It is with deep regret that we record the death in February of Major-General R H Farrant. CB, chairman of the Institution from 1975 until his retirement in 1979.

Major-General Farrant joined the Committee of Management of the RNLI in 1963, becoming a deputy chairman in 1972 and was elected a vice-president in the same year. He was also a member of the SAR, Boat, TCC and finance standing sub-committees and was closely involved with both the fast slipway and intermediate lifeboat projects.

In 1984 he was appointed a life vice-president.

He was a very keen and experienced yachtsman and was awarded the Yachtsman's Award of the Royal Yachting Association in 1973 for his eight years of service as chairman of the RYA Olympic Committee.

Major-General Farrant was educated at Rugby and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1929, subsequently serving in the Field and Mountain Artillery until 1938.

Durinu the war he held varioustechnical appointments in the War Office and the headquarters of the MEF 3rd British Infantry Division (1944). He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1950 in the Ministry of Supply, Colonel in 1954 and Brigadier in 1957. Major- General Farrant was director of Munition, British Joint Services Mission in Washington from 1955-58 and a senior military officer at the Armament R&D Establishment. In 1961 he was promoted to Major-General and became vice-president of the Ordnance Board, a post he held from 1961-63 until becoming president in 1963. He retired in 1964 and was created a Companion of the Bath..