Dunkirk ‘little ship’ to be restored thanks to lottery
A DUNKIRK “little ship” that helped rescue more than 600 men from the beaches of France in 1940, is itself to be rescued thanks to funding announced today by The National Lottery.
Skylark IX will be restored thanks to a £404,400 National Lottery grant to create a floating museum which will sail on the Clyde telling the fascinating story of its role in the Second World War.
The restoration will be undertaken by a specialist boatbuilding team working with recovering drug addicts as part of a skills development programme, run by Dumbarton-based charity, Alternatives.
Built as a passenger cruiser for 75 people in 1927, Skylark IX was called to the aid of the stranded Allied troops in Dunkirk in 1940 as part of Operation Dynamo.
She, and the ordinary seamen that sailed her, rescued more than 600 troops on several cross-channel trips. However, due to disrepair, the Dunkirk Little Ship sank on Loch Lomond in 2010.
Now, raised by the Royal Navy following a veterans’ campaign, Skylark IX is currently located at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, Ayrshire.
Lucy Casot, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: “The Skylark IX is a part of Scotland’s Second World War history and we are delighted that thanks to players of the National Lottery, she will be saved to share her incredible story.
“As part of her recovery, others will recover too, learning skills that will help secure them a better future. I look forward to seeing this Little Ship’s transformation and the enjoyment and learning she will bring to very many people.”
Once restored, Skylark IX will share her story with the help of community volunteers over a short sail along the Clyde from Bowling to Dumbarton Castle.
Anne Dyer from the Skylark IX Recovery Trust said: “Today is a great day for us all. Skylark IX Recovery Trust is so pleased to finally commence with our mission.
“Not one day did we ever believe we could not face this huge challenge and in true Dunkirk Spirit we never gave up.”
One of the most famous wartime escapades in history, Operation Dynamo’s mission was to save 338,000 Allied forces from the beaches of Dunkirk.