Ferries operating between Portsmouth and Southsea and Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor were ordered to cease operating on 31st August 1939.
Just 4 days later, Britain declared war against Nazi Germany.
The ferries were needed for the war effort. 3 Southern Railway ferries – the Sandown, the Ryde and the Southsea – all converted into minesweepers.
In 1940, the British Expeditionary Force became stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk. The Southern Railway ferry Whippingham was used to transport the beleaguered troops off the beaches, rescuing over 4,000 soldiers. 2 car ferries – Wootton and Fishbourne – also aided the evacuation.
Transport between Portsmouth and Southsea and Ryde was limited to Southern Railway’s 3 oldest paddle steamers: Shanklin, Merstone and Portsdown.
PS Ryde – now sadly decaying at Medina Harbour – had an eventful war. She took part in Operation Neptune on D-Day, where she protected the Mulberry Harbours at Omaha Beach. After D-Day, she was anchored off Bembridge to defend Portsmouth from doodlebugs.
The only Southern Railway ferry to perish during the war was the Portsdown. She hit a mine at Spithead on 20th September and sank with the loss of 23 lives.
The Ryde paddle steamer had travelled on a few times on the pompey to rph and it was brought back to service when it was too rough for the southsea etc to land at ryde. Shame it ended its life as ryde queen at Whippingham. Although it was a good venue after medway was closed!!