The Lady Gay – a Dunkirk evacuation ship – and its 87-year long history were “totally lost” after being destroyed in a Hampton fire this week.
The ship was lost in a fire at Platt’s Eyot island on the River Thames in Hampton, Richmond on Monday (May 3). Surrey Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene at 5.12pm that evening and the fire was under control by 8.58pm.
The fire also “completely destroyed” two single-story industrial units according to the London Fire Brigade. A man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
The current owners of Lady Gay, who gave their names as Jason and Christine, are “absolutely devastated” by the loss, according to the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS).
Jason and Christine have owned the ship since 2008 and took her back to Dunkirk in 2010 and 2015 to commemorate the evacuation of the troops from its beaches.
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Ian Gilbert, veterans cruise organiser for ADLS, said: “Jason and Christine are absolutely devastated to lose Lady Gay. She was one of their family and meant much more to them than being simply a boat to have fun with.
“It was important that they had a boat which was a part of our heritage. Lady Gay, like all Dunkirk Little Ships is absolutely unique. The material value is almost irrelevant – once lost they cannot be replaced. Lady Gay was a passion for Jason and Christine.”
Mr Gilbert added: “All at the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships are saddened by what has happened and feel great sympathy for Jason and Christine.
“The only conciliation is that two other Dunkirk Little Ships, Mary Irene and Elvin also based on the Island are safe.”
Lady Gay had a length of 36ft 2ins and a beam of 10ft 10ins – every part of which was made by hand by Eric and George Davies, the craftsmen who designed and built it in 1934.
The ADLS hosted an annual Veteran’s Cruise, which took place during either the first or second Sunday in September.
Tom Allett, 58, a freelance history journalist based in Lincolnshire, was a friend of the late Dunkirk veteran Garth Wright for 20 years. He has fond memories of the Lady Gay when he attended the Veteran’s Cruise with Garth, who died in 2019 aged 99.
He explained that many Dunkirk veterans, ex-Army, Navy and Air Force, accompanied by either a family member or friend, were invited to join the free event courtesy of the boats’ owners.
Mr Allett said: “Each veteran was allocated a boat for the journey along the Thames to Weybridge Mariners Boat Club (WMBC), where everyone would disembark for lunch.
“The ADLS’s Honorary Admiral, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, often sailed with one of the boats and each ‘veteran’s boat’ had a Royal Navy rating on board to help with whatever needed doing.”
The event began at the Thames Motor Yacht Club, Hampton Court with a memorial service to remember the thousands of people lost in the Dunkirk evacuation in May to June 1940.
Mr Allett continued: “[Garth] joined the Veterans’ Cruise every year from 2010 to 2018 and had the privilege of sailing on the Lady Gay on at least two occasions.
“He was often the life and soul of the party wherever he went and would often sing songs from the wartime era as we sailed along the Thames.
“All the boat owners always treated the veterans like royalty and, as we sailed along, hundreds of people, either standing on their balconies alongside the river, walking along the riverbank, or in their own boats, would wave enthusiastically and cheer the veterans who were easily identifiable due to the medals on their jackets.
“Passing through the lock gates gave members of the public standing alongside the chance to grab a brief conversation with the veterans and applaud them for their service all those years ago. The veterans loved it.”
In 1934, Lord Alfred Dunhill, the chairman of the tobacco company, commissioned the ship which cost him £1,500.
Then craftsmen George and Eric, with helpers, dragged its 14 tons down a hill, through a local car park, over the sea wall, and eventually, into the water.
In 1939, the boat had a change in ownership before the war. She was initially requisitioned by the Royal Navy, but was later laid up and purchased by Vernon Bodley in 1946.
Then, she was sold to Mr. J W Gozzett of Wickham Bishops, Essex. Lady Gay was then found by Lt Cmdr. FW Clerke RNVR and, in the 1950s, was renamed Lord Nelson, according to the ADLS.
She later regained her original name of Lady Gay and had considerable work done by her current owner. This includes being re-engined with twin Nanni diesels and the addition of an outside helm position.
