THE TRUE story of the recent history of a German E boat raised from the mud in a Severnside creek this year has been uncovered at last.
The story is told by Linda Johnson who spent the first 13 years of her life on the boat which was lovingly restored by her father, the late Mr John Johnson.
"When he bought her there was just a chicken hutch on the deck. Dad completely restored the vessel at Barry Dock and built the superstructure, restored the engines and made her into a lovely home," Miss Johnson told the Review.
She was never used as a floating club at Barry, as some believe, and was never named 'Luck Lucinda.' Mr Johnson named her after his daughter – 'Lovely Linda'.
The boat was part of the waterside scene in Barry from 1970 until 1984. Miss Johnson does not know how the vessel came to be in Barry apart from the fact that it was a German E boat constructed at Copenhagen in 1944.
"Dad bought her with the idea of restoring her to cruise round the world. He spent hours working on her and she was a lovely boat in immaculate condition with six double cabins and a living room and dining room.
"It was a bit upsetting and heart-breaking to see her picture in the Review," said Miss Johnson.
'Lovely Linda' was sold in 1984 following Mr Johnson's death.
"She was taken to Saul Junction on the Gloucester canal to have work down in the dry dock there. That's the last I knew about her. I made some investigations to try and find out where she was and was told she was now in a pretty bad way in the Severn," she said.
Miss Johnson hopes soon to visit Collow Pill, near Newnham, where the vessel has been lifted from her side by new owner Dale Marshall. He is now deciding what next to do with her.