TEDDINGTON’S DUNKIRK ‘LITTLE SHIPS’ HONOURED AT SPECIAL DINNER

10th April 2025 Stuart Higgins

**White Marlin, moored at Teddington harbour**

**Thamesa, owned by John Tough, was one of the ‘little ships’ carried The Beatles up The Thames to the riverside TV studios**

**Papillon sailed to Dunkirk in 2016 to take part in the Christopher Nolan film, Dunkirk**

**The Teddington boatyard of Tough Brothers played a prominent part in the story of Dunkirk. Thamesa (above) owned by John Tough, led the fleet back to Dunkirk for the 2010 Return.**

Another ‘little ship’ the 47 foot Fedalma 11, normally moored in Teddington harbour, but now undergoing work at Swan Island beforec the big return to Dunkirk next month to mark the 85th anniversary.

A historic dinner took place in Teddington, known as the ADLS Fitting Out Supper, which celebrates the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships with many of the boat owners whose craft took part in Operation Dynamo in 1940.

Many of the ‘little ships’ were fitted out and set sail from Teddington and next month some of those same boats – which are actually moored in Teddington harbour – will take part in a Commemorative Cruise to Dunkirk to mark the 85th anniversary of the massive rescue operation, setting off from Ramsgate on May 21.

The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) was founded in 1965 with the aim of preserving for posterity the memory and identity of those ‘Little Ships’ which went to the aid of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, taking part in Operations Dynamo, Cycle, and Aerial.

The Association also aims to uphold the “Spirit of Dunkirk” by bringing together present-day owners and those closely associated with these remarkable vessels, which set off from Teddington.

**Many of the owners of the Dunkirk boats gathered at the riverside restaurant, The Wharf – which was the historic site of the famous Tough’s boat building yard**

Today, the legacy lives on in Teddington.

**Teddington Memorial says: “How Teddington’s ‘*Little Ships’* Helped Win The Second World War**

John Tough, grandson of Douglas Tough, still owns the family’s Little Ship, Thamesa, which remains moored in Teddington alongside other historic vessels such as Fedalma II (owned by Helen Tough), Papillon (Papillon | The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships), White Marlin (https://www.adls.org.uk/white-marlin2016 and Gentle Ladye (GENTLE LADYE | The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships)

Between the 21st and 26th May more than 75 Little Ships including the Teddington-based Little Ships will be moored in Dunkirk to commemorate the events of 1940 and the flotilla will be escorted by a Royal Navy Guard of Honour and the RNLI.

Historically on Monday May 27th 1940 Mr H C Riggs of the Small Craft Section of the Ministry of Shipping phoned the owner of the Teddington boatyard Douglas Tough asking him to act as agent for the collection of small boats along the Thames.

Together with his waterman R.H.C Lenthall and a naval officer Douglas Tough went up river and if he found a suitable boat (ie over 30ft) he would put a crew on it and send it away, sometimes without the owner’s knowledge.

More than a hundred of these craft were assembled at the Ferry Road yard where they were prepared for the sea crossing and relays of crews were organised to take them down to Sheerness.

During Operation Dynamo they are estimated to have helped save 5000 soldiers.

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