St Peter Port RNLI’s new inshore lifeboat goes on service

The new lifeboat has been constructed in the Inshore Lifeboat Centre on the Isle of Wight, and was delivered to the Island on Wednesday (20 March). The lifeboat was launched into the harbour and placed on service this morning (Thursday 21 March).

The vessel has been named Harold Hobbs, and is funded by generous donations from the residents of Guernsey. Harold was killed in June 1940 while serving on the Guernsey lifeboat, the Alfred and Clara Heath. He was shot from a German aircraft at the start of the occupation of the Channel Islands.

Jason Hobbs is the current volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager at St Peter Port RNLI. Harold was his great uncle, and Jason’s grandfather and great grandfather were also active on the lifeboat. Jason said: ‘It is a very proud day for us all here at St Peter Port RNLI, to see the Harold Hobbs officially on service, ready to respond and assist anyone in difficulty around the waters of the Bailiwick.’

The new lifeboat has comprehensive navigational equipment essential for manoeuvring around the Island’s navigational hazards and varying sea states, and enables the station to continue supporting Guernsey, and Sark and Herm.

Notes to Editors

Harold’s story recently featured on a special episode of Saving Lives at Sea, with Dermot O’Leary. The episode is available to watch here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001x949/saving-lives-at-sea-series-9-1-saving-lives-at-sea-in-world-war-ii

A photo of the new lifeboat is attached. Credit Tony Rive.

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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 142,700 lives.

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