On Sunday 2nd July 1916 the H.M. Destroyer "Ness" went ashore in a thick fog at Trow Rocks, at eleven forty that night. The coastguard alerted the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigadesmen, who took the rocket apparatus along the beach to Trow Rocks. They stood by for three hours but their assistance was not required.
Source: "South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade" Boswell Whittaker 1980 ISBN 0 906617049 The author does not give a primary source for this information.
The incident is recorded in the Division One Roll Book Drills and Wrecks