On 24th. August, the Ramsgate station bad to be closed. Ramsgate was bombed from the air that day, and the whole life-boat crew of nine took shelter in a cellar near the harbour. A bomb burst just outside, and six of the nine were wounded. Up to that time the Ramsgate life-boat had rescued 168 lives since the outbreak of war. The station was re-op«ned on llth October, although the coxswain, assistant motor mechanic and one of the crew were still unfit for duty..