THE owner of a boat built at Poole nearly 70-years ago, which is to take part in the Queen’s Jubilee flotilla, is appealing for help to research her service history.

Peggotty, a Dickens Class general service launch in the Royal Army Service Corps, will be among 1,000 craft floating along the River Thames to mark the Diamond Jubilee this summer.

And owner Neil Fisher is seeking confirmation of his belief that she could be the only boat to have been present at both the Coronation Review in 1953 and this pageant 60-years later.

Neil bought her in 1998 and keeps the craft, built by famous boatbuilders RA Newman and Sons of Hamworthy, at Benfleet in Essex.

He has some information about the war service of Peggotty, who was completed on August 11 1944, and is hoping readers can help fill in the gaps in his knowledge.

“Given her historical significance and fine lines Peggotty has been accepted as a participant in the Queens Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in June 2012,” he said.

“This is a poignant honour for me also as my father attended the Coronation Review of the fleet at Spithead in 1953 aboard the Orient Lines Orcades.”

He said if Peggotty was stationed in the Solent in 1953, it is likely she would have been present at the review as a spectator.

“I have a picture of her labelled as “Entering Portsmouth Harbour” circa 1953 and the HMS Vernon banner can be seen clearly in the background,” he said.

“If it is the case that she was present at the review in 1952 I may be in the position of having potentially the only boat to have been present at both the Coronation Review and the Diamond Jubilee Review 60 years apart.”

Neil has copies of undated letters from William Bertie Dickenson an engineer who served on her and she was shown as still being part of the RASC in 1964.

At some stage she was renamed the Maid of Galloway before reverting to Peggotty. She was moored at St Olaves off the Norfolk Broads from 1988, from where Neil acquired her 10 years later.

He is appealing for information on her whereabouts on June 15 1953, service history and the ports she operated from, her crew, builder RA Newman and anyone who may have worked there, plans, blueprints or diagrams and any further information.

He intends to bring her home to Hamworthy for her 70th anniversary in 2013.

• If anyone has any information Neil Fisher can be contacted at 455 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex IG11 9DG, email fisher-resources@live.co.uk or 07543 597 243.