Appledore's Largest Launching Yet 31st May 1957

Most up-to-date of her kind in the UK, the largest ship ever to be built at the shipyards of Messrs P K Harris & Sons at Appledore was floated out of the dry-dock in which she was built, to the accompaniment of ships' sirfens and worken's cheers. 

The vessel was christened 'Sand Dart' by Mrs V G W Batt, wife of the managing director of the Southampton firm.  Before the naming ceremony a bouquet was presented to Mrs Batt by Mrs Veree Kidd, daughter of the Richmond yard charge-hand Mr Jack Eastman.