Captain James McCaughan

CAPTAIN James N McCaughan died suddenly at his home in Strangford on October 4 at the age of 97.

Captain McCaughan, who was known to his family and friends as Jim, was born in Ballycastle and later became a boarder at Campbell College in Belfast. However, he left school early to satisfy his desire to go to sea.

After two years training on the famous HMS Conway he joined the Blue Funnel Line in 1940 and served in the Merchant Navy until 1954, except for the period 1943-1947 when he served in the Royal Navy in convoy escorts, submarine missions and clearing up debris and war defences after the conflict.

He was married in 1949 to Dorothy, who sadly died in 1993. After taking up employment with the Marine Department in Malaya, he moved there with his wife and two children, Andrew and Judith. Their youngest son, Michael, was born in Malaya.

The family returned to Northern Ireland in the early 1960s and eventually settled in Strangford when Jim took up the post of harbour master in Ardglass. He was later appointed Chief Executive of the Fishery Harbour Authority.

Captain McCaughan is sadly missed by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family wish to thank sincerely all those who visited him in Strangford and all the villagers who knew him and were so kind and thoughtful to him, especially in his later years.