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.
Tag: Association of Dunkirk Little Ships
Dunkirk spirit of heroic Little Ships
Tribute to boats that rescued trapped soldiers from under Hitler’s nose
Salute the little ships
We really are a stubborn bunch on this island, aren’t we? We just never know when we’re beaten and we’re determined not to be pushed around by bullies.
Enjoy Thameside festival
Community events are always worth a mention in this column and there is a particularly good one coming up this weekend in the form of the Weybridge Thameside Festival, which takes place on Saturday.
Above all, a place to enjoy
More than anything else, our lovely river should be fun for all who have the opportunity to use it. And nowhere is that spirit of fun better reflected than in the annual Shepperton Village Fair raft race, which is sponsored by the Nauticalia marine supplies company based in Ferry Lane and organised by Desborough Sailing Club.
Her bottom is foul no more – bring on those long summer voyages
While I was swanning around having a truly memorable holiday in Hawaii, my lovely brother, Alan, was working his fingers to the bone, up to his elbows in grease and diesel fuel, refurbishing bits of the engine on Terra Nova, our old Seamaster Admiral cabin cruiser.
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.
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.
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.

