While I was interested to see the article about Seaplane Tender 206 making its final voyage along the South Coast, calling at Shoreham and Newhaven en route to the RAF Museum in London (The Argus, May 3), I was surprised there was no mention of its connection with Lawrence of Arabia.

During his later years serving in the RAF, Lawrence (or TE Shaw as he then called himself) played a key role in the development of these boats, working in conjunction with their designer and builder, Hubert Scott-Paine. Having witnessed a seaplane disaster at Plymouth in 1931, Lawrence was convinced of the need for faster rescue launches and used his influence to get these boats developed, which featured “hard-chine planing hulls” that helped them to plane across the water. Lawrence himself more than once skippered a boat in sea trials along this route, recording, for instance, in the official 200 Class manual in June 1934, that, “the boat only got to Beachy Head and there swamped itself. We put into Newhaven and returned by road.”

After Lawrence’s death these boats played an invaluable role during the Second World War, rescuing an estimated 13,000 crewmen from the sea. They were also the inspiration for the US PT (patrol torpedo) boats which operated in the South Pacific campaign.

I believe there are only two of these boats left. When the previous owner acquired ST 206 it was about to be converted into a cold frame for growing tomatoes. All honour to Philip Clabburn for saving it and restoring it and skippering it on its last journey.

Graham Chainey, Marine Parade, Brighton