Dunkirk heroes

GREAT heroics were performed by the fleet of the Dunkirk Little Ships, but the simple fact is these vessels did not have the capacity to rescue thousands of troops.

The part played by the Merchant Navy at Dunkirk has been largely overlooked. Churchill, for reasons of national morale, chose to focus on the pleasure craft and fishing boats.

Perhaps the largest single contribution to the evacuation was made by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which in peacetime ferried tourists to the island.

It contributed ten vessels, losing three in the process. It is estimated that 7 per cent of all those rescued were picked up by these vessels, and it was arguably the Isle of Man’s greatest contribution to victory in World War II.

The largest number rescued by any one ship, 7,500, were carried by the company’s SS Tynwald.

The Manx Museum in Douglas has a pocket watch that belonged to Steam Packet engineer James Edward Corlett, and it was with him on May 29, 1940, when he was sunk twice in the same day.

His ship SS Fenella was bombed and sunk in the harbour. The survivors, including Corlett, boarded the Crested Eagle to return to the UK, but as she set off, she, too, was bombed and sunk.

Corlett survived this incident, but was shell- shocked and not able to return to sea for many years. MATTHEW RICHARDSON,

Douglas, Isle of Man.