The RNLI is marking the 85th anniversary of Dunkirk by releasing striking, newly colourised imagery of the lifeboat and crew from Margate Station that took part in Operation Dynamo. The two new images have been painstakingly cleaned and colourised using digital technology to mark the bravery of the crews that made the journey to Dunkirk 85 years ago.
In May 1940, the RNLI followed the Government’s call to send small vessels to Dunkirk to rescue the 340,000 British, French and Belgian troops stuck there. The maritime rescue would later be heralded by Winston Churchill as a ‘miracle of deliverance’. The RNLI sent 19 boats across in total, two crewed by its volunteers and 17 crewed by the Royal Navy.
One of the images of Margate Lifeboat Station shows Coxswain Edward Drake Parker (5th from the left) with his crew in front of the Lord Southboroughlifeboat which made the journey to Dunkirk. The original black and white photo has been brought to life with colour, revealing the crew in brown kapok lifejackets and brodie helmets.
Kapok lifejackets were worn by RNLI crews during the Second World War. Kapok is a fine, cotton-like material which is more commonly used to stuff cushions and toys and it is highly buoyant. For crews facing direct wartime action, brodie helmets like the ones worn in the photograph would have replaced the traditional yellow sou’wester.
The second photo shows the Lord Southborough in full colour, revealing a blue lifeboat with an RNLI logo. It also shows the crew in their bright yellow, waterproof, oilskin coats which are instantly recognisable.
Coxswain Parker was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal for his services at Dunkirk. He said of his experience: ‘With shells bursting and fires raging, it was like hell.’
In a full account of the operation, he described the stark contrast between life in Margate and the chaotic scene that awaited him and his crew as they approached French shores.
Coxswain Edward Drake Parker said: ‘Margate lifeboat crew were standing by in their favourite pub, playing a quiet game of darts when I was called down to the boathouse. I asked them if they would help take the boat to Dunkirk to help rescue our boys. That was a shock to them, but they all volunteered without a murmur. They rushed home to tell their wives to get some food and then we were off.
‘Margate was a pretty dead town then, more than half the residents had evacuated. But when we got to Dunkirk it was a bit different. With shells bursting and fires raging, it was like hell.’
As they approached the shore, the crew found themselves in the middle of a warzone. The sound of shell fire and the smell of burning was everywhere. In the darkness and the chaos, the crew had to feel their way towards the shore. Once there, they quickly got to work, moving people from the shore to the larger ships anchored in deeper water.
Ramsgate Lifeboat Station also went to Dunkirk with its crew. Both RNLI boats helped to save a staggering 3,400 people over the course of the evacuation.
Hayley Whiting, RNLI Heritage Archive and Research Manager, says: ‘As we mark the 85th anniversary of Dunkirk, it feels fitting to bring these images of Margate Lifeboat Station to life with colour and remember the bravery of the crews that went across to Dunkirk and the lives they saved.
‘I’m delighted to see Coxswain Parker and his crew in colour, it gives us an opportunity to share this remarkable story of courage and take a moment to reflect on the bravery of those that set sail for Dunkirk all those years ago and the difficult journey they faced. We’re so proud of their courage and lifesaving efforts.
‘Both of these images have been worked on by our in-house creative team to bring the original colours to life, with hours spent on the detail and research, to ensure they are a true representation.’
The RNLI was recently awarded a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to research and share stories of courage from the Second World War. The project, called ‘RNLI Stories of Courage 1939-45’ explores the charity’s Second World War story. If you have a story connected to the RNLI from the Second World War, please upload it here: RNLI Stories of Courage 1939-45
