GWR Shipping Gallery

SS St Julien as a hospital ship, at Newport Docks, c.1940

This image shows SS St Julien at Newport Docks following her conversion into a hospital ship, as denoted by the red cross painted on the side of her hull. St Julien was one of 7 GWR ships that were requisitioned for war service in the early months of the war. The Company ships played a vital role in transporting troops, cargo and wounded soldiers across the English Channel. This was dangerous work for the ships and their crew, sailing over to occupied France, often under fire from enemy guns. The evacuation of Allied Troops from Dunkirk in 1940 was perhaps the most notable and dangerous missions carried out by these ships, as they were direct targets for Luftwaffe bombers as they sailed into French waters. Operation Dynamo, as the evacuation was known, was undertaken by a fleet of more than 800 boats and saved more than 338, 000 soldiers from capture. Amazingly, no Great Western ships were lost during Operation Dynamo and the fleet continued with wartime operations on behalf of the Government

© STEAM Museum of the GWR