Name Zeta

ZETA was built in 1940 by Brooke Marine Motorcraft Limited of Oulton Broad as a Royal Air Force seaplane tender, pennant number 377. Her wooden hard chine hull is double diagonal above the waterline and and triple diagonal below, fastened with copper nails and roves. Her current engines are twin inboard diesels made by Perkins in 1940, model S6M, 5cy, bore 4 3/8 in. x stroke 5 in. 98 hp. After trials she was sent to Greenock as a personnel transport craft in 1942 and in 1943, she was transferred to RAF Calshot, Southampton for rescue duties. It is believed she took part in the Normandy invasions as one of the inshore rescue craft. In 1948, she was sent to RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland and used on Lough Neagh as a range safety boat. She was subsequently sent to No 1107 Marine Craft Unit at Newhaven as a training craft. She was sold out of service in 1957 and renamed ZETA. She passed through several owners until being found semi-derelict at Benfleet Creek in 1981