Sudden death of Captain Rodney Young on 3rd January 2017
Captain Rodney Young MBE |
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The Tristan community have been shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of the RMS St Helena Captain Rodney Young whilst on leave on 3rd January 2017, at the age of 53. Rodney started work on the old RMS St Helena in August 1980 as a cadet and became the first St Helenian to become Master of the RMS when be became Captain of the present ship in August 2000. |
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| November 2013 photo from Ann Ashworth of Captain Rodney Young with Tristan islander Gladys Lavarello, at a ceremony in the Prince Philip Hall, when Gladys was awarded a BEM by Governor Mark Capes. |
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He was much liked and respected by his colleagues, including several Tristan islanders who served on the RMS, thousands of passengers, many of whom know him as a friend and members of the resident Tristan community including his God children Chantelle Repetto and Patrick Green. Tristan Administrator Sean Burns has sent, on behalf of the whole community, a message of condolence to Rodney's wife Jill and the rest of the family. Sean and Marina got to know Rodney well during their travels to and from St Helena. There was rarely a day when Rodney did not have an insightful and amusing anecdote to tell about Tristan. The islanders were clearly close to his heart. It was therefore fitting that the service at St Mary's Church on Sunday 8th January was dedicated to his memory. We shall all miss him. Rodney's career spans the ship's entire association with Tristan da Cunha. The original RMS St Helena made annual Tristan da Cunha voyages from 1985 until 1989. The present RMS took over from the old ship in 1990, continuing to make an annual scheduled trip to Tristan until 2004. The loss of the annual RMS trip was a blow to the Tristan economy, but since then the RMS St Helena visited Tristan in February 2006 with Governor Mike Clancy aboard to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the island's discovery, in January 2011 with Governor Andrew Gurr aboard, in November 2013 when Governor Mark Capes visited Tristan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tristan's Re-Settlement after the 1961 volcanic eruption, and finally in April 2016 Governor-Designate Lisa Phillips led celebrations to mark the bicentenary of British settlement on Tristan. The RMS St Helena seems to still have a future, but no current plans have been made for a further Tristan visit. Sadly, if one occurs, Captain Rodney will not be at the helm. |
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| Captain Rodney Young with Tristan Association members Alan and Ann Ashworth during the RMS 2006 voyage to Tristan. They have many fond memories of their great friend Rodney and like others, will miss him, and that beaming smile, greatly. |
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| Photograph from Tristan Association member Gerald Buck shows Captain Rodney with Tristan Association Chairman Michael Swales on the bridge of RMS St Helena during the 2011 cruise to Tristan da Cunha. |
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In paying tribute, Michael Swales observes that there were two sides to Captain Rodney Young. One, as the Captain of the RMS St Helena. Here he was efficient, the ship's crew was well organised, ran smoothly and hence they respected him; what he said went – no arguing, and he was always loyal to St Helena. Two, as a friendly person, towards passengers (but remaining in command) making daily visits to the passengers' lounge, holding a Captain's Reception, dining at the Captain's Table was an honour, he allowed passengers to visit the bridge, and he was in communication with passengers when home in the UK, who therefore became his friends. |