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Ashes of former crewmember scattered from Whitstable RNLI Lifeboat

Lifeboats News Release

The ashes of a former member of the Whitstable lifeboat crew were scattered from the station's lifeboat just off the town's harbour on Sunday evening.

The Chieftain leads the Whitstable Lifeboat for the scattering of Ashes of former Whitstable crewmember Eric McGonagle.

RNLI/Chris Davey

The Chieftain leads the Whitstable Lifeboat for the scattering of Ashes of former Whitstable crewmember Eric McGonagle.
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Eric McGonagle who passed away on 19th July 2019 aged 78 had joined the Whitstable Lifeboat crew when he came to the town to take up an appointment as works manager of a local engineering firm in the late 1979 having moved from Widnes.

Eric always have had an interest in the sea and had been the commanding officer of the Widnes Sea Cadet Unit and on his arrival in Whitstable was quick to join the lifeboat crew serving with the station from 1980 until 1990 when he left having bought a hotel in Falmouth.

During his decade with the station he was awarded with a Vellum Service Certificate for his part in the rescue of 12 anglers onboard a fishing boat in difficulties in The Swale in 70-80mph winds in January 1986 and was twice part of the winning crew in the station's Dan Davies First Aid and Seamanship exercise.

On Sunday his wife Ann, family and friends boarded The Chieftian, the former Barmouth lifeboat which now runs pleasure trips from Whitstable harbour owned, by former lifeboat helmsman Richard Judge, who served with Eric, to escort Whitstable's Atlantic 85 lifeboat to scatter his ashes just of the harbour in waters that he came to know well.

Eric leaves his wife Ann, daughter Kim and son Ian.

Eric McGonagle.

RNLI/Chris Davey

Eric McGonagle.
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Anglers are landed from the lifeboat 'British Diver' after being taken off a fishing vessel which was aground and in difficulties in the entrance to The Swale in a westerly storm and rough seas on 19th January 1983.

RNLI/Chris Davey

Anglers are landed from the lifeboat 'British Diver' after being taken off a fishing vessel which was aground and in difficulties in the entrance to The Swale in a westerly storm and rough seas on 19th January 1983.
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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