Dungeness Lifeboat News Release - 7 September 2020
Dungeness RNLI Chairman of Management Committee honoured with fifty years service medal
It was with immense pride the Management Committee Chairman Peter Thomas received a medal for volunteering with the RNLI for fifty years.
From the age of seventeen, Peter stood in for many crew when they missed a lifeboat shout. When his father John retired from the lifeboat in 1970 Peter took his place and also took on the post of Emergency Mechanic serving under Coxswains Ben Tart and Alfred (Honker Haines).
On 11 February 1974 the RNLI lifeboat 'Mabel E Holland' was launched to a severely injured seaman from the vessel Merc Texico in hurricane force winds with very rough seas, six miles east north-east of Dungeness Point for which coxswain Ben Tart received a RNLI silver medal and Peter received an RNLI bronze medal.
In 2011 Peter was appointed Chairman of the Dungeness Management Committee and in September 2012 he was awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee medal.
Peter said 'it came out of the blue and a complete surprise, I am extremely proud and honoured to have been awarded it from the RNLI'.
Photographs by LPO Judith Richardson
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 17 MARCH
The welfare of our volunteers, supporters and staff, along with our ability to maintain our world-class lifesaving service is our priority.
We have taken the decision to close all RNLI shops, museums and visitor centres with immediate effect. Our lifeboat stations remain operational but will not be open to visitors.
All events are cancelled until further notice.
Our lifeboats will continue to launch to those in peril at sea – and they need your support more than ever.
PLEASE SUPPORT US >
Would you be interested in joining our volunteer crew at Dungeness RNLI?
We are looking for people who live preferably within 3 miles of our station and must have good availability. Full RNLI training will be given!
If you are interested and want to know more then please telephone our boathouse on 01797 320317 and speak to our LOM (Lifeboat Operations Manager) Roger or to our Coxswain Stuart.
The station has a rich history, in 1940, the Dungeness lifeboat was one of 19 that took part in the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk in northern France. Through the 1950s the station was famous for its Lady Launchers - local women who helped haul the lifeboat down to the sea, and recover her.
