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Search forFinal voyage for Dunkirk's last boat
Saturday, October 11, 2008, 10:00
Despite her heroic services throughout the Second World War, the boat – known only as High Speed Launch 102 – could end up on the scrapheap if £400,000 cannot be found.
The vessel was recovered from a Dartmouth boatyard 12 years ago and was lovingly restored by Phil Clabburn, before being relaunched by the Queen Mother.
HSL102 survived Hitler's Luftwaffe, rescued hundreds of Allied servicemen and played a vital role during the D-Day landings.
However, Mr Clabburn said he could no longer afford her upkeep and, unless a buyer could be found to pay the £385,000 asking price, he would have to break her up.
"I just can't afford to keep her any more. She's a vessel of huge historic importance, recognised alongside HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and the Cutty Sark, but I'm not getting any help finding her a home," he said. "If no-one comes forward I will have to break her up, which is a huge shame." Mr Clabburn, an engineer, who spent £500,000 of his own money to restore the derelict boat, had hoped for a lottery grant, but he was told he is not eligible because HSL102 is privately owned.
The 64ft vessel – the last surviving member of the RAF's wartime Sea Rescue Service – was the fastest powerboat in the world when she was built in 1936.
A year later she entered service with the RAF and in May 1940 she was among a fleet of 1,500 boats which rescued Allied troops from Dunkirk.
She went on to save countless airmen off the south coast during and after the Battle of Britain. She also survived an attack by a Messerschmitt 109 fighter in which her radio operator was killed.
Her exploits earned her a visit from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and she featured in the war film Enigma, which starred Kate Winslet. The Duke of Edinburgh once hired the launch for an event.
Mr Clabburn added: "When I found her she was being used as a houseboat, but she was a wreck and her occupiers knew nothing of her amazing history.
"It's the only one left in the world. It had to be completely stripped down – new deck, new engines. It was a labour of love. A lot of time and effort went into bringing her back to her original condition."
Mr Clabburn even reunited three surviving members of the original crew for the relaunch and wrote to the Queen Mother who had inspected it in 1941.
He added: "They were blown away when they saw it restored just as they remembered.
"The Queen Mother was equally shocked. She said it was exactly as she remembered it when she stepped on to it all those years ago.
"They had a long service on the boat, saved the lives of a lot of airmen, and they would be absolutely gutted to see it go back to the state I found it in."
Mr Clabburn said the National Historic Ships committee was aware of the boat's importance, but nothing had been done.
Martyn Heighton, committee director, said: "It is a very important vessel and is beautifully restored.
"We will do what we can to help, but lottery money cannot fund a private vessel.
"We can help organisations with grants, but we cannot own a ship."
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Owner Phil Clabburn with the historic launch he personally restored after finding her rotting shell in 1992
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