Send your letters (and replies) to: Classic Boat,
Liscartan House, 127-131 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9AS email:
cb@classicboat.co.uk
Tracing Aviona
Please can you help us trace a wooden boat called Aviona. This summer, Evesham River Festival (6-8 July) will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Evesham being opened to the sea, thanks to the restoration of the River Avon between Evesham and Tewkesbury, completing the link to the Severn. The whole project was carried out by volunteers and took 12 years to complete. Aviona played a leading role in the opening ceremony in 1962. She was owned at the time by Mr D Barwell, who set up and chaired the project. We have traced the boat to 1977 and the Hamble, when the owner was Major N G Lewis. If anyone has any further information, please get in touch. Terry Smith, by email
June of
Rochester Here is a rare book that I bet your readers haven’t seen before. June of Rochester is about a young couple converting a 72ft (22m) Thames trading barge into a live- aboard in the 1930s. They sailed up and down the East coast from Rochester to Ipswich and beyond. The book, which
has many rare photographs, was published in a rough cut form by Edward Arnold in 1939, just as the war broke out. I suspect it became a forgotten book. I came across my copy about 25 years ago and re-read it every few years. Clive Marsh, by email
Memories of Falmouth 18-footers
I thoroughly enjoyed Nigel Sharp’s article on the Falmouth 18-footers (CB285), and the photographs. I owned Magpie during the ‘sketchy period’ that Nigel identifi ed. I bought her in 1969 from a Falmouth probation offi cer who had bought her from George Corke. At the time she was at Penpol Boatyard where I had had the great experience of working for Bob Pizey. When I had Magpie she was not at her best though still sound. She had a reduced draft, a small cabin and a cranky Dragon rig – she was rather over-powered. However, I enjoyed a great summer sailing her
Operation Mincemeat, the full story
I was very interested to see the submarine clutch wheel for sale from HMS Seraph (Saleroom, CB285). While you had the principle of the story correct concerning Operation Mincemeat, I’m afraid your facts were a little bit out. True enough, the body was that of a
Welsh vagrant but he was dressed as an army offi cer called Major Martin, and the cover story was that there had been a crashed aircraft on which he had been travelling, along with some very important documents concerning the invasion of Sicily. His body was carefully carried in a
canister to prevent it decomposing en route to the site where the ruse was to take place. When the submarine was at
the required location his body was carefully put in the sea along with the documents. The canister was taken out to sea to be sunk.
Only in his later life did
the captain of the submarine, Captain Bill Jewell,
admit they were unable to sink it without the use of very heavy gunfi re. The ruse worked and the submarine
went on to play a very important part in the invasion of Sicily, which was a huge turning point in the war. After the war the conning tower was salvaged from scrapping and is now in America as a symbol of unity and peace. The book Operation Mincemeat is a very worthwhile read. Terry Atkinson, Shetland
READER’S BOAT OF THE MONTH
Arlene de Cent Ans My H-28, designed by L Francis Herreshoff as an easy-build design for returning servicemen in 1948, was begun by an old gentleman in Houston in 1968, then lay under a shed for 35 years until I acquired her about six years ago, launching her last May. She is mahogany on oak, 28ft (8.5m) on deck and moves in the water gracefully with a nice turn of speed. Jackson Ehrlich, Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA
CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2012 97
around the Carrick Roads and in the Helford. She was a good boat and I have fond memories of her. She was sold to Peter Fell, of Devoran, in 1970.
One of my school friends owned
Myrtle in the 1960s. I have a memory of him telling me that there was another 18-footer in a derelict state near Devoran – he said she was called Buttercup.
It is great to see the fl eet sailing again. In the 1960s they were just a memory as a fl eet – the only photographs I knew of were in the Victory Inn in St Mawes. Mike Langshaw, Cornwall
NIGEL SHARP
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