Three generations of descendants have visited the memorial of a Manx vessel that saved their family from war.

Referred to as an ’extraordinary story of bravery and sacrifice’, Cecilia Duggan and her relatives commemorated the SS Mona’s Queen, which rescued family members from Belgium during the Second World War.

Used for ferrying people to and from the island as part of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, the ship was one of many that helped people escape from conflict across the English Channel.

It was sunk at Dunkirk in 1940. Her anchor now rests at Kallow Point in Port St Mary, which the family visited.

’My mother, Christine Blake, was rescued by the crew of Mona’s Queen in May 1940 from Belgium and came to England as a refugee,’ said Ms Duggan, from Canterbury.

’She was 17 and came with her sisters and parents after they left their home when the German army arrived on the streets of Brussels where they lived.

’I and my family owe our lives to them, of that I have little doubt. As a family we are determined we will never forget Mona’s Queen and her crew.

’Few people know that many civilians were rescued in the weeks leading up to Dunkirk and the tragic sinking of Mona’s Queen and two other Steam Packet ferries. I believe that this is an extraordinary story of bravery and sacrifice.’

Having visited the island in 2013 with her sister Anita Turpin, Ms Duggan was this time joined by her partner Mike Trevethick, Mrs Turpin and husband Dick, brothers Bernard and Dominic Duggan with daughter Alice, niece Teresa Mason who brought her son Luke, and cousin Nina Smith - daughter of Francine Smith nee Blake - who was Christine’s youngest sister.

They would never have visited the island if Mrs Turpin hadn’t heard Mona’s Queen being used as a team name at a quiz in Norfolk.

From that they uncovered the story of the ship and where it came from.