A BARGE used to evacuate troops from Dunkirk during the Second World War is celebrating a huge milestone.

Pudge is regularly moored at the Thames Sailing Barge Trust at Hythe Quay in Maldon.

She was built in 1922 for the London and Rochester Barge Co and is now celebrating her 100th birthday.

The barge was bought by the Thames Sailing Barge Trust in 1968 for £750.

She was originally named Podge after the nickname of a director’s daughter.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Pudge’s first master, James Broom, changed the name to Pudge after objecting to sailing a barge called Podge.

In the early years, the barge is believed to have carried either linseed or cotton seed for the British Oil and Cake Mills.

The vessel was used as part of Operation Dynamo to help evacuate the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches at Dunkirk.

A tugboat, HMS St Fagan was towing Pudge and two other boats across the channel when it was hit by an air raid strike on June 1, 1940.

HMS St Fagan sunk immediately with the two other boats, but Pudge survived the incident.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

She has also survived a fire, sinking in the Thames Estuary and engine failure.

The closure of London Docks in 1982 caused the trust to move from the capital to Maldon.

Pudge has had a series of restorations, with the latest being in 2019. 

A total of £738,000 was raised by grants, donations and the Lottery Heritage Fund for the work. 

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The trust has now written a book about Pudge’s history to celebrate the centenary milestone.

A spokesmann for the trust said: “She proudly flies the flag of a Dunkirk Little Ship to this day.

“Continuing bravely on after war and accident is why we have titled her book Pudge – a Survivor.

“Over the summer she can usually be seen sailing along the East Coast rivers, the Thames and Kent coast. Anyone can join her on these voyages.”

For a copy of the book, contact John Rayment from the trust by calling 07587 141054 or by visiting bargetrust.org/shop or from Chaffcutter Books at chaffcutterbooks.co.uk.