AN experimental boat from the First World War will be one of the big attractions at the 2019 Thames Traditional Boat Festival which runs from 19-21 July at Fawley Meadows, Henley-on-Thames
Traditional Boat Festival commemorates our war heroes
With the weather promising to be a continuation of the gorgeous summer being experienced so far, big crowds are expected over the period of the three-day event.
The festival was first held over 40 years ago as a rally for like-minded people who wanted to show off their enthusiasm for the older, traditionally built craft that were fast disappearing from the River Thames.
Since then it has grown to attract interest the world over - and is affectionately known as ‘The Trad’.Co-chairman of the festival, Lady Judy McAlpine said: “This year’s event will be bigger and better and we have a special treat for visitors. We are delighted to be welcoming back CMB9, the motor torpedo boat which the Admiralty converted to be radio controlled, with the controller in an aircraft above. The CMB9 is believed to be the only craft of its kind remaining from World War One and is one of only two WW1 motor torpedo boats left, so this is quite an attraction for visitors to the festival.”
The Coastal Motor-Boat 9 - CMB9 - was built as a motor torpedo boat for the Royal Navy in 1916 and saw action the following year off Zeebrugge. With CMB1 they were serving on the Dover patrol and went to the rescue of pilots shot down ten miles off Nieuport, despite coming under attack from four German torpedo boats. The CMB9 escaped unscathed but unfortunately CMB1 took a direct hit and was blown up.
In September 1917 CMB9 and three more of the existing 40ft craft, made up a top-secret experiment to become Distant Control Boats (DCBs). This was to test whether unmanned fast patrol boats with torpedoes could be controlled from the air and directed towards enemy targets.
The CMB9 was re-designated as DCB1 and test runs carried out to discover whether they could achieve an element of surprise in any attacks on the enemy - controlled from 16,000 feet in the air and five miles away.
The CMB9 won’t be the only big floating attraction at the event. Visitors will see the return of the fantastic Gloriana, at 92ft long, the biggest row barge ever built, bedecked in gold and colourful flags. The row barge, which was used for the Jubilee River Pageant of 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, is manned by 18 oarsmen and will be a main target for visitors wishing to get some amazing photographs. They can also take part in a competition to win one of two trips per day up the river - and back.
A Victorian steamer, Alaska, which has proved so popular at earlier events, will be offering rides up and down the Henley Regatta course. This wonderful vessel is the oldest steam passenger launch still in regular service.
The Heroes of Dunkirk will be sailing across the Channel to the show - as part of the fleet of 850 small ships commissioned in WW2 for the relief of allied soldiers trapped on the Dunkirk beaches in 1940, they will be led by the L’Orage.
Other big attractions include:
The Bremont Air Display will be showing off their Sopwith Camel, Avro and Fokker triplanes, and replica WW1 veteran aircraft in aerial formation.
Veteran cycles from the Solent Veteran Cycle Club and others will be out in force and will provide an unusual bankside version of the Illuminated Parade which takes place on the Saturday. The night time river parade sees the traditional boats adorned with imaginative illuminated designs and they will sail slowly past the venue fields and back to provide a shimmering conclusion to the day’s events.
On the Friday and Saturday nights the Crooked Billet pub will have dancing with The Covered, on Friday, and rock n roll local band Highly Strung on Saturday. On Sunday there will be a programme of jazz, including Annie and the Doughboys up until the awards ceremony at 5pm, and afterwards internationally acclaimed boogie woogie and blues pianist Ben Waters will bring proceedings to a spectacular finale.
There will be a display of vintage and classic vehicles registered before December 31, 1969, a display of military and amphibious vehicles and scores of exhibitors and traders stands. Last year’s revised plan for this part of the weekend was so successful that it has been improved further and more businesses have entered.
Boats eligible to take part in The Trad have to be of traditional wooden construction, built in hot or cold moulding techniques, or can be composite crafts with metal frames and timber planking, built of riveted iron or steel, and also those built of canvas on a wooden frame.
The strict rules mean that any boats built wholly or partly of ferro concrete, fibre glass or plastics are not eligible for the rally. But there is a special interest class for those boats of special historic or constructional interest which are otherwise not eligible to enter.
The prestigious event now incorporates the traditional values of many other trades and crafts from a bygone era as well as providing a great fun day out for all of the family.
The patron of the festival is GB Olympic rowing hero Sir Steve Redgrave who owns a classic slipper launch. And a host of celebrities will be attending over the weekend including Prince Michael of Kent
There are discounts for booking tickets on-line and entrance can be purchased at the gate for each individual day or a three-day ticket. https://www.tradboatfestival.com/festival-tickets
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