History of Angele Aline

Angele Aline is a Dunkirk Little Ship with a notable and romantic history. She is a 'Dundee'—a term derived from the French corruption of 'Dandy'—which was the name given by British East Coast fishermen in the 1860s to an elegant new type of ketch. This design was later adopted by the Fecamp yard, where Angele Aline was built.

Jules Talleux and his two partners commissioned her as a sturdy sailing trawler intended for voyages as far as Newfoundland and Iceland to fish for cod, and to follow the shoals of herring off the Scottish coast in summer and Normandy in winter. The barrels used to salt the catch in her spacious hold also served as floats for the trawl. She was originally named Jean when launched on 3 November 1921.

Measuring fifty-five feet in length, with a 17-foot beam and an 8-foot 6-inch draught, she is carvel-built of 1¾-inch oak planks on oak frames, with 3-inch teak decks. Her handsome rounded counter stern and rugged yet elegant lines are preserved in a model by Léonce Bennay, her builder nearly seventy years ago, whose detailed handwritten notes survive to this day.

Initially fishing from the port of Gravelines, just west of Dunkirk, she had no engine and was towed out to sea before hoisting her brown gaff mainsail, mizzen, gallant topsail, and two foresails en route to distant fishing grounds. Later, she was fitted with a succession of powerful diesel engines, enabling her to fish under power and reducing the use of sails.

Ownership remained within the Talleux family until she was sold to Gerard Schollaert of Nieuport, who renamed her Angele Aline after the Christian names of his twin daughters. Schollaert owned her until 1948 and was her owner during the Dunkirk evacuation.

On the night of 28 May 1940, while sailing from St. Valery en Caux to obtain a new propeller, she was commandeered by the French navy to assist in the evacuation. Due to her deep draught, it is presumed she embarked passengers at the port of Dunkirk rather than the beaches. Although the number of trips she made is unrecorded, she likely ferried troops from the harbour to warships anchored offshore.

In 1941, while fishing off St. Vaast-la-Hougue, she was sunk by British aircraft. The Germans permitted her to be refloated on 17 April and subsequently used her to blockade the entrance to Nieuport harbour in 1943. Later, she was allowed to resume fishing, sometimes carrying German guards to prevent use by the Resistance. On one occasion, a guard's navigational error caused her to become stranded on submerged piles in Nieuport harbour at low tide, where she remained until refloated by the incoming tide. No damage occurred, though the incident was photographed clandestinely ashore.

After the war, Angele Aline continued as a fishing vessel under various owners until 1963, when she was sold to the Dutch couple Binne and Dagmar Groenier. They restored her to her former beauty as a gaff ketch and converted her into their floating home. Over the next twenty years, they lived aboard and raised their children while sailing along the coast and across the English Channel. Eventually, the children requested to live ashore in a conventional home, prompting the Groeniers to sell the vessel.

She was purchased by Gareth Wright, an Englishman who brought her to London and St Katherine's Dock. There, George and Meriel Thurstan discovered her and, after three years, acquired her. During this period, she sailed thousands of miles, participating in several Tall Ships Races, including two transatlantic crossings.

In December 1984, the Thurstons began an extensive restoration lasting eighteen months. They departed England in May 1987 to commence a voyage around the world aboard their renewed home.

In 1990, upon her return to the United Kingdom, Angele Aline was purchased by her current owners, Neil and Jenny Attenborough. Jenny Attenborough noted that the presence of a wood-burning stove and a teddy bear aboard influenced their decision. The vessel was sailed from Falmouth to the Solent to begin a comprehensive refit, which proved more extensive than initially anticipated. Approximately 80% of the planks, 60% of the frames, all beams, 40% of the deck, stringers, both masts, all spars, the main engine, electrics, and all fittings were replaced.

During the refit, concrete and iron ballast were removed after live gribbleworm infestation was discovered between the oak and the concrete. This occurrence is rare, as the dark, waterlogged environment typically prevents such life. It is believed the gribbleworm entered the vessel during her sinking in World War II.

The vessel now features a new pilot house and coach roof, along with new rigging and spars. She has sailed among the Western Irish Islands for the past three years.

Angele Aline is one of the fortunate Dunkirk Little Ships. Built to last, her oak planks and frames still bear the marks of trawling hawsers—honourable scars from her early years as a working boat in the Atlantic. Internally, she offers the comforts of a home, maintained with regular varnishing and painting. Her sails, traditionally brown, are now made of durable Duradon, while her blocks and bowsprit retain traditional gleaming wood. Baggywrinkles protect her mainsail from chafe and contribute to her classic appearance.

Nearly 100 years old, Angele Aline remains more capable of ocean cruising than many modern fiberglass vessels and is expected to be present for the centenary of her service at Dunkirk.