A FORMER lifeboatman who served in the Royal Artillery has died, aged 82.

Ken Haggis, who passed away at Colchester General Hospital on July 9, was called up for war duty in 1943 and served in India and Burma as an anti-aircraft gunner before being demobbed in 1947.

Mr Haggis was born in Beckenham, Kent, and moved to Walton at the age of two to live with his grandparents who ran a grocers in Old Pier Street.

He married his wife, Rene, in 1949.

In the winters he worked on the buildings and in the summer he worked with his father-in-law, Jonas Oxley, fishing for lobsters and crabs and taking holidaymakers for boats trips on their vessel, Fiona.

In 1959, Ken and Jonas opened their fish shop, Sea Dainties, in Newgate Street, where he worked until his retirement in 1994.

He spent 20 years in the lifeboat crew as signalman and received awards for gallantry.

Mr Haggis leaves his wife of 59 years, four children Gary, Tony, Terry and Kevan, and step-son Brian, brother Alan and partner Lyn, daughters-in-law Shirley, Sharon, Kay, Denny and Sandra, as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren.

His family described him as a well-liked and jovial man, who always had a good word for all and will be sadly missed.

He will also be remembered for his saying: “The Far East, never again”.