Ninety-seven years ago on a stormy winter’s morning the gallant crew from RNLI Rye Harbour set out to save a ship in distress. Sadly, all seventeen crew perished when the boat capsized: how the village mourned their loss. Each year since then Rye Harbour has held a memorial service attended by many descendants of those brave men which is always moving and poignant. This year we were honoured to welcome as our guest the Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, Andrew Blackman.
The Rye Service on Sunday 16 November began in the small, peaceful church of the Holy Spirit, its simple brick walls holding the soft murmur of the gathering community. Lifeboat families, serving crew, villagers and long-time supporters filled the pews, each carrying their own memories of the men and women who had launched into danger for others. The air inside felt still and reverent, warmed by candles and quiet compassion.
As the service began, hymns rose gently, mingling with the solemn words of remembrance. Linda Estrada spoke of duty, sacrifice and the unbroken thread of courage that ties the current lifeboat crew to generations past. Faces were bowed, some holding back tears, others simply reflecting—each person there with their own reason for remembering.
The Rye Harbour Herrings sang their plaintive Mary Stanford shanty. One verse describes the young boy on Camber when he saw the overturned lifeboat. In that stillness, the boy understood something older than words—that loss can echo across generations, and that the sea, beautiful and merciless, keeps its own sorrow.
After the prayers, the congregation moved together out of the church and across to the RNLI Memorial. The walk was slow and respectful, the harbour breeze carrying the faint scent of salt and seaweed, as though the shoreline itself was honouring the moment.
Then came the solitary, unmistakable call of The Last Post, its clear, mournful notes rising above the harbour and drifting out toward the water. In that moment, time paused and no other sound was heard. The bugle’s echo held the weight of every life remembered, every act of courage, and every sorrow carried by this community since the tragedy of 1928. Its sound was both a tribute and a promise — that those lost will not be forgotten, and that Rye Harbour continues to honour their memory with quiet dignity, year after year. When the act of remembrance was complete, no one hurried away. Small clusters formed, sharing stories of past crews, speaking softly of bravery and loss, or simply standing in companionable silence. The tide continued its slow breathing nearby, steady and timeless.
At Rye Harbour, remembrance is woven into the life of the village. The memorial service at the Church of the Holy Spirit is not just a ritual—it is a heartfelt act of gratitude, honouring those who went out to save others, and never returned home.
Image Credits: Kt bruce .