Community invited attend a finalceremony for the Ghost of Dunkirk

The moving of the Cyril and Lilian Bishop lifeboat to its final resting place on the corner of Harold Road/Old London Road. Photo by Sid Saunders. SUS-170724-134733001

Members of the public are invited to come along and attend the ceremony, which starts at 6pm. It is being led by Hastings Mayor Judy Rogers, who is patron of the Trust.

After a brief blessing from Father Robert Featherstone and a short talk by Jonathan Mendenhall, five memorial benches will be unveiled by the Mayor and the Old Town Carnival Queen.

Dee Day White said: “The Ghost of Dunkirk is looking absolutely first class on her site, a credit to everyone involved.

“Not many people pass by without stopping to take a photograph.

“With the importance of her Dunkirk history and family ties it has been a roller coaster ride, but now we are in a position to hand over and unveil the hand engraved granite memorial plaque and perform a lighting up ceremony.

“This is another community project by the community, for the community. Please be there and listen to our Old Town Crier Nick Lynas make the announcements.”

The lifeboat earned the name The Ghost of Dunkirk, for the role she played in rescuing troops from the beaches of Dunkirk during the Second World War.

She was brought back to Hastings by Dee Day White and Tush Hamilton after being discovered in a boatyard in France.

The boat was in service at Hastings from the 1930’s to the 1950’s.