Among the pre-war owners of the Little Ships were many prosperous individuals of the 1930s. Reda was built in 1938 for a Mr. Austin Reed, who was long believed to have been the head of the successful clothing firm of the same name. However, recent research has clarified that the Austin Reed who commissioned Claude Whisstock to design this comfortable 45-foot yacht at Woodbridge, Suffolk, was in fact the owner of a chain of five public houses in London.

Claude Whisstock constructed the yacht entirely without formal drawings. Nevertheless, a full specification with plans and sections survives, published in the April 1939 issue of Yachting World, demonstrating that the original layout has remained unchanged over the years. The yacht’s hull was built from 1-inch pitch pine planking on 2-inch side-grown English oak frames, with two steamed ribs between each pair. The topsides were made of teak. She was powered by two 4.40 Gray engines. An unusual feature of the vessel was a large heads compartment equipped with a full-size bath.

Reda was a one-off build, completed at a cost of £1,885 and 15 shillings. Austin Reed took delivery of the yacht in 1939. Ron Lenthall, who was the waterman for Ron Tough at Teddington, brought her from Suffolk to the Thames on her maiden voyage. Unfortunately, Reed never had the opportunity to sail in her.

In 1940, Ron Lenthall was tasked with collecting the Little Ships for the evacuation effort. In the weeks prior, boats on nearby moorings had been immobilised by removing their batteries to prevent use by enemy agents. Approximately ten days before the evacuation began, all available boats were prepared for immediate deployment, and others were gathered for potential use. Lenthall recalled that the masts were taken down to facilitate work off the beaches, as most vessels would not be used to bring men back but rather to maximize space for troops.

He specifically remembered removing Reda’s mast and painting her name on its heel. Austin Reed visited the boat at Tough’s and noted the well-stocked drinks locker, remarking, “There’s plenty of booze; leave it there, the chaps will have a greater need for it than me.”

On 29 May 1940, Reda sailed from Ramsgate in company with five other yachts, all crewed by volunteers united by the mission to rescue the British Expeditionary Force. After enduring severe machine-gun attacks from the air near Gravelines, the group arrived at La Panne beach at 1500 hours. Reda immediately began towing whalers filled with troops to off-lying ships. She then returned to Ramsgate carrying 21 soldiers, surviving a bombing raid unscathed during departure.

On 31 May, Reda returned for additional evacuations, ferrying 50 French soldiers to a larger transport and bringing 23 more directly to Ramsgate. Following the Dunkirk evacuation, Reda continued service as an Auxiliary Patrol Vessel.

In 1941, correspondence between Austin Reed and the boatbuilders became tense when Reed was billed for property removed from Reda prior to Dunkirk and still held in Tough’s stores. Items mentioned included a companion ladder, a cardboard box containing pyjamas and gloves, a refrigerator, stainless steel cutlery, and kitchen utensils. Fortunately, an inventory had been meticulously maintained by Ron Lenthall during the chaotic period.

During the war, the vessel’s name was changed to Columbine, and she served with the Harwich Patrol. In June 1947, she was re-registered under the ownership of Arthur Foster, an engineer from Chigwell, North East London. Between 1950 and 1952, she had three additional owners before being sold to Leeds businessman Arthur Kaye, who renamed her Janthea. Kaye kept her at Hampton Court as a family motor yacht for thirty years. In 1958, new BMC Commodore engines were installed.

Ron Lenthall accompanied the Kayes on voyages to Holland and through France, during which time Janthea became an active member of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS).

Reda/Janthea was featured individually on a series of stamps titled Little Ships of Dunkirk, issued by Palau in 2015 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.

In 1984, the yacht was owned by Norman and Marion Cannell. Norman was a founding member of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, having been joint owner of his father’s ship, Doutelle. After serving 17 years as Honorary Secretary, he became Vice-Commodore for the 1990 return and subsequently Commodore for three years. Janthea is maintained by Dennett Boat Builders, receiving regular upkeep to ensure continuous good condition.

After many years of participation in ADLS events, Norman Cannell passed ownership in 2019 to his son and daughter-in-law, Guy and Michelle, though he remains actively involved with the vessel.