Medway Queen returned from her ‘summer holidays’ in Ramsgate on 31 May and resumed her normal Saturday opening routine from 7 June. Moving PS Medway Queen to Ramsgate for the Dunkirk 85th commemoration and then back to Gillingham was a complex, and expensive, operation involving the Board, the Saturday Team, Workshop Team, Events Sub-Committee and many others.
The Medway Queen was due to leave Gillingham Pier for Ramsgate on 14 May but, due to high winds, the tow was delayed. The ship didn’t get away until 03:20 on the 17th and arrived at the Royal Harbour, Ramsgate, at 13:00 on Sunday 18th. The journeys, in both directions, were made by the tug ‘Coastrunner’, belonging to Knighton Towing and Salvage Ltd., from Richborough. They stepped in, after our previous contractor withdrew at short notice. Additional assistance with maneuvering, at both ends of journey, was provided by local craft. Unfortunately, the delays meant that preparations to welcome visitors were not complete until later that day and she had to wait until the Monday morning to welcome her first guests.
Monday 19th proved to be a busy day as people who had hoped to visit at the weekend came to see the ship and the onboard shop did a roaring trade. The big day was Tuesday 20th with a parade lead by a Royal Marine band and including Royal British Legion and naval contingents. HRH Prince Michael of Kent unveiled a memorial to the Dunkirk Evacuation and the part played by Ramsgate, from where HMS Medway Queen operated during Operation Dynamo. The morning started quietly onboard but made up for that after the parade when visitors flocked to to see us. Tuesday also saw a flypast with a swordfish torpedo bomber from RNAS Yeolvilton, a pair of Merlin helicopters and, of course, a Spitfire. The High Sheriff of Kent, Jonathan Neame DL, and his wife, Lucie, visited on that day. The Dunkirk Little Ships left for their channel crossing early on Wednesday Morning leaving the harbour much emptier. As expected, the number of guests fell but increased again over the second weekend when the Little Ships returned. Lady Colgrain, Lord-Lieutenant of Kent and our new Patron, was among the visitors on that Saturday.
Having looked at the forecasts the return journey was planned for 30 May and Medway Queen returned to her berth early (very early!) the following day.
