Hunstanton RNLI honour the lives of fallen family at town’s Remembrance event

Two RNLI crew members were joined by many of their crew to honour the lives of their fallen families on Remembrance Sunday.

Hunstanton RNLI joined the short parade through the town towards the memorial where hovercraft commander Lee Torrice laid a wreath on behalf of the organisation.

For crew member Roger Smith and launch authority Jeff Lenton, the occasion had a personal connection as both had relatives who lost their lives during the war.

Roger’s great-great uncle, John Scott, was 19 when he died on the Western Front in October 1917.

His name is carved on the war memorial in Lynn, where he worked as a hairdresser before joining the army in 1915 and being posted to the trenches the year after.

“I felt honoured to represent my crew,” Roger said.

“My great, great uncle fought at the Battle of the Somme and his body was never recovered, only his wallet.”

Jeff Lenton’s cousin Gerald Lenton also fell on the Western Front and has his name engraved alongside 70 others on the Hunstanton Cenotaph.

The 33-year-old was the Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment but died of his wounds on July 27, 1917.

Growing up in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, Jeff remembers visiting family members in Hunstanton with his mother and father and spending time roller skating to pop music on a rink where the fair now stands.

He said he would love to get in touch with those related to Gerald in the area.