Launches 33 Lives rescued 136 MARCH 2ND. - WALMER, KENT. At 4.35 in the morning the Deal coastguard reported a vessel in distress off South Goodwin Light-vessel. A northerly gale was blowing, with a rough sea. At five o’clock, the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched. She spoke the light-vessel at six o’clock, but she had no news to give. A snow blizzard had now reduced visibility to about two hundred yards. The life-boat met the Dover harbour tug. She too had failed to find the vessel, so the lifeboat returned to her station, arriving at 7.40.

At 8.15 the duty staff officer at Dover suggested a further search and the life-boat was launched again. Eventually she found the S.S. Ria de Cormes, of Cadiz, stranded on the Goodwin Sands near the South Goodwin Buoy. She had lost one anchor, and the remains of her life-boats were hanging in the falls, where they had been smashed in an attempt to abandon ship. The steamer had a considerable list and her crew were on deck ready to be taken off. The Dover harbour tug had also arrived. She put a tow rope aboard. By this time the Ria de Cormes was floating to her other anchor, but without steam, so the anchor was slipped and the tug towed her clear of the sands. The master of the tug now asked that three life-boatmen be put on board the Ria de Cormes to attend to the steering, which had jammed. This was done, but the life-boat damaged her forward end box. As the Ria de Cormes had been holed, was making water, and in danger of foundering, the life-boat stood by while she was towed into Dover harbour, and then returned to her station, arriving at 2.45 that afternoon. - Rewards : first service £20 5s. ; second service £14 11s.

MARCH 2ND. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE.

When the small fishing boats Alex and Gratitude were seen making for home, a fresh east-north-east wind was blowing and heavy seas were breaking across the harbour entrance, so the motor life-boat Herbert Joy II was launched at 12.25 in the afternoon. She met the boats about two miles north-east of Castle Hill, handed belts to the crew of the Gratitude, as she was an open boat, andescorted both boats into harbour. She reached her station again at 2.30. - Rewards, £22 2s.

MARCH 2ND. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. At 1.45 in the afternoon the coastguard reported information received from Lancing that a small boat had been seen about three miles to the south-south-west.

The motor life-boat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn was launched at 2.20 in a moderate north-westerly wind, with a moderate, but increasing, sea. She found an eight-feet flatbottomed punt, without oars, and three boys lying in the bottom, five miles south-southwest of Lancing. She took the boys on board, made them as comfortable as possible and, with their boat in tow, arrived back at 3.20. The boys were sent home by ambulance.

- Rewards, £9 8s.

MARCH 4TH. - ANSTRUTHER, FIFESHIRE.

At four in the morning the Elie coastguard reported that a trawler was aground near Boarhills, and the motor lifeboat Nellie and Charlie was launched at 4.45.

A strong easterly wind was blowing, with a heavy sea and snow. The life-boat found the Granton trawler Marjory M. Hastie, but the coastguard life-saving apparatus from St.

Andrews had already got a breeches buoy aboard and a tug was on the way out, so the life-boat returned, arriving at 9.15. Two hours later the St. Andrews coastguard telephoned that the naval authorities at Rosyth had received a message from the Admiralty tug which had gone to the trawler asking that a life-boat be sent. At 11.30 the life-boat put out again, and reached the trawler at 1.20 to find that in the early morning three of the crew had been taken off by the coastguard life-saving apparatus and the remainder had walked ashore when the tide ebbed, but that all had gone back when the tug arrived. The trawler was now bumping heavily. A hawser from the tug had been secured and she was refloated, but her propeller was damaged and she was leaking. The seas were heavy, so the life-boat went with her as the tug started to tow her to Leith. On the way a salvage vessel arrived and went alongside, and when off Crail, the tug was able to increase her speed, so the life-boat left and returned to Anstruther, where she arrived at five o’clock that afternoon. The life-boat was in the charge, on both services, of a pre-war coxswain who had volunteered to act as coxswain, and on the second service another ex-coxswain also volunteered to make up the crew as the mechanic was now sick and unable to go out again. - Rewards : first service £29 4s. 6d. ; second service £6 13s.

MARCH 5TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. The Dutch motor vessel Caribia, which had gone ashore on the Scroby Sands, and to the help of which both the Caister and Gorleston life-boats had been launched on the 26th and 27th of February, was reported by the coastguard at 10.20 in the morning to be flying a distress signal, and the motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched at 11.5. The north-north-east wind was moderate, but the seas were rough, and it was snowing. As the life-boat approached she saw three men from the Caribia walking on the sands towards her. She anchored, fired her line-throwing gun and with a life-buoy pulled the three men through the water one by one. She was hitting the bottom as she did it, but got clear. She gave the men dry clothes and hot cocoa and landed them at Yarmouth, arriving back at her station at seven in the evening. - Rewards, £7 16s.

MARCH 5TH. - ST. HELIER, JERSEY.

The local fishing boat William and Mary, which had gone to fish off Les Minquiers, was six hours overdue, and at eleven at night the motor life-boat Howard D was launched to search for her. A light north-easterly wind was blowing and the sea was slight. The William and Mary, which had a crew of eight, had started to return with the other boats, but her engine had broken down, and, as her canvas was not sufficient to give her headway against the strong spring tides, she was in danger of being carried on to the outlying rocks to the east of the island. Her crew burnt flares of rags soaked in petrol, and at 1.45 next morning the life-boat found her, two miles south of Diamond Buoy, in St.

Aubins Bay. She towed her to St. Helier, arriving at 2.30 that morning. - Rewards, £21 19s. 6d.

MARCH 7TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK.

About 4.30 in the morning the coastguard telephoned that Humber Radio had picked up a message from the S.S. Corcrest, of London.

She was aground on the Haisborough Sands and asking for immediate help. The motor life-boat Henry Blogg was launched at 5.5 in the morning in a strong easterly breeze, with a heavy sea running. She had nineteen miles to go. At seven o’clock she received a wireless message that the steamer was breaking up, and when, at 7.45, she reached the Corcrest, she found the crew of twenty-two on deck, with their life-belts on and rope ladders rigged ready for use. The life-boat was secured alongside, and the steamer’s crew started to leave, coming part way down a ladder and then jumping into the life-boat.

It was a difficult and dangerous rescue, for the life-boat was thrown repeatedly against the steamer’s side and once she was lifted by the seas to the level of the steamer’s bulwarks.

One man of the steamer fell into the sea, but he was rescued at once. The rescue took half an hour. The life-boat was a new one, the first to be built with the wheel amidships.

She had been sent to Cromer for this to be tested. The coxswain reported after this service that he could control the situation much more easily from this position than he had ever been able to do from the old position at the stern in other life-boats. The life-boat made for Yarmouth, where she landed the rescued men and went to moorings at Gorleston about 10.45 that morning. At eleven o’clock information was received that the Corcrest had knocked over the sands and was afloat, and the life-boat put out again followed by a tug. She found the steamerwithin a mile of the Scroby Sands, went alongside her at 11.55, and put four men on board.

When the tug came up the life-boat passed a hawser from her to the steamer and the tug towed the steamer to Yarmouth Roads where she anchored her at 6.30 that evening. The life-boat was left at Gorleston for the night. On the following day her crew went back to Gorleston, helped in getting the Corcrest into Yarmouth harbour and then brought the life-boat home, arriving at six in the evening. - Rewards £26 13s. 6d., and property salvage case.

MARCH 10TH. - 11TH. - HELVICK HEAD, CO. WATERFORD. Late on the night of the 9th of March the Belgian motor trawler St. Jan Berchmans, of Ostend, with a crew of seven, was fishing about five miles from Mine Head in a strong south-easterly breeze, with a rough sea. When she was hauling her trawl aboard a mine exploded. She was badly damaged, and leaking rapidly in the engine-room. She sent up distress rockets and then attempted to reach Dungarvan, but ran aground on the bar in the harbour. In the meantime the distress signals had been reported and the Helvick Head motor life-boat Elsie was launched about midnight. Four men also put out in a fishing boat. They arrived just before the life-boat and went on board the trawler to help her crew. The life-boat brought ashore the master and the mate at Dungarvan at two o’clock next morning.

Here they were met by the honorary secretary of the Helvick Head life-boat station, Mr.

Patrick J. Morrissey. He tried to get the help of a tug or salvage vessel, and when he could not, he got permission to use a fire brigade trailer pump. This, with two firemen, was taken to Dungarvan Quay. It was hoisted aboard the life-boat, and she left at seven o’clock, taking with her the master, the mate, Mr. Morrissey and the firemen. They put the pump on board the trawler and the firemen got to work, while the life-boat ran out an anchor hoping to refloat the trawler at high water, but after several hours of work she was still a hundred yards away from the channel. The life-boat then took on board the fire pump, which by this time was choked with grit, and an injured member of the trawler’s crew. She reached Dungarvan again at one o’clock in the afternoon and returned to Helvick at 3.30. At seven in the evening she went out again to the St. Jan Berchmans for the third time, stood by her, and at high water got her a little nearer to the channel. She returned ashore at two in the morning of the 11th, and set out on her fourth trip to the trawler at 9.30. This time she succeeded in hauling her into the channel and took her to Dungarvan Quay, where a fire engine was engaged to pump the water out of her. After the life-boat’s crew had had a meal  they took the life-boat back to Helvick, arriving at five that evening, forty hours after she was first called out. - Property salvage case.

MARCH 13TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

About 9.20 in the morning the coastguard reported that a small Danish fishing boat was hove to near Whitby Rock Buoy, and the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched at 9.35. A fresh easterly breeze was blowing and heavy seas were running. The life-boat found the motor fishing boat Ole Knude, with a crew of four.

The skipper said he would have liked to make Hartlepool, but wind and sea were too heavy and he wanted to come into Whitby.

He asked for a life-boatman to be put on board as a pilot. As this could not be done without risk of damage to the boats, the lifeboat lead the way and the Ole Knude followed her into harbour, arriving at 10.30. - Rewards, £7 11s.

MARCH 15TH. - NORTH SUNDERLAND.

NORTHUMBERLAND. At 9.30 in the morning, the motor life-boat W.R.A. was launched in a strong east-south-easterly wind, with a moderate sea, to go to the Inner Farne Lighthouse where three Trinity House workmen were storm-bound. She took off the men and landed them at 10.45. - Rewards, £13 4s. Repaid to the Institution by the Trinity House.

MARCH 15TH. - MONTROSE, ANGUS.

During the morning the S.S. Tordensk Jold, of Bergen, was seen to be in difficulties, and to anchor in a dangerous position, two miles north of Scurdyness. At noon the No. 1 motor life-boat The Good Hope was launched in a fresh east-south-east breeze, with a ground swell, and found that the steamer was bound from Teignmouth to Norway, and that her engine had broken down. The life-boat brought her master ashore, took out mechanics to repair the engine, made, in the course of the day, several trips between the ship and the shore and stood by all night. Next morning the Tordensk Jold came into Montrose under her own steam, and the life-boat returned to her station at 1.45 that afternoon. A donation was made to the Institution, out of which it made a gift to the life-boat crew and helpers in addition to their rewards. - Rewards, £31 14s. 6d.

BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT CAMPBELTOWN MARCH 16TH - 17TH. - CAMPBELTOWN, ARGYLLSHIRE, GIRVAN, AYRSHIRE, AND PORTPATRICK, WIGTOWNSHIRE. Soon after eleven o’clock on the night of the 16th the Southend coastguard reported to the Campbeltown life-boat station that a ship was ashore on Sanda Island.

A south-south-east gale was blowing, with a rough sea, and visibility was poor, with patches of mist.

At 11.40 the motor life-boat Duke of Connaught, on temporary duty at the station, put to sea. At 1.40 next morning the Southend coastguard signalled to her that the ship was onthe south side of Sanda, and at 2.45 the life-boat found her immediately below Sanda Lighthouse. She was the American steamer Byron Darnton, of Baltimore, bound in ballast from Copenhagen to Gourock with fifty-four passengers and crew on board. All efforts to attract attention, both by light and sound signals, failed, and as the steamer appeared to have been abandoned the coxswain took his boat to the north side of the island and anchored in Sanda Roads. It was then 4.10 in the morning. At daybreak the life-boat set out in heavy seas for the wreck, but the cap on the rudder poke carried away and she returned to the anchorage to repair it. In the meantime she learned from the inhabitants that the people were still on the Byron Darnton, and landed lifeboatmen who crossed the island to help in preparing the life-saving apparatus.

The master of the steamer, however, wanted the life-boat, so the five men returned to her, and, with two islanders to act as pilots, she again left at 10.30 though she had difficulties in starting the engine. The coxswain found that the seas had moderated and, although the local men did not favour such a course, he closed the wreck from astern, coming up on her port side where a ship’s boat was swung out. This boat was lowered and the life-boat secured alongside.

Nine women passengers were first put in the ship’s boat and from it taken into the life-boat. Then the other passengers and the crew slid down the falls and ladder into the ship’s boat and were taken aboard the life-boat until all fifty-four had been rescued.

The rescue took twenty-five minutes, and once the life-boat swung out of position and pounded heavily in the shallow water. The coxswain was unable to go ahead owing to the rocks so he left the wreck stern first. He then made for Campbeltown. It was now 12.55 in the afternoon. On the way the engine again failed, and, for a time, the life-boat was under sail, but the engine was restarted again and the lifeboat reached Campbeltown at 4.30 that afternoon. The service had lasted seventeen hours. The coxswain had shown fine judgment and initiative, and the assistant motor-mechanic had given skilful service with the engine.

The Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN DUNCAN NEWLANDS, a clasp to the bronze medal for gallantry, which he already held, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To DUNCAN BLACK, assistant motormechanic, for his skill and initiative in restarting the engine, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each member of the crew a special reward of £1 in addition to the ordinary reward of £2 16s. 6d. on the standard scale ; To the two local volunteers, £1 each ; Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £27 19s. ; additional rewards to the crew and two volunteers, £11 ; total rewards, £38 19s.

The stranding of the Byron Darnton was also reported to the Girvan and Portpatrick life-boat stations and both life-boats launched, but their services were not needed. - Rewards : Girvan, £20 13s. 6d. ; Portpatrick, £43 15s.

Total rewards for the three life-boats £103 7s. 6d.

MARCH 18TH. - YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT. At 8.35 at night the coastguard telephoned that Niton Radio had picked up a message from a steamer that a vessel off Egypt Point was asking for help. The motor life-boat S.G.E. was launched at nine o’clock in a fresh south-south-westerly wind, with a choppy sea, and about 10.20 found the R.A.S.C. petrol barge M.O.B.4, with a crew of seven. She was then half-a-mile northwest of Ryde West Middle Buoy. Her engine had broken down, she had anchored and the anchor was dragging. The life-boat took her in tow and brought her into Yarmouth Roads at 3.30 next morning. While putting the disabled barge alongside a lighter anchored in the roads the life-boat was damaged. - Rewards, £11 7s. 6d.

MARCH 10TH. - ST. IVES, CORNWALL.

During the morning three men from the Dutch motor vessel Wilja, which was wind-bound in St. Ives Bay, left her in the ship’s boat to come into St. Ives, but were carried out to sea by the ebb tide and off-shore wind. The wind was moderate from the south-southwest, and the sea was rough. Finding themselves in difficulties, and in danger of drifting on to the Stones Rocks off Godrevy, the men waved for help, and at 11.35 the motor lifeboat Caroline Oates Aver and William Maine was launched. She overtook the ship’s boat when she was one-and-a-half miles east-northeast of St. Ives Head and towed her back tothe Wilja. She arrived back at 12.20 that afternoon. - Rewards, £10 4s.

MARCH 25TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 8.15 at night the Deal coastguard telephoned that a vessel was aground on the mainland near the South Foreland. A moderate southeasterly breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth, but there was thick fog. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 8.30 and, after a search, found the American steamer John P. Doe, of Baltimore, under the cliffs between Dover and St. Margaret’s Bay. She was a ship of over 7,000 tons, bound in ballast from Bremerhaven to New York. She had 38 on board.

Life-boatmen boarded her and the life-boat ran out a kedge anchor with the help of two motor boats from Dover. At 1.40 next morning the steamer refloated, without the help of tugs, and the life-boat escorted her to a safe anchorage off Dover harbour. She took her men on board again, left the steamer at 2.40 and reached her station at 3.30. - Property salvage case.

MARCH 26TH. - THE MUMBLES, GLAMORGANSHIRE.

At 2.45 in the morning the coastguard reported that the American steamer George Vickers, of Baltimore, was asking for a boat to land two of her crew, who were seriously ill. As no other boat could be got the motor life-boat Edward Prince of Wales was launched at 3.15 in a smooth sea, and found the steamer two miles south of Mumbles Head. She landed the two sick men at five o’clock and they were sent by ambulance to hospital. The owners of the steamer made a donation to the Institution. - Rewards, £16 1s.

MARCH 2 6TH. - TOBERMORY, AND BARRA ISLAND, HEBRIDES. At 6.30 in the morning the Kyle coastguard telephoned that a ship was in difficulties and making water six miles south-south-east of A r d n a m u r c h a n L i g h t . T h e T o b e r m o r y motor life-boat Sir Arthur Rose was launched at 7.40. A north-westerly wind was blowing, with a heavy ground swell. She found the S.S. Lancashire Coast, of Liverpool, three miles west-north-west of Ardnamurchan Point at 9.50. The steamer had struck a reef, and was at anchor, well down by the stern, with her stokehold and engine-room flooded.

The life-boat stood by. The steamer Cushaig and the Northern Lights steamer Pole Star arrived. The Cushaig put a tow rope aboard the Lancashire Coast, but as she took the strain it snapped. She replaced it with two wire ropes and began to tow the Lancashire Coast to Tobermory. The life-boat accompanied them for a time and then went on alone to get a fire pump which she brought back and put on board the Lancashire Coast at 3.30 in the afternoon. This kept her afloat.

She reached Tobermory Bay at four o’clock.

There a tug and a salvage steamer arrived and took over the pumping. The life-boat reached her station again at five o’clock.

The Barra Island life-boat had also been called out and was launched at 6.45 in the morning, but she was recalled when it was known that the Tobermory life-boat was well on her way. - Rewards, Tobermory, £6 ; Barra Island, £10 7s. 6d.

MARCH 27TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. About 6.15 in the evening the coastguard reported that a motor yacht had stopped and that a blanket was being waved from her. The motor life-boat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn was launched at 6.30 in a light breeze and a calm sea, and found the motor yacht Penguin, of Dartmouth, one mile south of the harbour. Her engine had broken down, while she was on passage from Lymington to London, but her crew had now started it again, and the life-boat escorted her towards Shoreham. Just inside the harbour entrance the engine failed again, and the life-boat towed her in. She reached her station again at 7.15. - Rewards, £18 2s. 6d.

MARCH 27TH - 29TH. - TENBY, AND ANGLE, PEMBROKESHIRE. In the early morning of the 27th the Greek steamer Nicolaou Virginia, bound from Bahia Blanca to Glasgow with a cargo of grain, ran ashore on the rocks at Flimston Head and was badly damaged. The sea was calm, but there was a thick fog. The steamer sent out an SOS call for immediate help. It was picked up by Land’s End Radio and passed by the coastguard to Tenby at 3.35. The Tenby motor life-boat John R. Webb was launched at four o’clock, found the steamer, and stood by. A tug and a salvage steamer had also answered the call for help. At the request of the master the life-boat stood by all day until the evening when she left and went to Broadhaven Bay. She had with her three men of the steamer, whom she had picked up in a small boat, and she had the boat in tow. She landed them. The life-boat then returned to the steamer and stood by her all through the night. Next morning, the 28th, about eight o’clock, it was decided to call out the Angle life-boat to relieve her, and at nine o’clock the Angle motor life-boat Elizabeth Elson was launched. On her arrival the Tenby life-boat left, bringing three more men of the steamer with her, and reached her station at 2.30 that afternoon. She had then been away for over thirty-four hours. The Angle life-boat stood by all day and at nine that night took twentysix men from the steamer to the salvage steamer, which was also standing by, leaving only four aboard. She continued to stand by, and at 2.30 in the morning of the 29th she was signalled to rescue the remaining four men.

This she did and put them on board the salvage steamer. She then made for her station, which she reached at seven that morning. She had then been out for twentytwo hours. Later in the day salvage operations were abandoned and the steamer became a total wreck. - Rewards : Tenby, £48 17s. ; Angle, £25 3s. 6d.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given : MARCH 6TH. - DUNGENESS, KENT. The Polish steamer Kielce had sunk after being incollision with the British steamer Lombardy, but the Lombardy picked up her crew before being taken in tow by tugs. - Rewards, £30 7s. 6d.

MARCH 9TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL.

Two aeroplanes had crashed in the sea, but one airman was rescued by a Walrus amphibious aeroplane, and the life-boat found nothing.- Rewards, £2 10s.

MARCH 11TH. - CROMARTY. Signals, thought to come from a crashed aeroplane, had been reported, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £13 2s. 6d.

MARCH 13TH. - WICK, CAITHNESSSHIRE.

Flashing lights had been reported, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £20 1s. 6d.

MARCH 26TH. - WALMER, KENT. A Swedish steamer had been reported aground on the Goodwin Sands, but no ship aground could be found and a ship was seen steaming away. - Rewards, £14 17s.

MARCH 29TH. - COURTMACSHERRY HARBOUR, CO. CORK. The American steamer Justin S. Morrill had gone ashore, but got off and went on her way. - Rewards, £8 6s. 6d.

MARCH 31ST. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A boat had capsized off Brighton, but a fishing boat picked up the crew of two as well as the boat. - Rewards, £8 3s.

(See Brighton, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 73.)

MARCH 31ST. - SUNDERLAND, DURHAM.

A steamer had run aground, but she refloated, and was towed by another vessel to Sunderland where she was beached. - Rewards, £15 9s.