A PADDLE steamer that sank at sea 75 years ago was remembered at an event held at Barry Island Railway’s museum on Sunday, June 26.

Barry at War hosted an introduction to the Paddle Steamer Barry and remembered and paid tribute on the anniversary of both the loss of the vessel and her Royal Navy crew 75 years ago.

The vessel was sank on July 5, 1941 during the Second World War.

MNA (Wales) Barry branch, spokesman, Keith Greenway said: “Originally built for the Barry Railway Co for the Bristol Channel excursion trade. She was destined to serve her country far further than her peace time intended local piers and ports and carry much more than her intended day trippers.

It was explained on the day to those that attended the museum that the Paddle Steamer both built for and named after the town was requisitioned in WWI and based in Salonika, Greece and took part in the Gallipoli landings.

After the Great War she returned to pleasure cruising and was refitted by her builders in 1926 and was renamed Waverley. She became HMS Snaefell in WWII and attended Dunkirk where she was involved in the rescue of her grounded stablemate Glen Gower. She was later sent to the Tyne, where she was finally sunk in a bombing raid off Sunderland.”

Mr Greenway added: “There will be families in both Barry and the Vale area today with a relative from past generations, who would have worked aboard the many ships as officers and crew and other vessels, possibly even the local paddle steamers. Information regarding any local seafarer’s and those that sailed on our PS Barry as passengers in her pleasure steaming days would be welcomed.”

A static display featuring the paddle steamer continues at the Central Library, King Square, Barry until Saturday, July 9.

Further tribute will paid on the anniversary of the steamer’s loss and during Sea Sunday at the anchor monument at the former Dock in Barry at 2pm on Sunday, July 10.