THIS week in Down Memory Lane I recall an incident on the River Thames at West Thurrock 60 years ago.

It was on Wednesday, October 8, 1952, that in the early morning fog the 15,000-tonne SS Corinthic ran aground off West Thurrock, heading for London. She was left high and dry as the tide receded.

Owing to the depth at which the liner settled, it looked at first that she would be beached for some time.

However, on the preceding high tide, an armada of powerful tugs assembled and pulled her clear and refloated her, so she could continue a journey to King George V Dock in London.

My featured photograph from the front page of the Grays & Tilbury Gazette (now the Thurrock Gazette) shows the passenger liner at low tide.

Ordered by the Shaw Saville Line and Albion Line, the SS Corinthic (the second ship to be named Corinthic) was built by Cammell Laird & Co Birkenhead (yard 1175), and was the first of the series (the others being Athenic, Ceramic and Gothic).

At a cost of £1million, she was finally launched on May 30, 1946, and fitted out by April 1947.

Her maiden voyage was delayed after a fire onboard, but finally departed from Liverpool to Sydney on April 12, 1947.