The Aberdonia is a British pre-war motor yacht moored at Chelsea Harbour

Chelsea Harbour

Chelsea Harbour is a mixed-use development in Central London, situated on the north bank of the River Thames, in the Sands End area. It lies within the eastern boundary of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and on the southwestern boundary of the Royal Borough of Kensington and...

. Built by the Thornycroft

John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...

 ship yard and launched in 1935 Aberdonia has a rich history, former uses include a patrol boat, mine sweeper and is one of the Little ships of Dunkirk

Little ships of Dunkirk

The little ships of Dunkirk were 700 private boats that sailed from Ramsgate in England to Dunkirk in France between May 26 and June 4, 1940 as part of Operation Dynamo, the rescue of more than 338,000 British and French soldiers, who were trapped on the beaches at Dunkirk during the Second World...

.

World War II service

Aberdonia was requisitioned to work as a patrol boat in the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 attached to HMS Fervant in 1940, at which time she was renamed Navigator. She participated in the evacuation of Allied troops at Dunkirk. The yacht is believed to have made four trips to the shore to take on men cut off by the German army. She worked with the minesweepers

Minesweeper (ship)

A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...

 and ferried sealed orders between the Admiralty

Admiralty

The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...

 and convoys lying off Shoeburyness

Shoeburyness

Shoeburyness is a town in southeast Essex, England, situated at the mouth of the river Thames Estuary. It is within the borough of Southend-on-Sea, and is situated at the far east of the borough, around east of Southend town centre...

 and Deal

Deal, Kent

Deal is a town in Kent England. It lies on the English Channel eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town...

.

Aberdonia was nearly destroyed during her naval service by a downed German bomber whose pilot attempted to guide his falling plane into allied ships. Although she escaped a direct hit she was struck by wreckage on her starboard side. Scorched timbers from the attack were discovered during restoration work thirty years later.

Postwar Service

She was completely restored in the late 1980's, including fitting two new Perkins Diesel engines. As of 2011 she is moored in Chelsea Harbour where she serves as a charter boat.