The best of Essex

When the oyster smack Vanguard set out from Burnham-on-crouch for Dunkirk, it had never taken to the open sea before. The 45ft vessel was built to manoeuvre in the rivers of the east coast, and would have rolled intolerably in a fresh breeze. But Vanguard’s shallow draught and open deck close to the waterline made her ideal for picking up soldiers from the beach. Under attack from the air, it helped to ferry 600 men to the larger ships standing off the shore. It saw a sailing ketch from Burnham founder on the beach. A fellow oyster boat from those Dunkirk days was later broken up. The brave little Vanguard alone survived, to be discovered in a Canvey Island boatyard being cannibalised for firewood. A group of enthusiasts is now working to restore it. It shows what Essex at its best is made of.