|
|
|
| Home
/ History
/ Portland
and Weymouth / Garrison Life |
| |
| My Girl |
| |
| Source: Various (please see
Site Credits) |
Click any picture to enlarge
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| If you take a summer
stroll along the side of Weymouth Quay or under the trees of
the Nothe Parade you might see the pleasure cruisers darting
in and out of the harbour crammed with tourists bent on seeing
the sights of Portland Harbour. One trim white boat might catch
your eye and you note the romantic name "My Girl". Would it
thrill you to know that this elegant lady is in fact a WW2 hero,
a veteran who, with her late skipper Ron Hill, has plied these
waters for over 60 years? |
|
 |
| Ron Hill |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| "My Girl" was built
in 1931 by Mitchell Brothers of Mevagissey, a 43 foot passenger
launch with a 36 Horsepower Kelvin-Ricardo petrol engine. She
was designed to carry up to 66 passengers and was purchased
by the family firm of Albert Hill that ran pleasure trips around
the sights and beaches of Plymouth Sound and South Devon. |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
| "My Girl", still painted a peacetime
white, alongside the landing stage at the Breakwater Fort |
|
|
The threat of war
in 1939 brought mobilisation and the manning of Coastal Defences.
Craft were required to support the isolated forts and "My Girl"
was considered ideal for the job. She was requisitioned for
duties at Portland and Albert Hill's son Ron volunteered to
accompany her as skipper together with his brother Bert as crew.
After a hazardous journey they arrived at Weymouth and reported
to the Red Barracks on the Nothe (now called Wellington Court
and converted into flats). They were immediately set to work
carrying newly mobilised gunners from the Barracks and the Nothe
Fort out to the sea forts on Portland Breakwaters. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Elsewhere in this
web site are pages devoted to the Breakwater Fort, but each
of the other pier heads at the ends of the breakwater arms had
its own small position with guns, direction equipment, searchlights
and quarters for the gun crews (bar D head overlooking the South
Ship Channel which was blocked by the sunken pre-WW1 battleship,
the first HMS Hood). |
|
 |
| "A" Pier Head, at the North side of
the East Entrance to Portland Harbour |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
| One of "My Girl's" deliveries to the
Breakwater Fort |
|
|
Ron and "My Girl"
ran a continuous ferry service to these forts and during the
war years witnessed all the dramatic events that took place
in the two front line harbours with the enemy only a few miles
across the channel. They saw the arrival of refugees from France
and the Channel Islands ahead of the advancing Germans, and
the fierce bombing raids on Weymouth and Portland Harbours,
including the massed dive bomber attack that sank the anti-aircraft
ship HMS Foylebank (during which Able Seaman Jack Mantle won
the Victoria Cross). Some of the bombs came too close to "My
Girl" for comfort. Above all they assisted in the embarkation
of the hundreds and thousands of Americans who set out from
Weymouth and Portland for Normandy in 1944. Over the D-Day period
Ron and his craft ran non stop, day and night, for seven consecutive
days. |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
| German Bombs |
|
|
During these years Ron found time
to relax and courted the girl who delivered the wartime mail
to Hope Quay. In 1942 he married Dolores and their children
still live in Weymouth and still operate "My Girl" along with
other pleasure boats under the company name of "White Motor
Boats" |
|
 |
| In some of his off duty moments Ron
helped to man the Weymouth lifeboat, "William and Clara
Ryland" |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| In recognition of the war service
of Ron Hill and "My Girl" from 1939 to 1945 the Royal Artillery
Association presented, in 1994, a regimental pennant to be flown
from the boat's flag staff. Many a veteran gunner has fond memories
of the little boat. |
|
 |
| Plaque presented to "My Girl" |
|
|
 |
| "My Girl" having just been presented
with her pennant |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
| At peace again, plying the harbour with
tourists |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| TOP |
| |
|
|
 |
© Copyright 2003 · Cyberport Project Ltd · All Rights Reserved · Site design by CoDesign |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
