A LIFE ON THE SEA

08:00 - 30 May 2008     

Russell Mallett, 91, moved to Broadstairs from Yorkshire with his family in 1929.He attended Holy Trinity School in Harbour Street before moving to the then St George's School in Ramsgate. As a 15-year-old Russell shared the £12 cost of his first sailing boat with good friend Janet Humphry. The 14ft three-quarter-decked sloop-rigged dinghy began a lifetime love of the sea and sailing for Mr Mallett. In 1936 they were among a dozen or so Broadstairs sailors who formed the club under first commodore Harry Dipple. A proud holder of more than 50 trophies from his racing successes at the club, Mr Mallett continued sailing well into his 60s.He now watches proceedings from the clubhouse or his Viking Bay beach hut. Having frequented the golden sands since before the war, he is also possibly the longest-standing beach-hut owner in the bay and still enjoys swimming in the sea there.
During the Second World War Russell served in the Merchant Navy on the Blue Star Line.
One ship he was on was torpedoed and sunk 400 miles off the Irish coast by the submarine U-99. Miraculously no lives were lost, but it took the crew five days to row to shore where they eventually landed at Dingle in southern Ireland.
A second ship was bombed while in Liverpool dock. Then Mr Mallett joined the RAF as a radio mechanic with a Mosquito Pathfinder squadron. Another BSC member was British Prime Minister Edward Heath.

Courtesy http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/