Crossed the Bar - Lieutenant James "Jimmy" Jacques

It is with sadness that I write to tell you of the death, on 8th September 2014, of Lieutenant James "Jimmy" Jacques.  He had recently celebrated his 92nd birthday but had been fighting a losing battle with prostate cancer.

James joined the Royal Navy in 1937 as a boy of 15 at the Boys' Training Ship HMS Caledonia in Rosythe.  He went on to serve in the Communications Branch in HMS Malaya, HMS Fishguard, HMS Gorleston, HMT Lady Hogarth and HMS Cormorant (Gibraltar W/T Station).  At the end of the war he completed the REA conversion course at Collingwood and served in HMS Boxer, HMS Mauritius, and HMS Kenya. 

In 1952 he was commissioned as a Radio Electrical Officer and went to HMS Montclare (later replaced by HMS Adamant) the depot ship for the 3rd Submarine Squadron.  From there to HMS Loch Lomond, Inskip W/T Station, Mauritius W/T Station, HMS Fife, HMS Vernon (weapons' trials team) with a final year at HMS Dolfijn (CRETO) before retirement in 1977.  And there may be some who will remember "Jimmy" Jacques from his time at HMS Collingwood.

In 1979 he started a second career with the Portsmouth City Council, managing a workshop for unemployed young people.  At this time he was fitting out a 35' Endurance ketch at Hornet Sailing Club, with the idea of fulfilling his dream of blue water sailing.  "Tara" departed Gosport in September 1983 and it took us another 15 years to finally close the circle.  We continued to live aboard "Tara" until 2004 before taking up a more leisurely life aboard a Dutch steel motor cruiser of similar size in the Balearics and the French canal system.  It is only in this last year that James has been unable to enjoy the life afloat.  Happy years, happy memories and many good friends.

Kind regards Frances Miller