XN000022-1973-12-04 — Page 5

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Tuesday, December 4, 1973

TWENNY HECTIC YEARS OF SERVICE AND STILL GOING STRONG

The Fireboat 'Alexander Grantham'

one of the largest of its

kind in the world enters her 20th year of service with the Fire Services

this year.

Built in Hong Kong in 1953, the 351-ton vessel is still going

strong and has recently returned to active service with a new lease of life

after extensive refitting at the Government Dockyard.

During her colourful career, the A.G.' - as she is affectionately

known in the service has played a leading role in a diversity of rescue

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●perations in such incidents as ship fires, aircraft crashes, oil pollution

and land fires, the latter by supplying large quantities of sea water through

her powerful pumps to the scene of fire,

Among the more notable incidente she attended to were a fire

involving the s.s. Ala in 1956, a fire at Kowloon Bay in 1960, an aircrash

in Kowloon Bay in 1967, fires involving the tanker Cerberus and the USS Coastal.

Sentry in a shipbreaking yard in Hang Hau in 1968, a blaze on board the

s.s. Eastern Star in Kowloon Bay in 1969, and the Jumbo Floating Restaurant

fire in Aberdeen the year before last.

She also escorted the liner Seawise University into Hong Kong

Harbour for refitting in July 1971 and, half a year later, took part in the

battle to save her from her tragic destruction.

Though the A.G's complement of one fire officer and 15 men normally

expects arduous and often dangerous work, life is not always griz and on

many occasions she has joined in the festive spirit by putting up spectacular

water displays for the enjoyment of her crew and the public.

/Currently,