The cockle fishermen of Leigh-on-Sea, located on the shallow northern Essex shore of the Thames Estuary, were accustomed to handling their cockle Bawley sailing vessels in all weather conditions and challenging shallow waters. For additional income and excitement, many crewed on the renowned J-Class yachts of the gentry during the 1920s and 1930s. The Resolute and her sister ships—the Reliance, Defender, and Endeavour—were named after four of these racing yachts.

The Bawleys were broad-beamed, flat-bottomed gaff cutters, typically around 36 feet in length, designed to be beached at high tide on sandbanks while fishermen gathered cockles and shrimps for the London market. Their design made them ideal for the shallow waters off Dunkirk. At sea, they could lower their lifting centreboards to improve sailing performance, and their powerful Kelvin petrol/paraffin engines allowed them to operate independently of sail when necessary.

Resolute was built in 1927 by Hayward's at Southend for Cecil Osborne at a cost of £375. She was gaff-rigged with a mainsail, jib, and foresail, and featured a 16-foot bowsprit. The gaff was secured to the mast by large wooden hoops, and her sails were made of traditional red cotton. The vessel was used for cockling from Easter to October and shrimping during the winter months. During World War II, she operated year-round under the direction of an honorary 'Commodore' appointed at Leigh, who regulated fishing locations daily.

In May 1940, Eric Osborne, aged 68 in 1989, recalled arriving in harbour on the last day of the month to learn that the Royal Navy at Southend required boats with volunteer crews to assist at Dunkirk. The vessels were to be ready at the pierhead by 8:00 a.m. on the following Friday. Upon arrival, naval personnel supplied drums of fuel, rations, and an additional deckhand, Vincent Joscelyne, to join Eric and his cousin Horace Osborne. While the Navy stored the Renown alongside Resolute, one of the hatch covers was turned upside down—a bad omen among Thames bargemen. Cousin Luke, who sailed on the Renown, had already signed a form the previous night and was displeased. The Renown did not return from Dunkirk.

The six boats sailed in line-ahead formation toward Dunkirk, easily identified by the flames and smoke from burning oil storage tanks. Initially instructed to approach the beach, the fishermen, aware of the ebbing tide and the risk of grounding with a full load of troops, instead positioned themselves outside the Mole of Dunkirk harbour. Despite calm seas, a 4-foot swell and the absence of ladders necessitated entering the harbour. The vessels embarked full loads of soldiers, ferrying them to a trawler anchored offshore, then to a coaster, and subsequently a third vessel.

As darkness fell, the boats entered the harbour again. A destroyer lay sunk across the entrance, with oil barrels and debris floating on the water. Nearby, an Eagle steamer was sinking after a direct bomb hit down her funnel, with vehicle debris visible above the waterline. Navigating through this hazardous environment, the boats approached the pier. Fewer soldiers were waiting, many reluctant to board the small vessels, shouting, "not going back on that bloody thing." The fishermen went ashore to assert that they had set foot on French soil and to encourage the soldiers to embark, assuring them that their boats were seaworthy.

Eric Osborne recalled a narrow escape when German forces found their range, and sparks and shrapnel flew around them, forcing a rapid retreat up the ladder. After loading their full complement, they motored outside the harbour around 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. The Defender was nearby, and the sub-lieutenant aboard instructed them to head for Ramsgate.

Admiral Ramsey, Vice-Admiral Dover and commander of Operation Dynamo, praised the Leigh Cockle Bawley crews: "The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all volunteers rushed over to Dunkirk in one day. Probably none of them had been under gunfire before and certainly none under Naval discipline. These were Thames estuary fishing boats which never left the estuary, and only one of their crews had been further afield than Ramsgate. Yet they maintained perfect formation throughout the day and night, and all orders were obeyed with great diligence even under shellfire and aircraft attack."

In 1969, Resolute was purchased by 'Dusty' Miller, who refitted her for cruising along the South Coast, France, Holland, and Belgium. By 1993, the vessel required significant restoration, which Mr. Miller was unable to undertake. The Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust subsequently agreed to assume responsibility for the vessel and arranged her transport to the Medway for restoration. However, the Trust has been unable to secure the necessary funds to complete the restoration to date.