From Titanic To Dunkirk: Red Funnel Celebrates 160 Years

From supporting the Dunkirk evacuations to playing a significant role in the story of Titanic.

Today Red Funnel's ships can be seen ferrying passengers to and from the Isle of Wight. 

But few know about the firm's involvement in two of the most iconic moments in history. 

Southampton in 1930s with Princess Elizabeth and Lorna Doone

Of the 930 vessels used to evacuate soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940, 850 were little ships.

At the time, Red Funnel owned six of those. 

PS Princess Elizabeth

Perhaps the most famous of its vessels to take part in Operation Dynamo was paddle steamer Princess Elizabeth. 

"She alone saved 1,673 souls from the beaches of Dunkirk", said Graham Barnetson, Chief Financial Officer at Red Funnel.

"She is quite amazingly still in existence as a floating restaurant in Dunkirk harbour and can still be visited.

"She even had a role in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film."

Not every vessel owned by Red Funnel made it home safely.

Gracie Fields

On May 29, 1940, HMS Gracie Fields, which was was requisitioned the previous year, was hit by bombers as she was leaving La Panne beach.

"There were about 750 soldiers aboard", Graham said.

Dining room on paddle steamer Gracie Fields

"The previous day she had rescued 281 soldiers and returned them to Margate. But she finally sank about five hours after on the morning of May 30.

"Most of those onboard her were saved and returned to the UK."

The operation lasted for ten days.

Shortly after the end of World War Two, the firm bought another two of the ships which took part in the evacuation.

Lounge on paddle steamer Gracie Fields

In total, the eight vessels linked to Red Funnel helped save almost 6,000 lives.

On what was the 80^th anniversary of Dunkirk last year, the operator was presented with the little ships house flag and plaque to commemorate the role it played.

RMS Titanic with a Red Funnel tugboat 

Red Funnel's mark on history dates back even further than Dunkirk. On April 3, 1912, five of the firm's tug boats guided the 269 metre-long RMS Titanic into berth in Southampton.

They were there again seven days later to tow her out of the docks as she set sail on her maiden voyage.

Only five days later her tragic fate was sealed — but, as Graham explains, if it wasn't for the quick-thinking of a Red Funnel captain, disaster could have struck much earlier.

"As she moved out of the docks she was so large the displacement of the water actually snapped the moorings of another liner in Southampton Harbour - an American line called New York.

"That liner began to drift towards Titanic. A collision between those two vessels was narrowly avoided as the captain on one of Red Funnel's tugs - named Vulcan - realised the danger ahead and managed to sufficiently slow the drift of the liner to stop a collision.

"One often wonders what may have happened had that not had happened."

Of the 908 crew members on board Titanic, 724 of them were from Southampton. 549 of those did not make it back to the city. 

RMS Titanic with a Red Funnel tugboat 

This year marks 109 years since the sinking of the iconic ship. 2021 is also a landmark year for Red Funnel. 

Having launched in 1861 as ‘Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited’, the ferry firm is celebrating its 160^th birthday.

Its ships have been providing a link to and from the mainland for over a century and a half — making Red Funnel the Island’s longest standing ferry operator.

One of its highlights includes welcoming revellers to the Island for the first ever Isle of Wight Festival in 1968, and for the next two events in the following years.

"We've got some wonderful photos of festival-goers coming across on the vessels in 1968 - and we've continued to bring them across since then, Graham said.

"I'm sure that we'll be around for a considerable period to come — and whilst I won't be here, the 320th anniversary party will be quite incredible!"

A number of events are being planned to mark Red Funnel's landmark birthday. More details are expected in the coming months.