A 24-year-old woman has made history as the youngest female coxswain for the RNLI. Becky Cannon has taken the helm, continuing a family legacy that stretches back generations.
Following in the footsteps of her father Ian and grandfather Ron, Becky now leads the lifeboat operations.
Her family’s connection to the RNLI dates back 80 years to her great, great, great uncle, Alf Moody, who served as second coxswain during the Dunkirk evacuations in World War II.
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Becky began her journey with the RNLI as a volunteer crew member in Ramsgate, Kent, at 17—the same age her father started, according to Need To Know.
However, her sights were always set on becoming a coxswain. In this role, she commands all-weather lifeboats at sea, oversees launch operations, and ensures the safety of her crew.
Currently employed at Dover Harbour as a Vessel Traffic Services Officer, Becky had to pass a collision regulations exam and complete a sea search scenario under the supervision of an assessor unrelated to her.
The perfect chance came when her father went on holiday and Dan, a relief coxswain and RNLI assessor, filled in.
Becky expressed immense gratitude for her family’s support, particularly highlighting her grandfather Ron Cannon MBE. Ron, a former Ramsgate coxswain, was honored with an MBE in 2017 for his 53 years of service to the RNLI and passed away in 2018.
His wife Julia, Becky’s grandmother, remarked that Ron would have been incredibly proud of Becky’s achievement.
Reflecting on her journey, Becky said, “The RNLI training instills valuable skills, confidence, teamwork, courage, and a sense of belonging to something significant.
The only bittersweet aspect of my accomplishment is that my grandfather isn’t here to witness me becoming a coxswain.”
