Builders: J I Thorneycroft & Co Southampton 1936
Propulsion type: Paddle compound diagonal
Owner: Southampton, Ilse of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co Ltd
Service dates: 1936 - 1940
Tonnage: Gross 393
Comments:
Somewhat surprisingly, the Red Funnel Co reverted to a paddler for this new ship, which was launched on 8 April 1936 by her namesake, who sung "Sing As We Go" at her launch. She was further unusual in that she was named after a celebrity, rather than the tradition of royalty and nobility. Similar to Princess Elizabeth, who still survives, she was an improved version, with a raised forecastle, designed to keep the spray off the cars she carried in her well deck, from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. Originally she had an open bridge, but a wheelhouse was added in 1937. Performing a variety of duties including, excursions, tendering and packet services she was a popular ship. On 26 July 1936 she was chartered by her namesake to take orphans on a trip from Bournemouth, where Miss Fields was performing, to Brighton. In 1939 the ship had a rather unusal accident when she collided with an RAF sea plane in Southampton Water. Her mast was snapped and her port bow was damaged but no one was hurt. The wing of the flying boat was demolished and fell into the sea, but her crew escaped unscathed. PS Gracie Fields was requisitioned for minesweeping duties in 1939 and went to Dunkirk for the evacuation. After one successful trip she was hit by a bomb and was badly damaged. Her crew were taken off by HMS Pangbourne, which tried to tow her home. However, her rudder was stuck and she was taking on water and PS Gracie Fields sank on 30 May. Ironically, or poetically as you prefer, Princess Elizabeth is now based at Dunkirk as a floating restaurant.