Name Golden Galleon

Formerly ML162, this Fairmile ‘B’ Motor was built in 1940 by A.M. Dickie & Sons, Bangor, Wales. Lt. Dunstan Michael Curtis was the CO and took her from Penrhyn Dock to Brixham in Devon.  ML162 was equipped with two Hall Scott Defender Petrol engines on Lease/Lend from America, capable of driving the boats at a speed of 20 knots maximum for short periods or 16 3/4 knots continuous speed for long periods.  Initially, she served in the 8th ML Flotilla based at Milford Haven. From May 1942 she was under the command of Lt. John Thorn in Cardiff, who took her on convoy escort duty as far as Portland.  After two years service, she was in a poor state of repair and went for refit to P.K. Harris of Appledore, Devon. 

When the 8th ML Flotilla was disbanded in March 1943, ML162 was then transferred to training duties at HMS St. Christopher, Fort William.  

Re-designated MV45 by the Royal Netherlands Navy, she carried out minesweeping duties as a Dutch ship from January 1944, and returned to the Royal Navy in April 1945 because of the poor condition of her engines. She was replaced by ML138 and placed on the disposal list. 

In 1946, she was purchased by John Edward Knight, who had her converted into a passenger vessel at the Old Silk Work Quay, Lowestoft, in 1949.  Emerging from the refit as GOLDEN GALLEON, she began her new career in 1950, taking tourists on excursions along the East Anglian coast, and later (when the North Sea proved too rough), the Norfolk Broads. She initially carried 247 passengers, but this was reduced to 150 for health and safety reasons.  Knight continued to operate GOLDEN GALLEON as a passenger vessel until his retirement in 1985, after which she had a series of owners. 

GOLDEN GALLEON had an 'Honours Board' on her gangway stating that ML162 was built in Portsmouth and "had an illustrious career during the Second World War, as not only did the crew have the distinction of having shot down six enemy aircraft and taken part in the sinking of a submarine, she was also mentioned as being highly commended for the part played in the D-Day invasion." However, she was not built in Portsmouth, and no evidence for these claims has been found in any of the vessel's Log Books or any other archives. 

She continued as a passenger vessel until the 1990s when her final owner left her to rot at Reedham.  The Broads Authority then stepped in to dispose of her and the work was carried out in January at St Olave's.