Will anyone save the small vessel which played a big part in history?

1:12pm Tuesday 7th October 2008

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By Will Carson »

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SHE was instrumental in the Dunkirk evacuation and D-Day Landings, survived an air attack in the Battle of Britain and helped save 38 downed airmen from the seas off the south coast.

But now a Second World War launch – recognised as one of the most important historic vessels in the country alongside HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and the Cutty Sark – is facing the scrap because its owner can no longer afford her upkeep.

Owner Phil Clabburn from Lymington lovingly restored High Speed Launch 102, the only surviving vessel of the RAF’s wartime Air Sea Rescue team, after finding her rotting shell in 1992.

She is currently berthed at Berthon Marina, Lymington. However, he now says that if a new home is not found for HSL 102, he will be left with no choice but to destroy the boat.

Mr Clabburn, a former chairman of the British Military Powerboat Trust, said: “I’ve been trying to sell her for about four years because I can no longer afford to keep her.

“She’s a vessel of huge historic importance recognised nationally in the core collection of historic vessels but I’m not getting any help finding her a home.

“I am going to try to sell her abroad but if I can’t do that I will have no choice but to turn her back to how I found her which would be a tragedy.”

He added: “There’s a Second World War harbour defence motor launch called the Medusa which is being restored in Hythe which has had over £1m of lottery funding.

“It’s crazy that the Medusa should be supported yet HSL 102 isn’t.”

After spotting the derelict boat in Dartmouth, Mr Clabburn enlisted the help of a small band of dedicated helpers and, using his own money, set about restoring the boat to her 1936 operational condition.

She was relaunched at her former home of Calshot by the Queen Mother in 1996.

“When I found her she was being used as a houseboat but she was a wreck,” Mr Clabburn said.

“I recognised her as one of the early air sea rescue boats and decided there and then to take her on and restore her.

“It took us about three years of full-time work for a team of five people piecing the boat back together.

“It was a labour of love – a lot of time and effort went into bringing her back to her original condition.”

Mr Clabburn even reunited surviving members of the original crew for the relaunch.

“They had a long service on the boat, saved the lives of a lot of airmen, and they would be absolutely gutted to see it go back to the state I found it in,” he added.

He is now desperately hoping someone will come forward with the £385,000 asking price and save the 64ft vessel from its grim fate.

He said: “Sadly if a home isn’t found for HSL 102, the next time you see her will be in a black and white photograph in a book.”