With the visitor centre closed and travel restrictions in place this book is currently only available by mail order from Richard Halton. All proceeds after printing costs will be passed to the MQPS.
Update 3rd May. The tour has proved popular but there's plenty of room for more "visitors". The Dunkirk book is now available and selling well. see below:
Two members of George Ranger’s family got in touch with us a few weeks ago. Susanna Aiano (his 2nd great niece) and Veronica Ranger (his daughter in law). George was born on June 2nd 1894, he joined HMS Medway Queen on December 1st 1939, as a Sub Lt (E). The CO, Lt. Cook, commended George on his part in the Dunkirk operation and his work with the boats ferrying men from the beaches to the ship. He worked so hard that he collapsed on the 3rd trip and had to be taken ashore. He was granted sick leave but discharged from the Navy on 11th July 1940 on medical grounds. In February 1965 George was awarded the “Minesweeping Badge” for his service. George died on February 15th 1977.
We are always pleased to receive details of Medway Queen’s crew, whether in peace or war, and we have another gap in our knowledge of the Dunkirk Officers. Lt. Leonard Jolly was the navigating officer from when the ship was commissioned in November 1939. He too was commended by the CO after Dunkirk and some reports say he was also landed as medically unfit towards the end of the operation. Others report him as on duty on the last trip (such is life in historical research). We do know that after Dunkirk he was appointed to HMS Lorna Doone as First Lieutenant. Lorna Doone was another paddle minesweeper reported by Lt. Jolly in a letter as being “bigger and more comfortable than Medway Queen” but he went on to say that he missed the “tough guys” in Medway Queen’s seamen’s mess and wished he could transfer them to his new ship! The investigation is ongoing. We are at the stage of "answer one question and find two more"! If you have any further knowledge of any of these men or other officers and crew from HMS Medway Queen please do get in touch. What we do know has largely gone into the “Memories of Dunkirk” book but even while that is being printed this additional information on George Ranger came to light. Why does it always work like that? richardhalton1502@gmail.com
Also, since original publication, we have learned more of the ship's career after Dunkirk. Mainly concerning the Commanding Officers - which information has also been posted on our website in the "WWII Research Notes" available on the history page. The books have been printed and will be bound this week. They should be available through the online shop within a couple of weeks. Book size is unchanged at 72 pages and the cover price remains at £10. Terminology: "Blue book"? - When the book was first published we claimed it was the first in a trilogy. We were wrong; there will soon be FOUR! And Kevin is still helping us! Use of the cover colours is a useful shorthand - Blue is the history; green is the Bristol rebuild; red is the Medway Queen Club on the Isle of Wight. Number 4 will be "Grey" and that goes to the printer this coming week; "HMS Medway Queen - Memories of Dunkirk".
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Medway Queen Preservation Society
Gillingham Pier Pier Approach Road Gillingham, Kent ME7 1RX Tel: 44 (0) 1634 575717 |
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New Medway Steam Packet Company Ltd Registered Company No. 2100358 Charity No. 296236