Dunkirk ship is lined up for a busy future
The little ship with a big past is in line for a bright future which extends beyond Sunderland’s tall ships festival next year.
That’s the hope of the Sunderland Maritime Heritage society, which has almost completed a wonderful restoration project on the Willdora. She#s only 30 tonnes and yet, she helped rescue 220 men in the Dunkirk evacuation in May 1940.
She had to be abandoned on a French beach when she was shelled by German bombers.
But she was later rescued and returned to Britain.
Last week, we told how Willdora was hopefully going to be ready and shipshape in time to lead out the fleet in the Tall Ships Races when they come to Wearside in July.
Today, society chairman Chris Carolan told of the long-term hopes for the Willdora.
“The biggest thing is what to use her for as part of a living history.” There are hopes she can be involved in festivals and open days and Chris added: “People can come on board a ship that was at Dunkirk.”
There are even hopes she could be taken back to Dunkirk in 2020 - the year when the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo (the codename for the evacuation).
It is expected that around 50 little ships will make the return trip that year, escorted by the RNLI and the Royal Navy.
In the meantime, why not give a helping hand with Sunderland’s nautical history.
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/