A boat which took part in the wartime evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940 will visit Poole Harbour on Saturday June 6 to mark the 75th anniversary.
Launched in Sussex in 1939, ‘Aquabelle’ was moored in Poole Harbour at the start of the war. The historic vessel will return to Poole under the direction of the grandson of its original owner, Colin Dimbylow.
The boat was one of the 700 ‘little ships’ which aided in Operation Dynamo – the rescue of more than 338,000 British and French soldiers from the coast of France during the early stages of the Second World War.
PHC’s Harbour Master, Captain Brian Murphy, said: “I think this is a superb way for Poole to commemorate the events of Operation Dynamo and the war efforts surrounding this – not just by military vessels, but by Little Ships, which played a pivotal role in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of Dunkirk.
“The Mayor of Poole will be visiting Aquabelle, and I would invite others to come and see for themselves how an ordinary vessel became extraordinary.”
David Tofts, one of the organisers of the visit, added: “We thought it would be great to have this historic ship return to where she was moored at the outbreak of hostilities.
The Little Ship will be escorted into Poole Harbour by the RNLI and is set to arrive at 10.30am.