That which we call a rose...

— 13 Oct 2018, 08:57 by Hugh Dennis

I've been 'umming' and 'ahhing' for a year or so about the name - "Little Ships".

I got the idea of using it after seeing the film 'Dunkirk' last year with the family. It made a big impact on all of us, the kids especially. They knew the WW2 big story (evil Nazis beaten by the good Allies) but didn't have a clue about Dunkirk and the near catastrophic start to the war.

The people that my grandparents' generation brought to Britain on those few short days in the summer of 1940 carried with them a particular freedom that Britain helped to keep alive and then plant back into Europe on D-day. At that time, the only alliance Britain could see was the one between Stalin and Hitler, whilst the Americans dithered. It must have been a really scary time, and Dunkirk symbolised that.

To be accused of wearing the feathers of the people who took part in that evacuation is obviously a serious matter, so, I decided to ask someone who might have an opinion worth listening to.

I never met any Dunkirk veterans, but I did know a real-life war hero who was captured by the Japanese after his King George V Class Battleship was sunk off Singapore. He eventually made a very senior rank in the Navy and went on to a distinguished career in the post war era of white-hot high tech.

We were designing a downsizer retirement home for this veteran and his equally impressive wife in the grounds of their large house; he being an expert grower of roses would walk me around his garden explaining  the different varieties and growing techniques. He cut a rose for me several times when visiting to discuss his project.

I'd like to say we were strolling the grounds, talking of important things when I asked him about using Little Ships as a name for a social enterprise. In reality, I'd just dropped off a Howdens catalogue for his new kitchen and he was shoo-ing me out the door, keen to get to Bridge Club. When I asked him what he thought about wearing the feathers of the Dunkirk generation, it was clear he couldn't care less as he said goodbye and shut the door.

So - Little Ships, it is.