Postcard of the Month: November 2025

View fullsize

Sailing Vessel Anchored in Littlehampton Harbour

This card by Frank Spry has “F.W.Spry, Photo’r, Surrey St. Littlehampton” printed on the back top corner, which is typical of his later issues from the 1920s and 1930s. Also written on the back in ink is “Commander Douglas Dixon, D.F.C.’s Yacht. Converted oyster smack”. Underneath, a separate inked comment adds “50 year old”. The vessel is shown anchored in the fairway. The flag hoist suggests a special event.

Research on the name revealed that this was probably Lt.Commander Charles Douglas Horsfall Dixon, D.S.C., RN. (1899 – 1964). He received his decoration as a young Sub-Lieutenant for courage under fire in WW1 at Gallipoli, and his naval career included training in early submarines. He retired at his own request in 1922. Dixon rejoined for WW2 and was invalided out for medical reasons in 1941.

The research also revealed that the craft in the picture was originally an oyster smack named Daisy, built in 1884 by Aldous of Brightlingsea, registered as CK6. She worked under sail until 1932 when she was sold to Dixon, converted to a yacht and renamed Dusmarie. After Dixon married his second wife, Phyllis Mary Burkett Turner, in 1933 in Holborn they seemed to have spent most of their time aboard. They sailed together on several ocean voyages including a 4,000 mile journey to Lapland and back (recounted in his book, A Sail to Lapland). The yacht still had no engine, making the voyage remarkable. It may be the conclusion of this voyage in Littlehampton, where his father was a doctor, that is recorded on the postcard. Press reports in several local papers show the date to be 15th August 1938, which would fit with the Spry postcard history.

Dusmarie sailed again to the Baltic and was left in Sweden for the duration of WW2, returning in 1945. She was rebuilt with her rig changed to a two masted yawl, and was finally fitted with an engine. During the 1950s and 1960s she was used as an adventure training ship for parties of schoolchildren. Later, still in the Dixon family ownership as a training ship for a sixth form college near Ipswich, she took part in the 1974 Tall Ships Race with an all female crew. Dusmarie was sold in the 1980s where it was based on the Deben in Suffolk.

In 2020 the vessel reverted to her original name and became a long term restoration project, still in progress, at a Maldon boatyard in 2024. She is in the National Historic Ships Register from which this information was obtained and, should she take to the water again, will be over 140 years old - at least the parts that haven’t been replaced will be!