BANGOR man Alan Cook has been recalling the heroic role his grandfather played in rescuing troops from the beaches of Dunkirk during World War Two.
Alfred Thomas Cook DSC,of the Royal Naval Reserve, rescued 7,000 soldiers during seven perilous trips to Dunkirk, whilst under aircraft attack and facing shelling and the risk of hitting wrecks.
Just days before Dunkirk, Alan’s grandfather was appointed captain of a paddle steamer called the Medway Queen, which 84 years ago this month in 1940, was converted to minesweeping duties at the River Thames.
In late May the Medway Queen was one of seven paddle steamers sent to the beaches as part of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.
On her first trip the Medway Queen rescued several hundred soldiers and on its return journey saved hundreds more from a stricken ship.
Returning to Ramsgate the steamer’s crew was ordered to resume minesweeping duties but Alan’s grandfather and his men refused to stop, returning to Dunkirk a remarkable six more times.
Alan says that whilst saving 7,000 soldiers in the course of the trips, the crew of the Medway Queen shot down two Stuka dive-bombers and thwarted four German saboteurs pretending to be French soldiers.
Alan continues: “On her last trip she left Dunkirk at midnight on June 3, just two hours before the town was finally overrun by the German Army.
“On her final return into Ramsgate harbour with some 700 French soldiers, Admiral Ramsay in charge of Operation Dynamo sent the message, ‘Welcome home Medway Queen.. heroine of Dunkirk’.
“For his courage and amazing stamina to bring the ship, her crew and all those soldiers back safely my grandpa was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the DSC.”
Alan explains that his brave grandfather was from London and had served in WW1, later spending many years in the Far East chasing rubber smugglers as captain of a gunboat.
In the 1930s he worked as an Electrolux salesman before joining the Royal Naval Reserve as war broke out.
He went on to captain the Royal Ulsterman troop carrier.
The family relocated to Bangor when Alan’s dad Lionel, who was also in the Royal Navy, met his future wife at an officers’ dance in Belfast during the war.
When they married they moved to Bangor when Alan came along.
The family have continued to maintain links to the Medway Queen, which is currently being restored in Chatham Historic Docks in Kent by a group of volunteers from the Medway Queen Preservation Society,
At the end of last month, Alan and his family were invited to attend a special service held in Rochester Cathedral to mark the 100th anniversary of the steamer being built.
Says Alan: “As the grandson of her captain at Dunkirk I was honoured to be asked and read the main address at this service. A very proud and emotional event and one I shall never forget. I wore my grandpa’s medal on the day.
“Then two days later on St George’s Day we attended the on board Centenary celebration with a combined Armed Forces tribute to the ship and her crew.
“Admiral Lord West on behalf of the Royal Navy and the ship took the salute and many local dignitaries, volunteers and their families were present.
“For me a highlight was my son Robin wearing his great grandfather’s medal with pride and us all meeting the last known survivor rescued by the Medway Queen, Ron Nabarro, of the Royal Signals Corp.”
It was, says Alan, ‘amazing and emotional’ to meet the now 103 year old Mr Nabarro.
Alan also looks forward to seeing the Medway Queen fully restored after a 30-year Lottery funded project which he says has brought it back, from the brink of destruction’.
He adds: “[It is now] almost ready to sail once more and give future generations a flavour of both her prewar pleasure steamer days and her incredible wartime heritage.
