I’ve often mentioned the activities of the waterways charity Thames21 in this column but I thought it might be helpful to take a closer look at the organisation’s background.
Tag: Dunkirk
Residents channelling their own flood plans
I’ve been contacted by an old friend – Doug Myers – with concerns about the proposed River Thames Scheme to reduce flooding risks.
Search goes on for news of Home Guard member
A couple of weeks back I wrote about Phil McCarthy, the father of a lady called Dinah Ballantyne, who was a member of the Home Guard given the responsibility for protecting Penton Hook Lock during the dark days of the Second World War.
Dunkirk spirit of heroic Little Ships
Tribute to boats that rescued trapped soldiers from under Hitler’s nose
Little ship may have changed course of history in many ways
Boatbuilder Michael Dennett has a very special reason for his love of Dunkirk Little Ships – his dad was one of thousands of British servicemen plucked from the beaches outside the French port back in 1940 as part of what was known as Operation Dynamo.
Fish stock depletion concern
I’m still receiving feedback following my columns about apparent problems with eastern European fishermen taking too many fish from the river – including an acknowledgement from the Environment Agency that this really is an issue.
No little act of bravery
As ceremonies take place in many countries to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, we have our own opportunity to pay tribute to acts of extreme bravery when the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) stages its annual veterans’ cruise up the Thames from Kingston to Weybridge on Sunday, September 13.
Traditional skills survive
Traditional skills are rapidly becoming a thing of the past so it’s fantastic to find that the Herald & News area is home to one of the last wooden boat builders on the Thames – Michael Dennett based at Laleham Reach in Chertsey.
Dunkirk reunion
If you happen to be wandering along beside the river in a couple of week’s time, you may see a wonderful collection of classic boats chugging past as the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) veterans’ cruise winds its stately way from Kingston to Shepperton.
Get behind the club that’s risen from the ashes
There are lots of good causes looking for your support through the year but one which I believe deserves special mention is the third annual River Festival staged by the Weybridge Mariners’ Club (WMC) – a cruiser club based on the lock island at Shepperton.