Guide of Dunkirk ON826

Originally intended to serve as the Clacton lifeboat, Guide of Dunkirk was still unnamed and undelivered when requisitioned directly from her builders in Colchester, Essex, on 1 June 1940 to participate in the Dunkirk evacuation. The vessel was crewed by personnel from Walton and Frinton in Essex, operating under naval command.

During operations off the beaches at Dunkirk, the lifeboat sustained significant damage from machine-gun fire. Additionally, a rope became entangled around her propeller, necessitating a stern-first tow back to England. Upon boarding by a naval party, the exhausted crew was found asleep below deck.

On her second Channel crossing, Guide of Dunkirk was struck by shellfire and required extensive repairs at Rowhedge Iron Works in Colchester. The vessel was a self-righting lifeboat of light construction, designed for launching from the beach. Funded by the Girl Guides Association, her name honored both her benefactors and her distinguished service during the evacuation.

Following the Dunkirk operation, she was stationed at Cadgwith Cove, Cornwall, until being retired from service in 1963. Subsequently, she was purchased by John Moor, a local resident with familial connections to her crew. Moor renamed the vessel Girl Guide without making structural modifications.

The lifeboat is believed to be located at Mevagissey, where she functions as a workboat. With her distinctive red and blue livery and prominent nameplate, she serves as a tourist attraction during the summer months.