The Resolute

The Resolute. R.I.P.

It was back in 2001 when Mike King, Peter Wexham, John Porter and Michael Guy drove to Rochester to take a look at Resolute, one of the six Leigh Dunkirk little ships.

They had heard that Resolute was in a parlous condition and hoped that she could be brought back to Leigh and restored to former glory.



However when they saw her their hearts sank. Far from parlous she was beyond redemption, with a broken back. They thought that she could not possibly be restored.

Dejectedly they turned for home when Peter exclaimed, “Look over there.............Endeavour”! They had no idea that Endeavour was in Rochester too and that is how the restoration project unfolded.

We reported back in 2006 that Resolute had been transported to Glasgow where her restoration would be undertaken by a small charity under the stewardship of John Atkinson, a research professor at the University of Paisley, with the help of BAE Systems.

Sadly the news is not good. The charity that took her over did not survive the cut backs and Resolute returned to the ownership of the Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust in an even worse condition than before. BAE Systems decided to get rid of the building she was in and the workmen destroyed her remains along with the building.

The only good news is that her engine, which had been rebuilt, is in their apprentices' workshop and is used for training purposes. The photograph opposite was taken when we saw her in Rochester back in 2001.