The Little Ship is all set for her next big adventure
Jubilant Wearside campaigners have won their five-year battle to restore a Dunkirk Little Ship which saved 220 soldiers in 1940.
The Willdora will return to the waters on Monday, June 11, and that’s just in time to play her part in Sunderland’s leg of The Tall Ships Races.
The Sunderland-based Willdora was one of the Little Ships which saved more than 330,000 people from the beaches of Dunkirk in May 1940.
Back then, Willdora and her crew safely rescued 220 soldiers before she was shelled by the Germans and abandoned on La Panne beach in France.
But she was later rescued and returned to Britain where she has been through a restoration project thanks to the Sunderland Maritime Heritage society.
Society chairman Chris Carolan said two oak trees, two larch trees, fantastic backing from Sunderland City Council, and a company in Newry in Ireland which gave £10,000 of support, had helped to make it all possible.
He admitted to a mix of excitement, inspiration and emotion as the end was in sight in the long battle to get Willdora seaworthy once more.
But Chris added: “This is a Dunkirk veteran. She is 117 years old this year and she is on the National Historic Ships register. She is a ship of interest and she is ready.
“I must admit I was apprehensive, thinking ‘could we get this finished’ but it has come together lovely.”
Willdora will probably have some sort of ceremony on June 11 to welcome her back to the waves.
And a month later, she will play some part in the Sunderland leg of The Tall Ships Races, Chris confirmed.
What a journey it has been for a ship which is used to drama.
Rotting timbers, new decks, beam and cabin have all been successfully dealt with on the little 30-tonne boat which was first built in 1901 with two sister vessels in Scotland, the Willmarie, and Willanne.
In 1940, she answered the call for little ships to cross to Dunkirk and help in the evacuation, where she saved 220 people.
In the 1970s, she was the camera boat used for the filming of the famous television series, The Onedin Line.
Later she was sold as a pleasure craft and came to Sunderland where there were plans for her to be used as a training vessel for schoolchildren. It never happened.
Later still, a Trust was formed on Tyneside and in 1993, she was given the honour of leading out the Tall Ships Races out of Tynemouth.
Since 2001, she has been in open storage at the Port of Sunderland, on a rent-free arrangement.
The Sunderland Maritime Heritage, based in Church Street East, would love to hear from people willing to either help, or make a donation to their cause.
For more details on the society, visit https://www.sunderlandmaritimeheritage.org.uk/