The vessel originally ordered as White Marlin by an Armenian sugar broker was never delivered to its intended owner. Completed at Hampton on Thames in 1939, on the eve of World War II, the vessel was instead handed over to the Ministry of War Transport at Dover. The Royal Navy commissioned her as HMS Fervent and assigned her as the communications boat for the Officer Commanding convoys in the area.

During the Dunkirk evacuation, Fervent served as the launch of the Senior Naval Officer, under the command of Lieutenant Commander W.R.T. Clemments. Among her crew was Douglas Kirkaldie, the coxswain of the Ramsgate lifeboat Prudential, who was mentioned in despatches. Fervent was one of the last naval vessels to leave Dunkirk harbour.

After returning to England at Folkestone, the vessel was copper-sheathed, fitted with rubbing strakes, and subsequently deployed to Archangel to assist with convoys to Russia. Following severe damage to her port bow, Fervent was sent back to England, repaired, and kept at Dover until she sank at Strood in Kent while at the Small Crafts Disposal Unit.

She was later discovered by Colonel F. A. Sudbury of Tate & Lyle, who commissioned Thornycroft’s to survey and fully restore the vessel. Transported back to Hampton on a barge, the restoration returned her to operational condition. Although initially Colonel Sudbury’s personal boat, Fervent quickly became the company’s communications launch, ferrying visitors from Tower Pier in London to the Albert Dock refineries.

Colonel Sudbury had the superstructure rebuilt and took White Marlin to the Henley Regatta for fifteen consecutive years. The vessel is currently owned by David Murr, who has undertaken a complete restoration to her original form, featuring an open centre cockpit.