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..