P.S. Devonia, 1905

Description

PS Devonia was built by John Brown on Clydebank, Glasgow and launched in 1905. She was ordered by the Barry Railway Co to operate excursions between Barry, Cardiff and Ilfracombe. Operated with “Red Funnel Steamers” as a marketing name, in 1911 all Barry Railway Company’s vessels (including Devonia) were brought by their competitor, P & A Campbell Ltd, who operated excursions out of Bristol where she was based until the outbreak of war in 1914. During WW I she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and operated as a minesweeper along the East coast of England. After the war the Campbells resumed excursions and Devonia spent time working out of Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings on the South coast across to Boulogne and Calais before returning to Bristol in 1932 where she was later laid up. In October 1939 she was again requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as a minesweeper and on 31st May 1940 came under fire from enemy aircraft and was severely damaged during the great evacuation from Dunkirk. She was beached as an embarkation jetty at La Panne, Dunkirk and abandoned. Remains of the wreck are still visible today.