The Last Survivor?
Actually, the remains at least two ML's still exist!
One, currently known as Cherokee is owned by an artist Charles Curran. Cherokee is in a poor, nearly gone condition and is being used by Mr. Curran as a source for materials in his artwork. A few photographs of her are available here (there are a number of minor historical inaccuracies in his description). It's not clear which ML she started life as. I hope some more research with Mr. Curran may provide an answer. In any event, the artwork he has created from her remains is lovely, indeed!
The Dunkirk Little Ship Eothen (previously called Cordon Rouge) started life as ML 286 and is at B.J. Woods' boat yard at Isleworth on the Thames. She was of course modified from her original war-time configuration, perhaps extensively, but until recent years still offered some good close-up photographic details. Sadly, a few years ago her hull was purposefully holed to keep her sitting in one place on her bottom because she had become a bit of a management challenge on the tidal
Thames. She will not last much longer before being entirely broken up. At this point there is little left to salvage.
The photographs below, taken by B.J. Woods, show Eothen in somewhat happier times.
Actually, the remains at least two ML's still exist!
One, currently known as Cherokee is owned by an artist Charles Curran. Cherokee is in a poor, nearly gone condition and is being used by Mr. Curran as a source for materials in his artwork. A few photographs of her are available here (there are a number of minor historical inaccuracies in his description). It's not clear which ML she started life as. I hope some more research with Mr. Curran may provide an answer. In any event, the artwork he has created from her remains is lovely, indeed!
The Dunkirk Little Ship Eothen (previously called Cordon Rouge) started life as ML 286 and is at B.J. Woods' boat yard at Isleworth on the Thames. She was of course modified from her original war-time configuration, perhaps extensively, but until recent years still offered some good close-up photographic details. Sadly, a few years ago her hull was purposefully holed to keep her sitting in one place on her bottom because she had become a bit of a management challenge on the tidal
Thames. She will not last much longer before being entirely broken up. At this point there is little left to salvage.
The photographs below, taken by B.J. Woods, show Eothen in somewhat happier times.
Eothen's wheel (ML 286). |
Eothen (ML 286). |
A stern view of Eothen (ML 286). from The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. Used by permission. |
Here are three pictures I took in 2009. Eothen was still in the same location as in the pictures above, but was now a total wreck. At some point, during a housekeeping day, I expect her remains will be pulled out and hauled to the tip.
Eothen, looking aft from her port side.
Remains of a storage hold amidships. The forward bulkhead (to the left) would originally have been solid as it was the aft bulkhead of the ship's magazine.
If you know of other surviving Motor Launches let me know!
Eothen's transom. In 2009 this was perhaps the most intact single part of the ship and could have been removed and preserved in a single piece.
Eothen's stem. The deck stringers are visible and on the foredeck there would also have been boards rising to near the top of the stem to control water on the foredeck. The rabbet for them is still visible in the stem.