ONE of the armada of little ships involved in the famous Dunkirk evacuation during the Second World War is berthed at Greenock's James Watt Dock Marina.

The 73ft craft 'Chico' — previously owned by land and water speed record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell — is undergoing a refit here ahead of a season of summer cruises.

Her current custodian, and skipper, Gus Geddes, told the Telegraph how she is the only 'Dunkirk Little Ship' still active in Scotland.

Asked what it's like to own such a proud piece of maritime history, Gus said: "You never really own her, you are just looking after her in the hope that you pass her on to someone in as good condition as you found her."

Chico was among around 850 private boats that sailed from England to Dunkirk on the French coast between May 26 and June 4 in 1940 as part of Operation Dynamo.

The vessels helped rescue more than 338,000 British and French troops who were trapped on the beaches there.

Chico — built in 1932 with pitch pine on oak and a copper-sheathed hull at St Monans, Fife — herself saved more than 1,300 men, either by bringing them home to Dover or ferrying them to other waiting ships.

Gus said: "She would have been a little top heavy — all the decks and cabin space would have been full of people, mostly completely exhausted and sleeping the whole way back.

"The engine room is so cosy and warm, which they must have appreciated after wading and swimming from the beach.

"They must have been so relieved to get away."

Further wartime adventure came Chico's way in 1941 while she was involved in minesweeping duties off Dungeness on the Kent coast with three other small ships of the Dover Command.

They saw what has been described in archives as 'serious action' as their crews fought off an attack by a diving enemy bomber, with a Lewis machine gun mounted on Chico being used to shoot off the aircraft's tail.

Chico's commanding officer at the time, Jack Mason, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry.

Gus said: "We had one of his daughters on board last year. It was very emotional for her. She had never seen her father’s boat before.

"He seems to have been an extraordinary man, serving with distinction before becoming a teacher after the war."

Chico's wartime service was all a far cry from the gentler times of 1933 when Chico was sold to Sir Malcolm Campbell as Freebelle III, and he renamed her Blue Bird after his famous record-breaking car.

As Blue Bird, she was sold to the Countess of Onslow in 1935 and seemed destined to further her elegant life on the waves, however, following the outbreak of war in 1939 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed Chico.

Skipper Gus has operated her out of Oban and Mallaig during the summer months since 2011 as a labour of love and the revenue he and his partner, Sue Maclachlan, generate from the cruise season is spent on keeping the wee ship in tip top condition.

Gus said: "We generate enough money to look after the boat by doing between eight and ten cruises per year.

"It is a very nice life. It just floats by. We look after her as best we can."

Chico, the little craft that was built as a 'gentleman's motor yacht', is proof that ships, just like people, harbour exceptional stories.