RNLB Guide of Dunkirk (ON 826) facts for kids
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|- | Official Number: || ON 826 |- | Donor: || |- | Station || Cadgwith |-
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The RNLB Guide of Dunkirk (ON 826) is a special lifeboat. It was built in 1940 with money raised by the Girl Guides. This boat was designed to flip itself back upright if it capsized. It could also be launched right from a beach.
The Guide of Dunkirk became one of the Little Ships of Dunkirk. These were many small boats that helped rescue soldiers. She was used to help evacuate Allied soldiers from Dunkirk during World War II. From 1941 to 1963, she served as a lifeboat in Cadgwith, UK. After that, she was bought by a private owner.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Name | Guide of Dunkirk |
| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) |
| Builder | Rowhedge Iron Works |
| Laid down | 1940 |
| Launched | 1940 |
| Renamed | Guide of Dunkirk; Girl Guide |
| Status | Private ownership |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 8 tons |
| Length | 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) |
| Beam | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
| Draft | 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m) |
| Propulsion | 72hp diesel |
Building a Hero Boat
The Guide of Dunkirk was built in 1940. It cost £5,000 to build this lifeboat. This money was raised by the Girl Guides through their "Guide Gift Week" appeal. Guides from all over the British Empire helped. Older Guides donated money from their jobs. Younger Guides earned money by doing small tasks.
The boat was built by Rowhedge Iron Works. This company is located near Colchester, UK. The lifeboat was not yet named when it was called into action. It went straight from the builder's yard to help with the Dunkirk evacuation. Its official number was ON 826.
The Dunkirk Evacuation
The Guide of Dunkirk played a brave part in the Dunkirk evacuation. This was a huge rescue mission during World War II. She made two trips across the English Channel. Her crew were brave men from Walton-on-the-Naze and Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. They were under the command of the British Navy.
First Trip to Dunkirk
On her first journey, the Guide of Dunkirk helped ferry soldiers. She picked them up from the beaches. Then she took them to bigger ships waiting further out at sea. During this trip, the boat was badly damaged. Machine gun fire hit her. Also, a rope got tangled around her propeller. Because of the damage, she had to be towed back to England. She was pulled backwards all the way.
Second Trip to Dunkirk
The Guide of Dunkirk went back for a second trip. This time, she was hit by shellfire. Shellfire is when bombs or large bullets hit the boat. This caused a lot of damage to the lifeboat. Despite the danger, she continued her important work.
Life as a Rescue Boat
After the war, the Guide of Dunkirk continued her service. In May 1941, she became a lifeboat for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). She was stationed in Cadgwith in Cornwall, England.
In 1947, the boat was officially named Guide of Dunkirk. This name honored her brave history. It reminded everyone of her important role in the Dunkirk evacuation.
In 1963, the Cadgwith lifeboat station closed down. The Guide of Dunkirk was then sold. She was bought by a private owner named John Moor. He renamed her Girl Guide.
Retirement and Legacy
Today, the Guide of Dunkirk is no longer in service. The boat is now on land in Mevagissey, Cornwall. She has been kept in her original condition. This is how she looked when she finished her service with the RNLI. Her story reminds us of the bravery of the small boats and their crews during World War II.
See also
- Historic RNLI Lifeboats
