THE THREE STALWARTS

The little ships that helped the service survive

By Derek Longly

When times looked grim for the service to Dieppe with only the Brighton still remaining of the passenger ferries and with her laid up during the winters, these three little cargo vessels, which had supported the passenger ships in busier times, came into their own as they were the only link remaining between the towns of Newhaven and Dieppe on those cold, rough winter days for quite some time.

Although I am not certain of this I understood that on occasion they would not only carry cargo across the Channel at that time but also a few passengers.

It is an interesting question as to whether or not the service would have ceased completely had these three stalwarts not carried on where the passenger ferries left off.

The pictures capture the three regularly and busily carrying their cargoes over the sea to France.