The former chairman of the Fraserburgh Lifeboat Committee has witnessed all manner of tragedies and triumphs during 60 years of involvement with the RNLI.
And now, Jack Provan has been acclaimed for the countless hours of dedication which he has shown towards the volunteer organisation.
The 88-year-old, who arrived in the town as a customs and excise officer in August 1959, was originally invited to a meeting in the harbour office.
But it was the catalyst for his decades-long commitment to the life-saving group.
Mr Provan said: “I assumed it was to discuss harbour business, but then I was told it was a lifeboat committee meeting and that I had now joined.
“I suppose you could say I had been conscripted, and I’ have been here ever since.”
At the time, the rescue vessel in the Broch was the Duchess of Kent, which was involved in a Bronze Medal Service only weeks later.
Mr Provan added: “I clearly remember the violent storm on October 27 1959 when two yawls were overwhelmed in Fraserburgh Bay and five fishermen were lost.
“I watched from the harbour office as the lifeboat and a fishing boat stood by the yawl outside the north breakwater for several hours, unable to enter the harbour, before heading for Peterhead.
“Suddenly, off Rattray Head, the yawl rolled over beam ends, came upright again and acting coxswain Alex Duthie took the lifeboat alongside to skilfully rescue the two men.”
Just over 10 years later, tragedy struck again when the third Fraserburgh Lifeboat Disaster occurred in January 1970.
The lifeboat capsized while on service and five of her six crew, including Mr Provan’s friend Fred Kirkness, were lost.
He said: “It was the saddest time of my 60 years involvement with Fraserburgh Lifeboat.”
Mr Provan’s wife Audrey, who turns 89 today, has also been heavily involved with the charity as a member of the Ladies Lifeboat Guild since 1969 – and that included an 18-year stint as chairwoman.
During the period when there was no lifeboat, the group raised between £2,000 and £3,000 each year and received a Vellum of Appreciation in 1977 for their efforts.
After three disasters, there was controversy over the replacement boat with some people claiming a 48ft lifeboat was too small to cope with the conditions.
Six committee members resigned in 1972, but Mr Provan stepped up as chairman in 1973 and eventually secured a Solent class 48ft 6inch relief boat named the Royal British Legion which arrived in June 1978.
Once it was operational, Mr Provan recalled the first rescue was eight crew and a dog being brought ashore after their cargo ship ran aground near Sandhaven.
Other highlights included introducing the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to the lifeboat crew during a 1992 royal visit.
Mr Provan also received the Bar to the Gold Badge of the Scottish Lifeboat Council in June 2011.
A spokesman for the RNLI said: “Jack Provan filled the role with distinction for 30 years and that included guiding us through some of the most turbulent and difficult years in the history of Fraserburgh Lifeboat.”
Mr Provan will be part of the memorial service to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Fraserburgh Lifeboat Disaster, which will take place on Sunday, January 19 at 2pm in the town’s Old Parish Church.
