The Admiral’s Barge, model 1927, built for the British Navy, was the first “bell funnel” barge with diesel power. The King of England specified that the brass bell funnel be retained, because he liked the look of it, even though the two diesel engines made the funnel superfluous.
The barge served HMS Rodney, Nelson and Hood. In 1941 she was serving the Hood, for years the largest war ship in the world, when the Hood was sunk by the *Bismarck. The Hood went down with 1400 men aboard, but the Admiral’s Barge was left behind. For the remainder of the war, the boat served as a Flag Officer Malta’s Barge, and was stored in a cave in Malta to escape the Luftwaffe bombings. It was on the deck of this little boat that Italy surrendered to the allies. The boat came to America for the first as escort to Sceptre, in the Royal Yacht Squadron’s unsuccessful challenge for the America’s Cup in 1958. She was named “Maid of Honour”.
Renovated by Mr Michael Summers in the Duzey Workshops. L: 17.0 m G: 3.20 m