COMPANY
NEWS
The Massey Shaw Fireboat
'The Master and Chairman of Trustees were
invited to attend a reception at the Westminster
Boating Base on Thursday 30th April. The event
marked the return of the historic LFB Fireboat
Massey Shaw to the River Thames following her
restoration. Then, on May 21st, Massey Shaw left
Ramsgate Harbour with some other 45 plus
‘Little Ships’ in the Armada to cross the Channel
and visit Dunkirk for the 75th Anniversary of
Operation Dynamo.
The “Miracle of Dunkirk” meant that between 26
May and 3 June 1940 over 330,000 made the
hazardous crossing back to the UK, far more
than was originally anticipated! Massey Shaw was
called up to take part and, with a mixed crew of
volunteer River Service and Auxiliary Fire Service
personnel, made for Ramsgate to join the other
‘Little Ships’ heading for the beaches of Dunkirk.
Initially she was to be used to fight the fires in
and around the harbour and oil installations but
was quickly pressed into action taking soldiers off
the beaches to larger ships laying off-shore. With
her shallow (36 inch) draft she was able to get in
very close to the beaches of Bray Dunes and La
Panne for this purpose.
Massey Shaw made that hazardous trip three
times across the channel and was attacked on
numerous occasions. Her firefighting monitor
was of great interest to the enemy as she
appeared to be an armed vessel. Despite being
dive-bombed she made it home safely after
clocking up the rescue of over 500 troops from
the fore-shore and directly ferrying some 110
across the channel. Badly injured troops were
carried in the warmth of her engine room whilst
others fell asleep exhausted on her upper decks.
On her last passage to Ramsgate she came across
a sinking French merchant ship the “Emile
Deschamps” which had struck a mine, and from
which she directly rescued about 40 badly injured
and oil contaminated men.
In order to participate in the 75th
commemorations, a group from the British
Firefighters Motorcycle Club, which included
Past Master Peter Cowland and Freeman Tony
Smith, rode to Dover for the Channel crossing to
Calais, and by late afternoon were on the
harbour side at the Dunkirk Basin du Commerce
to cheer “Massey” and the other little ships as
they arrived safe from their crossing.
No trip by firefighters abroad could ever pass
without a visit to the local fire station and, with a
number of London Fire Brigade Cadets, we were
privileged to join the Massey Team at Dunkirk
Fire Station where all were made most welcome
by the “Sapeurs Pompiers” on duty there that
day. Liveryman David Rogers, Director of the
Massey Shaw Education Trust, with the assistance
of the LFB Cadets, was pleased to present
Captaine Christophe Libert with a specially
crafted trophy entitled “The Spirit of Dunkirk” to
mark the 75th Anniversary. (The base of the
trophy is formed from a portion of the original
Massey Shaw deck).
Massey Shaw continued to serve London
throughout the Blitz and, on the night of 29
December 1940, supplied water for land crews
ashore in their firefighting operations, thus
helping to prevent the major fires spreading to St
Paul’s Cathedral on a night when the Thames
was at very low-tide. Massey Shaw remained in
service until 1971. In 1982 a group of enthusiasts
formed the Massey Shaw & Marine Vessels
Preservation Society to preserve her history and
keep her for future generations to enjoy. From
this Society was formed the new Massey Shaw
Education Trust which now uses her to allow
young people to experience a “day-in-the-life” of
a 1930’s fire-fighter on the River Thames. This
project has recently been extended to allow
them to hear stories, from monologue actors,
about the London Blitz and the Dunkirk
evacuation.
The Worshipful Company of Firefighters
Charitable Trust continues to support this
particular project. Thanks to a grant from the
Heritage Lottery Fund Massey Shaw has recently
underwent a major restoration which, completed
in 2013, was in good time for her to celebrate
her 80 Birthday in 2015. She is currently
moored at the West India dock.
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