Thomas Kirk Wright ON811

The surf lifeboat Thomas Kirk Wright was specifically designed for operations off the beaches, featuring two impellers instead of traditional screws, which allowed it to draw only 2 feet 6 inches of water. It holds the distinction of being the first lifeboat to reach the beaches of Dunkirk on 30 May 1940.

Manned by naval ratings, the vessel was loaded with French soldiers when it came under fire from German troops. Despite the attack, no personnel were injured; however, the boat sustained serious damage, including one engine being burned out and a foot of water entering the hull.

The lifeboat's survival was attributed to its exceptionally strong construction. It featured double-skin Honduras mahogany laid diagonally in opposite directions, supported by a framework of Indian oak, Canadian rock elm, and mahogany, all secured with brass fastenings. The hull was divided into five separate watertight compartments, each filled with air cases—seventy-one in total—with an additional twenty-seven located above deck.

After swift repairs, Thomas Kirk Wright returned to Dunkirk for a second mission on 2 June 1940. On this occasion, it was towed across by the tug Foremost 87, alongside the RNLI lifeboat Cecil and Lilian Philpott.

The vessel remained in lifeboat service until 1964, when it was purchased by Paul Neate of Poole. Paul Neate and his son Rupert maintained the boat carefully for ten years before it was acquired by the National Maritime Museum. The museum restored the lifeboat to exhibition standard, and it is currently housed as a static exhibit in the small boathouse at Poole. The Thomas Kirk Wright has not been returned to the water since 1976.