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 with sick 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..