Launches 41 Lives rescued 27

MAY 1ST. - NEWCASTLE, CLOUGHEY, AND DONAGHADEE, CO. DOWN. In the darkness of the early morning the American steamer Georgetown Victory, of Baltimore, ran ashore at Killard Point, Co. Down, while bound from Australia to Glasgow, with about 1,500 British sailors, soldiers and airmen on board. The weather was fine but misty. A moderate breeze was blowing and the sea was moderate. The information was given by the coastguards to the three life-boat stations.

The Newcastle motor life-boat L. P. and St.

Helen was launched at 2.14, and reached the steamer fifteen miles away at 4.20. She found that the ship’s boats had been lowered and were lying by the ship. About daybreak the Georgetown Victory split in two just forward of the bridge, and the men began rapidly to abandon ship. The life-boat, loaded to capacity, made four trips to Ardglass, landing in all one hundred and thirty-two men.

Naval vessels and fishing boats arrived and helped in the work of taking the men ashore, and the naval officer in charge said that the naval vessels would be able to take off the remaining men. Before leaving, the life-boat rescued six men who were being carried out to sea on a raft and put them aboard a naval vessel, and three of the steamer’s crew who were being carried out to sea in a ship’s boat.

She called at Ardglass at three in the afternoon for a meal, and arrived at her station at five o’clock.

The Cloughey motor life-boat Herbert John was launched at 4.11 in the morning, completing her nine miles journey to the scene by 4.45. Her first trip was to Portaferry withsick and injured. She then returned to the ship and continued to take off men until her help was no longer needed. She landed altogether 400 men in eight trips. She left about two in the afternoon and reached her station again at 2.45. Both the Newcastle and Cloughey life-boats were heavily coated with crude oil which had escaped from the steamer.

The Donaghadee motor life-boat Civil Service No. 5 was launched at 6.55 in the morning, and after a run of twenty-three miles arrived at the Georgetown Victory about 9.30. She was employed for some time in landing men, including stretcher cases. In all she landed forty-two and returned to Donaghadee at 3.30 that afternoon.

An increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was made to each member of the crews of the Cloughey and Donaghadee life-boats. Cloughey : standard rewards to crew and helpers, £20 3s. 9d. ; additional rewards to crew £5 8s. 6d. ; total rewards to crew and helpers, £25 12s. 3d. Donaghadee : standard rewards to crew and helpers, £4 10s. ; additional rewards to crew £6 6s. ; total rewards to crew and helpers, £10 16s. Newcastle : standard rewards to crew and helpers, £45 11s. Total rewards for the three lifeboats, £81 19s. 3d.

MAY 1ST. - FLAMBOROUGH, AND BRIDLINGTON, YORKSHIRE. In the early morning the S.S. Saintfield, of Belfast, bound from the Tyne to Poole, with coal, ran ashore in foggy weather about two miles north of Flamborough. The call for a life-boat was received by the signal station and passed by the coastguard to Flamborough life-boat about three o’clock. At 3.35 the motor lifeboat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley was launched, in a light northerly breeze, with a slight swell, and found the steamer within half an hour. She had just come off the rocks, but had a heavy list to starboard, was making a lot of water and was much down by the head. Only the master, mate and chief engineer were then on board. The remainder of the crew were in the ship’s boat tied astern of the steamer. The master asked the lifeboat to stand by until he could beach his ship.

She put some of the steamer’s crew back on board her, and received the ship’s papers for safe keeping in case the steamer should founder. Directed by the life-boat the steamer made her way round Flamborough Head. There the coxswain went aboard and piloted her to the south of Bridlington harbour, where she was beached. The lifeboat then made for her station, arriving at 10.30 that morning. The news of the Saintfield was also sent to Bridlington and the life-boat was launched, but she arrived to find that everything needed was being done by the Flamborough life-boat. - Rewards : Flamborough, £33 9s. ; Bridlington, £19 17s. 6d.

MAY 1ST. - NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE.

At 5.30 in the afternoon the Dock Board reported a small boat, with two boys on board, off C.6 Red Buoy, in the Mersey, rapidly drifting out to sea. The No. 2 motor life-boat Edmund and Mary Robinson left her moorings at 5.45 in a moderate easterly wind, with a choppy sea. On her way she was told by wireless that the boys had landed on the revetment opposite C.3 Red Buoy. Here the life-boat found them at 6.30 and took them on board. She reported to the Crosby Lightship, and reached her station again with the boys and their boat at eight that evening. - Rewards, £6 18s.

MAY 1ST. - ST. ABBS, BERWICKSHIRE.

At eight in the evening the St. Abbs Head signal station telephoned that a boat was apparently stationary about ten miles westnorth- west of St. Abbs Head. The weather was fine, but as the boat was thought to be one which was known to have difficulties with her engine, the motor life-boat Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest was launched at 8.7. She found the boat, formerly a naval pinnace, drifting out to sea with a crew of two. Her engine had broken down. The life-boat towed her to St. Abbs, arriving at eleven that night. - Rewards, £13 5s.

MAY 2ND. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 2.40 in the morning a message was received from Southend coastguard that a vessel was burning flares and firing rockets three miles east of Southend pier. A strong easterly breeze was blowing, and the sea was rough. The motor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No. 3) was launched at 3.5, and found the sailing barge Astrild off the defence boom. She had smashed into the boom and her cargo had shifted, causing her to list.

The seas were mounting, and the barge was in danger of sinking. Three life-boatmen went on board and got her clear of the boom. The life-boat then towed her to a safe anchorage and returned to her station, arriving at 1.45 in the afternoon. - Property salvage case.

MAY 3RD. - WALMER, KENT. At 1.30 in the morning a doctor was needed on board the S.S. Empire Castle, of Belfast. A moderate north-easterly gale was blowing and the sea was rough. It was too rough for any shoreboat to put out, and at two o’clock the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched with a doctor on board. She found a seaman with appendicitis. He was lowered into the life-boat on a stretcher, and she landed him at 3.45. - Rewards, £17 11s.

MAY 3RD. - RAMSGATE, KENT. At 2.35 in the morning the coastguard telephoned that the North Goodwin Lightship had reported a vessel aground on the North-East Goodwin Sands. The motor life-boat Mary Scott, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 3.25 and found the S.S. Pomerol, of Le Havre, with a crew of twenty-six, on passage from Grimsby to Dieppe. She had no wireless.

Two life-boatmen were put on board for signalling, and the life-boat went to the North Goodwin Lightship to signal for tugs.

Later a Dover tug and a Dutch tug arrived, but were unable to approach in the shallow water and rough seas. As the tide rose the steamer refloated and, with advice and guidance from the life-boat, she was navigatedthrough the surrounding banks and went to the Downs. She landed the two life-boatmen at Deal, and the life-boat reached her station at 2.45 that afternoon. - Rewards, 18s. 6d.

Property salvage case.

MAY 4TH. - ST. DAVID’S, PEMBROKESHIRE.

At 7.55 in the evening the coastguard reported a small boat drifting two miles north of St. David’s Head. A strong northeasterly breeze was blowing and the sea was rough. The motor life-boat Civil Service No.

6 was launched at 8.20 and found the Yvonne, a cabin cruiser, of Cardiff, with a crew of two, dragging her anchor and drifting ashore. She took her in tow and arrived at Porthgain harbour at 10.5. She returned to her station at 11.30 that night. - Rewards, £9 6s.

MAY 4TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. At 8.15 in the evening the coastguard reported that a boy had fallen over the cliffs near Berry Head and lay on a ledge of rock close to the water’s edge. At 8.40 the motor life-boat George Shee was launched, taking her boarding boat in tow. A moderate east-north-east breeze was blowing and the sea was breaking against the face of the cliff. The life-boat lay off and sprayed oil on the water. This reduced the breaking seas. Four life-boatmen then rowed the boarding boat to the foot of the cliffs.

They ran considerable risk. In the meantime a doctor, the boy’s father and a coastguard had been lowered down the cliffs to the ledge. They strapped the boy in a stretcher and, with much difficulty, placed him in the boarding boat, which took him out to the lifeboat.

She landed him at Brixham at 9.50.

He was taken to hospital where he died during the night. The parents of the boy sent a letter of appreciation and made a donation to the Institution.

It was a difficult service, carried out with fine seamanship and determination, and an increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew. - Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £9 9s. ; additional rewards to crew, £14 ; total rewards to crew and helpers, £45 6s.

MAY 4TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. At 10.15 at night the coastguard telephoned that a small vessel had burnt a flare between Britannia Pier and the jetty, and the motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched at 10.27. A fresh north-easterly wind was blowing. The sea was rough. The life-boat found the motor cabin cruiser Maadi, on passage from Whitby to Harwich, with a crew of four.

Her engine had broken down. Two lifeboatmen were put on board, and the life-boat escorted her to Great Yarmouth. She got back to her station at 11.45 that night.- Rewards, £9 8s.

MAY 5TH. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. At day break the motor coble Premier went out to attend to her crab pots.

As the wind and sea were rising the life-boat crew assembled. By early afternoon a strong north-easterly wind was blowing and the sea was heavy. It was decided to launch the motor life-boat Herbert Joy II, and she left at 1.40. She found the Premier two miles north-east of Castle Hill, handed life-belts to the crew and escorted her into harbour, arriving at three o’clock. - Rewards, £15 17s.

6d.

MAY 5TH. - FLEETWOOD, LANCASHIRE.

Early in the afternoon the auxiliary yacht Carlotta left Glasson Dock, with a party of five aboard, for a pleasure trip to the Isle of Man. She got into difficulties and anchored, and was reported by the Wyre Lighthouse to be dragging her anchor and drifting in a precarious position on the North Wharf. At 5.45 the motor life-boat Ann Letitia Russell was launched. A fresh north-easterly wind was blowing and the sea was rough. The lifeboat found the Carlotta four miles from the Wyre Lighthouse. She towed her into harbour, arriving at 8.5 that evening. A letter of thanks and a donation were received from the owner. - Rewards, £7 13s. 6d.

MAY 10TH. - TROON, AYRSHIRE. At eight in the evening of the 9th a man went out in his small motor boat Flora MacDonald, with his father-in-law. At 11.50 his wife reported that the boat had not returned.

At 12.45 next morning the motor life-boat Sir David Richmond of Glasgow was launched in a moderate easterly wind, with a slight sea. She took her boarding boat in tow, and went to Lady Isle. There lifeboatmen rowed the boarding boat ashore.

They saw a fire on the island and found the two men. Their engine had broken down, and they had managed to get ashore. The boarding boat took them off, and the lifeboat brought them back, arriving at two o’clock next morning. The motor boat was high and dry on the rocks of the island, and there the life-boat had to leave it. - Rewards, £9 4s.

MAY 13TH. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX. About one in the afternoon the Fairlight coastguard telephoned that a fishing boat off Pett Level appeared to be in difficulties, though she was not showing distress signals. At 1.35 the motor life-boat Cyril and Lilian Bishop was launched in a fresh breeze, with a moderate sea. She found the fishing boat Skylark, of Newhaven, a mile-and-a-half south of Pett.

Her engine had failed and her rudder guides were broken. The life-boat towed her to Hastings, arriving at 3.10. - Rewards, £18 10s. 3d.

MAY 13TH. - WALMER, KENT. About 4.50 in the afternoon a signal was received from the S.S Edwin D. Howard, of Pensacola, U.S.A., lying in the Downs, that she required a doctor. A moderate north-easterly gale was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2), was launched at 5.15 with a doctor. She put him on board the steamer. It was too rough to land anyone on a stretcher, so the doctor operated at once on the seaman, who had a large abscess. The life-boat brought himback, arriving at her station at 7.45. - Rewards, £16 3s. 6d.

MAY 13TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

About noon a vessel was seen five miles out showing a “Not under control” signal. She anchored, and was kept under observation, but later she went on her way. At 6.30 she was seen to be flying a distress signal and drifting on to Newcombe Sands, and the motor life-boat Michael Stephens was launched at 6.45. A north-easterly wind was blowing, with a moderate swell. The life-boat found the Danish motor vessel Loa Ronn, laden with fish. She was without her rudder. The lifeboat took her in tow, pulled her clear of the shoal, and brought her into the roads, abreast of the harbour. A tug then came out and took her in tow, with the life-boat helping to steer her with ropes from her stern. In this way they brought her safely into harbour at 9.20. - Property salvage case.

MAY 16TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

About 8.30 in the morning five small fishing cobles were expected to return. The tide was ebbing and there was a rough sea on the bar, making it very dangerous to cross. At 9.15 the No. 2 pulling lifeboat Jacob and Rachael Vallentine was launched as there was not enough water for the motor life-boat. A light north-north-westerly wind was blowing.

The life-boat was rowed down to the harbour bar and escorted three cobles into harbour.

She was then rowed out to sea near to the Rock Buoy and there met the other two cobles. She advised them to remain at sea with her until the tide flowed, as she had struck the ground when coming out of harbour.

They waited, and when there was water enough the life-boat escorted the two cobles in, and reached her station again at 12.30 that afternoon. - Rewards, £8 7s.

MAY 18TH. - GALWAY BAY. During the afternoon an urgent request for the help of the life-boat was received from a doctor to take him to a serious pneumonia case on Inisheer Island. No other boat was available, and at 4.50 the motor life-boat K.E.C.F. was launched. A strong north-easterly wind was blowing and the sea was rough. The life-boat took the doctor to the island and brought him back, returning to her station at 9.15. - Rewards, £13 16s. Repaid to the Institution.

MAY 23RD. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, ESSEX.

At 5.38 in the evening the coastguard reported that two rubber dinghies, with five people on board, which had put out from Jaywick, were drifting helplessly three miles to the southwest.

The motor life-boat Edward Z. Dresden was launched at 5.53. A north-easterly breeze was blowing and the sea was choppy.

The life-boat reached the dinghies in twenty minutes. In the first were a man, his wife, and daughter, who had been afloat for three hours ; in the second, two men. The life-boat took them on board and, with the dinghies in tow, reached her station again at 7.30.- Rewards, £8 19s. 3d.

MAY 24TH. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.

At 7.40 in the morning the life-boat’s assistant motor-mechanic telephoned the honorary secretary of the life-boat station that the sea was getting rough and several local fishing boats were at sea. At 8.15 the motor lifeboat Foresters Centenary was launched, the shore signalman being in command, in the absence of the coxswain, second-coxswain, and motor-mechanic, who were among the fishermen at sea. A moderate east-north-east wind was blowing, and the sea was rather rough. Just as the life-boat got away some of the boats made the shore, but three were still out. The life-boat escorted these boats home, the last one from off East Runton, three miles away. She returned to her station at 9.55. - Rewards, £16 13s. 6d.

MAY 27TH. - SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE.

At daybreak the coble Premier had gone out to attend to her crab pots. By 8.30 there was thick fog and a heavy sea was breaking at the pier head. There was a breeze from the north-east. The motor lifeboat Herbert Joy II was launched at 8.50, and met the coble a mile-and-a-half north-east of Castle Hill. She handed life-belts to her crew and escorted her into harbour. She put out again, met the keel boat Brighter Hope, and escorted her in, arriving at 10.30.- Rewards, £15 13s.

MAY 30TH. - WALMER, KENT. Shortly after five in the morning information was received through the coastguard that the South Goodwin Lightship had reported a collision.

The sea was smooth, but there was a thick fog, and the lightship could not see the ships.

The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2), was launched, with a doctor on board, at 5.45, and went to the lightship.

Here she found thirteen survivors of the crew of the steam tug Nancy Moran, of London. They had been picked up by two boats from the tanker Nuculana, which had run into her and sunk her, while she was at anchor. The life-boat took the thirteen men on board, towed the two boats back to the Nuculana and then brought the men ashore.

She put out again to search for six missing men of the tug, who, it was hoped, had got aboard the hopper, which the tug had had in tow. She found the hopper, but there was no one on board. She continued her search, but found no one. She then put life-boatmen on board the hopper, which was eventually towed into Dover by a tug, and after marking the position of the wreck, she returned to her station, arriving at eleven o’clock that morning.

- Rewards, £15 19s. 6d.

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

MAY 1ST. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A small boat had been reported capsized off Hove, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £4 17s. 6d.

MAY 1ST. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

The American steamer Andrew Furuseth, had been damaged in a collision, but did not need the help of a life-boat. - Paid permanent crew.

MAY 2ND. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. A steamer had run aground, but got off and did not need help. - Rewards, £14 1s.

MAY 2ND. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET. A rowing boat had been reported missing, but made land while the life-boat was looking for her. Letters of thanks and a donation were sent. - Rewards, £11 0s. 6d.

MAY 3RD. - SELSEY, SUSSEX. Two boys in a rubber dinghy were missing, but they were picked up by an air-sea rescue launch. - Rewards, £17 8s.

MAY 4TH. SELSEY, SUSSEX. A skiff had been seen signalling for help off Hayling Island, but she was towed into Chichester harbour by a motor boat. - Rewards, £11 4s. 6d. (See Hayling Island, “Services by Shore-boats,” page 73.)

MAY 8 T H . - WELLS, NORFOLK. A Mustang aeroplane had crashed near the shore, but the pilot waded ashore. - Rewards, £9 17s. 3d.

MAY 13TH. - GALWAY BAY, AND FENIT, CO. KERRY. Three men, who had left Kilronan in a canoe, had been reported missing, but they reached land in County Clare.

- Rewards : Galway Bay, £13 16s. ; Fenit, £13 16s.

MAY 14TH. - TROON, AYRSHIRE. A fishing boat had been reported in difficulties south of Girvan, but she was towed into harbour by another boat. - Rewards, £9 4s.

MAY 16TH. - PADSTOW, CORNWALL.

A fishing boat had been reported in distress, but the only boat found was not in need of help. - Rewards, £5 18s.

MAY 20TH. - POOLE AND BOURNEMOUTH, DORSET. A fishing boat’s engine had broken down, but the boat was taken in tow by another boat. - Rewards, £7 3s.

MAY 21ST. - EXMOUTH, DEVON. An aeroplane had been reported in the sea near Budleigh Salterton, but no sign of oil or wreckage could be found. - Rewards, £16 13s. 9d.

MAY 25TH. - BERWICK - ON - TWEED, NORTHUMBERLAND. A yacht had struck some rocks, but was, undamaged and able to go on her way. - Rewards, £7 1s.

MAY 28TH. - AMBLE, NORTHUMBERLAND.

A vessel had been reported on fire, but was found to be a fishing boat on which the crew had lighted a brazier and this had blazed up. - Rewards, £10.MAY 31ST. - SELSEY, SUSSEX. Men had been reported aboard an R.A.F. target raft, but they were cormorants which flew away as the life-boat approached. - Rewards, £8 1s.