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On this page you can view photographs and information on Thames Barges that played a part in the Dunkirk evacuation.
You can get more information from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships website.
 VIKING
She was built in 1895 at Rochester's Co-operative Barge Yard, and her first master was William Jarrett of Upnor. By 1934 Viking had been converted into a yacht barge, and soon afterwards passed into the ownership of the Whiting family - well known Medway barge owners whose fleet numbered half a dozen vessels in the 1940s. After Dunkirk she continued her war service as a balloon barge, from which anti-aircraft barrage balloons were flown.
After the war she was re-rigged at Whitstable for cargo carrying as a coastal barge. At the end of that decade, Whitings were taken over by the London and Rochester Trading Company and throughout the '50s Viking worked for them
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Viking
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S/Lt T. R. Rumbold, RNVR; D. Gregory, Master
(Mr P. H. Tranter)
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30 May
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Went to La Panne and ferried all the forenoon.
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31 May a.m.
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The Viking ran aground on the beach and damaged her bows and forward gears, so that she could only go astern. She had 150 troops on board.
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0500ca |
Between Dunkirk and La Panne the Viking hailed the Dwarf for assistance. 34 troops were transferred to the Dwarf, which took Viking in tow. The tow rope broke but another attempt was made; in the course of the latter attempt the tow rope fouled the Dwarf's rudder and could not be cleared. About
half-way on the return journey the trawler Olvina took the Viking in tow and the Dwarf proceeded independently.
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2200
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Viking arrived Dover in tow of Olvina. Disembarked 70 troops.
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1 June 1200
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Sailed for Bray
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2100ca
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Arrived off Bray. The Viking's clutches burnt out and the vessel was beached.
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2 June |
The Viking managed to kedge off, and was apparently towed to the Downs whence a tug towed her to Ramsgate.
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The engineer, Mr G. Ratcliffe, estimates that about 1,000 troops were rescued by the Viking [presumably by ferrying]. From a report in the "Southend Standard" of 13th June 1940.
Site update May 2009 |
