Fairmile 'B' Launches - Header Page - Ferry Photographs



This is a header page for the ex-Royal Navy Fairmile 'B' launches which were subsequently used for civilian purposes in the UK. There were approximately 650 Fairmile 'B' class craft built between 1941 and 1945, and around 20 were used on UK ferry and excursion services. This page links to other Simplon website pages where these vessels are illustrated. Some miscellaneous illustrations will added to this page.

By 2007 there were only four surviving Fairmile 'B' launches in the UK:-
Western Lady I (RML535) - Private ownership (ex-Torbay)
The Fairmile (ex-Western Lady III (RML497)) - Torbay/Dart excursions with Greenway Ferry
Western Lady IV (RML526) - Private ownership (ex-Torbay)
Jamaican Moon (ML357) - House boat in St Osyth

A fifth Fairmile 'B', the Golden Galleon, was broken up in 2006. She had run excursions on the Norfolk Broads.

The last Fairmile in UK public service is The Fairmile, running since 2009 with Greenway Ferry .For details of sailings see wwww.greenwayferry.co.uk


Fairmile 'B' Passenger Launches listed by Name:-
Anzio - Dorset & Thames
Ariel - Nice Excursion
Bambi - Devon - unconfirmed - maybe confused with Bambo?
Bambo - Devon - existence confirmed Hedley Jennings Shipping Company Limited
Cambrian Prince - North Wales, later Kiloran II - To be added!
Dumbo - Devon - unconfirmed - maybe confused with Bambo?
Dunkirk - Dorset
Eastern Princess (ML347) - East Anglia
Europa - Gabicce, Italy
Fleet Commodore (RML534) - Channel Islands
Gay Commodore - East Anglia
Golden Galleon (ML162) - East Anglia
Jamaican Moon (ML357) - St Osyth (houseboat)
Kiloran II - Devon, ex-Cambrian Prince - To be added!
La Serenite (ML174 or ML291?) - Charter yacht
Matapan - Dorset, later Poole Belle (2)
Channel Belle - Dorset, later Wallasey Belle
Pendennis/Pendennis Castle - North West - To be added!
Poole Belle (2) - Dorset, ex-Matapan
Pride of Paignton - Devon
Red Commodore (RML537) - Channel Islands
River Lady - Devon
River Lady II - East Anglia
Silver Commodore (RML499) - Channel Islands, later Swanage Belle, Wessex Belle
Swanage Belle (RML499) - Dorset, ex-Silver Commodore, later Wessex Belle
Wallasey Belle - North West, ex-Channel Belle
Wessex Belle (RML499) - Dorset, ex-Swanage Belle, ex-Silver Commodore
Western Lady I (RML535) - Devon
Western Lady II (RML542) - Devon
Western Lady III (RML497) - Devon, Dorset from 2007
Western Lady IV (RML526) - Devon
White Commodore (ML445) - Channel Islands - To be added!

Simplon Fairmile 'B' Pages by Area:-
To be added!

Simplon Fairmile 'B' Pages by RN serial Number:-
To be added!

Associated Pages:-
J.Bolson & Sons
Commodore Cruises
Croson Ltd
Western Lady Ferry Service
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page

References:-
Commodore Shipping - The First Half Century 1947-1997 - Kevin le Scelleur - published by Commodore Shipping
The Fair Few Miles - History of the Western Lady Ferry Service - S.A.Armstrong - unknown publisher
Trip Out Guides - Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2007 consulted

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Ariel

Since before WW2, most sea excursions from Nice were run by Gallus, who had offices adjacent to the harbour. When I visited Nice in February 2000, Gallus were no longer operating, but their offices seemed only recently closed. The offices have since been redeveloped. Post-war, they ran the Fairmile 'B' launch Ariel from a jetty on the Promenade des Anglais.


Ariel at the jetty on the Promenade des Anglais, in Nice
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Ariel at the jetty on the Promenade des Anglais, in Nice
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Ariel at the jetty on the Promenade des Anglais, in Nice
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Europa

Fairmile 'B' at Gabicce, Italy (Aegean coast between Rimin and Ancona)
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La Serenite

La Serenite was probably ML 174 or ML 291, built by William Osbourne, Littlehampton (thanks to Jan Kiel and Christian Sheppard-Capurro). Converted to a private yacht, she was used for charters by UK based European Yacht Cruises, hence the 'Greetings from" British postcard shown below. She was later owned by the Michels family in Cochem (Mosel).

British made postcard of Fairmile 'B' La Serenite on the Rhein or Mosel
Name spelt La Serente on the card (retouched from an older name?)
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Fairmile 'B' La Serenite
Photo: Archief Leo Schuitemaker - www.debinnenvaart.nl






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