History of the Fireboat Massey Shaw

The London fireboat Massey Shaw first left her river mooring for Dunkirk in 1940, having previously been to sea only once during her delivery trip to the Thames in 1935 from John Samuel White's boatyard on the Isle of Wight. Originally not intended as a sea-going vessel, she had been moored at Blackfriars Bridge in London until the Dunkirk evacuation.

Powered by two massive 8-cylinder 160 hp Gleniffer diesel engines, the Massey Shaw could reach speeds of 12 knots. However, her engines were primarily designed to operate her 3,000 gallon-per-minute centrifugal pumps used to combat fires along the River Thames. The vessel was named after Sir Eyre Massey Shaw (1861–1891), who founded the Metropolitan Fire Brigade at the age of thirty.

On 29th and 30th May 1940, from her mooring at Blackfriars, the crew of the Massey Shaw observed tugs towing small boats, yachts, lifeboats, and dinghies down the river. Upon learning that these vessels were bound for Dunkirk, the Massey Shaw was ordered to follow. A volunteer crew of thirteen was assembled, larger than her usual complement, anticipating several days of firefighting off the French coast without relief.

The vessel was piloted to Greenwich and then to Ramsgate. Her brass fittings were covered with grey paint for camouflage. A young Sub-Lieutenant of the Royal Navy took command, equipped only with a steel helmet and a chart to navigate through minefields from North Goodwin Lightship to Bray Dunes, the beach designated for troop embarkation. The Massey Shaw lacked a compass initially, which was hastily purchased in Blackfriars; however, it was unreliable due to magnetic deviation caused by the vessel's large steel hull.

Despite these challenges, and guided by the smoke from burning oil tanks at Dunkirk, the Massey Shaw arrived off the French coast, navigating shallow sandbanks without grounding thanks to her shallow draft. The crew was accustomed to fighting fires but faced new dangers from shelling, bombs, and anti-aircraft fire. While steaming parallel to the beach, they observed columns of men wading in the shallows awaiting rescue by small boats.

Late that afternoon, the Massey Shaw anchored off Bray Dunes. Using a light skiff obtained at Ramsgate Harbour, the crew made initial attempts to ferry soldiers ashore. Many soldiers were non-swimmers, and early efforts nearly swamped the skiff. After several attempts, a line was secured to a derelict lorry on the beach, enabling the transfer of approximately 40 Royal Engineers to the fireboat. The young naval officer, who had spent much of the day in the water between the vessel and shore, successfully navigated back to Ramsgate, arriving the following morning.

The Massey Shaw escaped major damage despite a German bomber attack, which missed by a boat length after spotting the vessel’s phosphorescent wake. After refueling and resupplying, the fireboat embarked on another trip with some exhausted firemen replaced by naval ratings. A Lewis gun was brought aboard for air defense, though it was never used. Command was transferred to another Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) Lieutenant, and additional stokers and a beach party were embarked to assist with operations. A 30-foot ship’s lifeboat was towed as a tender.

At 2300 hours, the Massey Shaw anchored again off Bray Dunes in 10 feet of water, facing the shore. The fires at Dunkirk provided illumination, while smoke offered some protection from air attack. Despite relentless shelling, the naval officers maintained calm as the beach party rowed ashore to secure a line to the fireboat. After multiple trips, the vessel was loaded with nearly 100 men, packed in the cabin and standing shoulder-to-shoulder on deck. These troops were transferred to a troopship anchored in the channel, and the Massey Shaw returned for further loading.

Following engine difficulties, which the naval stokers eventually resolved, stretcher cases began to be embarked, complicating transfers to the troopship. The fireboat made approximately five journeys between the beach and a paddle steamer, embarking an estimated 500 men. As dawn approached, the troopship departed for England, and the Massey Shaw resumed loading. On a falling tide, the vessel briefly grounded on sandbanks but managed to return to deep water at full power. At 0330 hours, she was the last boat to leave that section of the beach.

Midway across the channel, the naval skipper questioned the compass’s accuracy but was reassured upon encountering a drifter towing two small boats filled with troops. The Massey Shaw arrived at Ramsgate at 0800 on Sunday, 2nd June, disembarking an additional 30 to 40 soldiers.

The following evening, the Massey Shaw returned to Dunkirk with a Fire Service crew, proceeding to the harbour jetty. Difficulties in boarding from the high jetty resulted in the vessel departing empty. After returning to Ramsgate, she was ordered back to London. En route, near Margate, the French ship Emile Deschamps, which had sailed from Dunkirk laden with troops, struck a mine and sank rapidly. The Massey Shaw rescued 40 severely injured men and transported them to Ramsgate.

Early on 5th June, the Massey Shaw returned to London, where she was cheered by fire stations along the river. The crew received a warm reception from their families. Sub-Officer A.J. May was awarded the Navy’s Distinguished Service Medal, a rare honor for a civilian, while firemen Henry Ray and Edmond Wright were Mentioned in Despatches.

Resuming normal duties, the Massey Shaw became the first fire appliance fitted with radio communication. She played a significant role during the Blitz, pumping water ashore to support land-based firefighting efforts hindered by water shortages or damaged mains. In 1947, her original open canvas dodger and screen were replaced with a purpose-built enclosed timber wheelhouse.

That same year, a secret meeting aboard the Massey Shaw in the Thames Estuary between Herbert Morrison, MP and Chairman of the London County Council, and Aneurin Bevan, MP, contributed to the eventual formation of the National Health Service.

In 1953, the Massey Shaw participated in the Royal River Pageant alongside vessels Lazy Days and White Orchid. She was retired from service in 1971, with her final major responses including a large fire at Tate and Lyle’s factory in Silvertown and a blaze aboard the steamship Jumna in the Royal Albert Dock.

Following retirement, the Massey Shaw was moored at Woolwich and left abandoned. Later, she was towed to St Katharine’s Dock by Tower Bridge to serve as a walkway during rebuilding works. The Greater London Council, as owners, proposed placing her on display in an ornamental lake at Thamesmead housing development in South London.

In 1980, Philip Wray, a former London Fire Brigade member, founded a Charitable Preservation Society after being appalled by the vessel’s condition. He secured a lease from the Greater London Council and undertook restoration for long-term operational preservation. Sixty-five years after her launch, the Massey Shaw’s two 8-cylinder Gleniffer diesel engines and Merryweather pumping equipment remain in working order.

The vessel is frequently seen on both upper and lower reaches of the River Thames. She was present at the opening of the Thames Flood Barrier and has escorted Her Majesty The Queen during a Thames River pageant celebrating V-J Day, as well as HMY Britannia on her final visit to the Pool of London.

The last surviving member of the Dunkirk volunteer crew, R.W.J. Dick Helyer B.E.M., serves as President of the Massey Shaw and Marine Vessels Preservation Society Ltd., a registered charity reliant on members, sponsors, and public donations to ensure the vessel’s long-term preservation.

Technical Specifications

• Length: 78 ft
• Beam: 13 ft 6 in
• Draft: 3 ft 9 in
• Air draft: 15 ft
• Gross tonnage: 50.54 tons
• Engines: 2 × Gleniffer 8-cylinder 165 hp Diesels
• Maximum speed: 12 knots
• Pumps: Twin Merryweather 4-stage 8-inch centrifugal, 1500 gallons per minute each
• Monitor: 1 × 3-inch
• Deliveries: 8 Surelock couplings
• Salvage heads: 2 twin 5-inch
• Foam: 40 × 5-gallon pails, 1 × Pyrene mechanical foam generator, and knapsack tank
• Auxiliary power: Russel Newbury D2 2-cylinder Diesel driving 110v generator, 12v dynamo, and 2-cylinder air compressor for radial main engine air starters
• Bunkers: 500 gallons diesel fuel