SS Isle of Guernsey
A Coronation album - SS Isle of Guernsey, a fast passenger - mail ferry that plied the Southern Railways Southampton-Guernsey route in the 1930s. Seen at the Coronation Review of the Fleet at Spithead in June 1953, after returning to ferry service on the Southampton-Guernsey route for British Rail. Built in 1929 by William Denny and Bros, Dumbarton, for Southern Railway, on the Southampton to Channel Islands ferry service. She carried RAF crew to France on 4 September 1939 before being converted to a Hospital Ship that October.
On 26 May 1940 she left Dover, arrived at Calais 4pm under shellfire, and went on to Dunkirk. She left Dunkirk at 10 pm with 346 stretcher cases, although she was only fitted for 203. At 5am 27 May she arrived at Newhaven via Dover, leaving at 12 noon. She left Dover at 5pm 29 May for Dunkirk, where, at 8.20 pm, she was attacked by ten enemy planes, before berthing at 11.30pm. The crew were recorded as showing great courage under most difficult conditions. They left Dunkirk 2.25pm 30 May with 490 wounded, arriving Dover 7am to be ordered to Newhaven, reaching there 11.15am.
In September 1943 Isle of Guernsey became an Infantry Landing Ship, and took part in the D-Day landings on Normandy, carrying landing craft and Canadian troops
