A stunning scale model of the paddle steamer PS Duchess of Fife, which saved 1,633 troops from Dunkirk during World War 2, has been gifted to the Scottish Maritime Museum.
Sharon Barnett and Neil Davis made the trip up from South Gloucestershire and Yorkshire to pass the handmade model of the Duchess of Fife built by their father Gordon Davis into the Museum’s care.
Gordon Davis built the model vessel painstakingly over five years, beginning in 1964 and finishing in January 1983. As well as carving the hull from a block of wood, he finished the model in the vessel’s 1932/34 livery for then owners the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.
Receiving the gifted PS Duchess of Fife Abigail McIntyre, Curator at the Scottish Maritime Museum, says:
We are thrilled to add the PS Duchess of Fife to our large and diverse ship model collection. It is a beautifully made model and the rich story of the vessel’s working life, from leisurely cruising on the Firth of Clyde to the high drama of wartime service, will be fascinating for visitors.”
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