BRAVE RESCUERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1928, Page 7

BRAVE RESCUERS.

LIFEBOATMEN BUSY. Gallantry In Terrific Gales At Home. HAVOC BY LAND AND SEA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, November 25. High winds continued over England yesterday, following Friday's gale in which heavy rainstorms were accompanied by wind, which at times reached a velocity of 88 miles an hour at Liverpool and in many other places. Eight people were killed on land by falling trees and chimneys. Most of the Channel services were cancelled but were running as usual yesterday, except that the Boulogne traffic is diverted to Calais. Three seaplanes moored at Portsmouth were sunk by heavy seas but two are in comparatively shallow water, although the third was smashed against the breakwater. The Ramsgate motor lifeboat made two journeys and rescued men from the Deal herring boats, and the Bombridge, Isle of Wight, lifeboat went to the aid of a Soviet tanker, Nefte . Syndicat, which issued distress calls off Saint Catherine's Point. Her steering gear had been smashed and she asked for two tugs. The departure from Southampton of the s.s. Edinburgh Castle for the Cape and the s.s. Tuscania for New York was delayed some hours, and the s.s. Majestic from New York was late in reaching Liverpool.

Among the passengers on the Edinburgh Castle were the Earl of Athlone (the Queen's brother) and his wife, Princess Alice, together with their daughter, Lady May Cambridge. The earl is returning to South Africa to resume his duties as Governor-General. To-day the gale again raged over England and wireless messages report violent seas to the west and in the North Sea and English Channel. Lifeboats have been called out in several places and have effected gallant rescues. Twenty-three lives were saved and one life was lost when the New Brighton lifeboat set out to assist the French steamer, Emile Delmas, 2000 tons, yesterday. After fighting through tremendous seas for fifteen miles the lifeboat reached the vessel, whose anchor cables had broken. The crew jumped for it and were pulled safely aboard, although this took over an hour. Then a huge wave washed two of the crew and the chief engineer of the French steamer overboard, as the last-named was stepping through a lifebuoy and he was drowned. Captain Coussin, of the Emile Delmas, paid a warm tribute to the bravery of the lifeboat's crew. Arrivals and departures of liners have been delayed. Sir Austen Chamberlain and his party were due to arrive in London from Canada to-day, but owing to the weather the s.s. Regina, on which they travelled, was late in docking at Liverpool, having to await her turn. On the land extensive minor damage was done by the gale. Weather forecasts anticipate a continuance of the rough conditions.