There were about 200 of us at the funeral in Flushing,
Cornwall of Bob Hichens on 24 January 2020
Bob was the elder son of Lieutenant Commander Robert
Peverell Hichens RNVR, DSO and bar, DSC and two bars, the famous motor gunboat
ace who was killed in action in 1943 and Catherine Enys, and grandson of Constance
(‘Connie’) Downes.
After obtaining a first in chemistry at Oxford, Bob joined
Shell where he had an illustrious career, remaining with the company until he
retired in about 1990 and he and his wife Mariquita soon went to live at his
father’s house Bodrennick at Flushing. He
was well known locally, and became a cabinet member of Cornwall County Council.
He and I became very good sailing friends, cruising almost
every year from 1992 until 2011 in his 35ft yacht Panacea, visiting Brittany
many times and also Ireland and Spain. These
were wonderful trips, all including hilarious and sometimes challenging
incidents. He always displayed remarkable self-confidence, courage, tolerance,
ingenuity and mechanical ability.
