Little Ships

Another not so good day on the friends front with the announcement that my friend and former shipmate Ray “Frankie” Howard had, in Naval terminology, “Crossed The Bar”. I have fond memories of Frankie on HMS Fearless and HMS Antrim, great rugby player and better shipmate.

So as my hearts not really in it todays photo montage is ‘borrowed from a friend and shows the Dunkirk Little Ship Michael Stevens anchored off Custom House Quay.
Flying the flag of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships from her foremast the former RNLI lifeboat Michael Stevens is a return visit to the port.
The Michael Stevens was built for the RNLI in Cowes, Isle of Wight by J.S. White to go on station at Lowestoft in 1939.
Her RNLI record is impressive. Launched on service 182 times she saved 92 lives during her 24 years at Lowestoft, five at Exmouth and seven years in the reserve fleet.

Why Blip about a vessel called the ‘Michael Steven’s’ - because that’s my name.