took them on board, and arrived back at her station with them at 8.35 that night. The weather quickly got worse and it was thought advisable for the life-boat to go out again to stand by the steamer. She was launched at nine o’clock and stood by until daylight. The steamer was then listing and beginning to break up. A gale warning had been received and the master decided to abandon ship. The life-boat took off him and his six officers and returned to her station, arriving at 9.15 in the morning of the 25th. Later the steamer broke in two.

- Rewards : first service, £32 9s. 6d. ; second service, £47 18s. 6d.

DECEMBER 28TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

At 1.45 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that the local Whitby motor fishing coble, Jane and Ann, with a crew of four, was sheltering in Robin Hood’s Bay, Wyke, six miles south of Whitby, with her engine broken down. A strong north-westerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched at two o’clock and found the coble slowly making headway round the North Cheek of Robin Hood’s Bay. The weather was too bad for the coble to be taken in tow without damaging her, so the life-boat escorted her to Whitby. She came safely in, and the life-boat arrived back at her station at 3.45. - Rewards, £7 11s.

DECEMBER 29TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

At 11.40 at night the coastguard telephoned that a vessel was ashore at the North Cheek of Robin Hood’s Bay, six miles south of Whitby. A light southerly wind was blowing, and the sea was moderate, but there was dense fog. The No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched at midnight and found the S.S. Fosdyke Trader, of London, of about 500 tons, laden with scrap iron and bound from London to the Tees.

The life-boat could not get alongside, as there was not enough water. She stood by. Later a Whitby fishing boat brought out Lloyd’s agent and put him on board the life-boat. As the tide rose, the life-boat put him on board the steamer. As the tide continued to rise the steamer began to move. By this time several other fishing boats had arrived from Whitby and they helped the life-boat to refloat her.

She was able to go on her way north, and the life-boat, with Lloyd’s agent on board, returned to Whitby, arriving at 7.15 next morning. - Property salvage case.

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

DECEMBER 1ST. - KIRKCUDBRIGHT.

Flares had been seen, but nothing was found.

- Rewards, £23 15s. 6d.

DECEMBER 1ST. - MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.

Rockets had been reported, but no vessel in distress could be found. - Rewards, £16 14s. 6d.

DECEMBER 4TH. - THE MUMBLES, GLAMORGANSHIRE.

A salvage officer had wished to board the American tanker Tillamook, which had gone ashore. but the invasion defences prevented the life-boat from getting alongside. - No expense to the Institution.

DECEMBER 5TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL.

A fishing boat had been reported in difficulties, but she reached Port Isaac under her own power. - Rewards, £4 8s.

DECEMBER 7TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE. A steamer had run aground, but she had a pilot on board and did not needthe life-boat. - Permanent paid crew ; rewards, 6s.

DECEMBER 7TH MARGATE KENT , AND WALTON AND FRINTON ESSEX.

A drifter had run aground and a fishing boat was in difficulties, but the drifter refloated and a pilot boat took the fishing boat in tow.

The owners of the drifter made gifts to both life-boat crews. - Rewards : Margate, £16 19s. ; Walton and Frinton, £10 6s.

DECEMBER 7TH. - FERRYSIDE, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

A fishing boat had run aground, but her crew scrambled ashore.- Rewards, £16 5s. 6d.

DECEMBER 7TH. - CLOVELLY, AND APPLEDORE, DEVON. A minesweeper had broken adrift while being towed, but there was no one on board. - Rewards : Clovelly, £20 8s. ; Appledore, £24 2s. 6d.

DECEMBER 8TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

A tug had gone ashore, but refloated. - Rewards, £8 11s.

DECEMBER 8TH AND 9TH. - BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT. A small boat had been reported in difficulties, but reached shore safely, and a motor boat had been reported adrift, but later was reported safe. - Rewards : first service, £8 8s. ; second service, £12 15s. 6d.

DECEMBER. 8TH. - SWANAGE, DORSET.

A tug had capsized and five members of her crew of nine had been saved by another tug, but the life-boat could find none of the other four. - Rewards, £26 4s.

DECEMBER 10TH. - PORTRUSH, CO. ANTRIM.

An aeroplane had been reported crashed in the sea, but nothing was found.- Rewards, £18 14s.

DECEMBER 10TH. - ARRANMORE, CO.

DONEGAL. A fishing boat had been reported in distress, but was helped by another boat. - Rewards, £25 16s. 6d.

DECEMBER 11TH. - FOWEY, CORNWALL.

A Looe fishing boat had been reported overdue, but she reached harbour unaided. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.

DECEMBER 11TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

A vessel had been reported in difficulties, but nothing was found. Later, wreckage was washed up, but there was no trace of the crew of seven. - Rewards, £9 19s. 6d.

DECEMBER 13TH. - APPLEDORE, DEVON.

An amphibious tank had got into difficulties, but her crew were rescued by a launch. - Rewards, £7 7s.

DECEMBER 21ST. - MARGATE, KENT.

The Dutch motor vessel Verba had signalled for a doctor, but it was a pilot that she needed. - Rewards, £10 7s.

DECEMBER 25TH. - SELSEY, SUSSEX. A yacht had run aground, but her crew scrambled ashore without help. - Rewards, £12 16s.

DECEMBER 2 6TH. - VALENTIA, CO.

KERRY. A trawler had been reported flying a distress signal, but only a buoy with a tall superstructure was found. - Rewards, £10 9s. 6d.

DECEMBER 27TH. - TORBAY, AND SALCOMBE, DEVON. An aeroplane had been reported crashed in the sea, but nothing was found. - Rewards : Torbay, £27 6s. ; Salcombe, £21 11s. 6d.