One of the three men individually named for their part in the disaster died last summer.

Mark Stanley, the assistant bosun on the day of the tragedy, died in hospital on July 20, aged 58.

He had not closed the bow doors when the ship set sail and he had been haunted by the tragedy, which was said to have severely affected his health, working life and family.

Mr Stanley had fallen asleep in his cabin. He awoke in darkness as the ship was capsizing.

Mr Justice Sheen’s report said: “Mr Stanley has frankly recognised his failure to turn up for duty and he will, no doubt, suffer remorse for a long time to come.

“In fairness to Mr Stanley, after the Herald capsized he found his way out of the ship on to her hull where he set about rescuing passengers trapped inside.

“He broke a window for access and, when he was scooping the glass away, his right forearm was deeply cut.

“In fairness to Mr Stanley, he found his way out of the ship where he set about rescuing passengers trapped inside" - Mr Justice Sheen

"Nevertheless, he re-entered the hull and went into the water to assist passengers.

"He continued until he was overcome by cold and bleeding.”

After the disaster our sister paper the Kentish Express, reported Mr Stanley had been hounded from his home in Ashford, and went into hiding.

He was one of three people individually blamed for their part in the tragedy, along with the entire company owning the ferry, Townsend Car Ferries Ltd.

Chief officer Leslie Sabel, of Canterbury, failed to make sure the doors were closed, and the master, Captain David Lewry, of Sandwich, left the port without knowing the doors were closed.

Former Mercury editor Graham Smith saw the stunned silence in Dover town centre after the capsize.

Mr Smith, then 33 said: “The morning after my wife Sarah and I went to Dover town centre and it felt like there was a hushed silence over the town.

“People were gathered in little groups and there was, of course, only one thing they were talking about.

“People in south Kent will always remember where they were when they heard the news.

"It is rather like people always remember where they were when they heard the news of President Kennedy’s death.

“Something that has never ceased to amaze me is that for years afterwards, it appeared that anyone who lived in Dover knew someone who was on that boat.

“It’s what happens with the community in a small town, I guess.”

Mr Smith was living in Dover at the time and working for a travel magazine.

Entertainment and activities in Dover was abruptly ended as the news came through that night.

Dover town councillor Keith Sansum was then a 29-year-old community volunteer and running a disco at the Stagecoach building in the town’s Castle Street.

He said: “When the news was heard the DJ Pat Yarwood made an announcement and in respect for those who had lost lives he decided to close the disco for the night.

"It was without doubt one of the saddest days for Dover, but probably highlighted issues at that time that wouldn’t happen today.

“Without doubt everyone in Dover knew someone that died that day whether it be a relative or a friend.

“This tragic event will be remembered by the people of Dover for ever.”

Photographer Paul Amos met crowds of families desperate for information at the ferry offices that evening.

He now sees the disaster as the most major story of his career.

Mr Amos continues as a KM photographer and was then a 32-year-old when he first got the news from a telephone call to his home in Whitfield that evening.

He said: “The Daily Mirror rang to say what had happened and asked me to find out more.

“I went straight to the Townsend Thoresen offices in Russell Street in Dover. Already families were gathering there to get information about what had happened.

"It was already known that the ferry had capsized at Zeebrugge but there were no details of casualties. Mums, dads, wives and other relatives gathered there.

"There were 10 to 20 when I got there and that swelled to about 50 in the two to three hours I was there.

“The families could not get the information they needed and none was forthcoming from the offices.

"However there was one local journalist who was in contact with the Press Association and was on short wave radio, where he could listen to the talk among the rescue services so he was able to learn more. The relatives gathered around him.

“People were very distressed and because of the atmosphere there it was difficult to take pictures.

"There was a picture of the Herald on a wall in the offices and a Daily Mail photographer snapped that and relatives had a go at him.

“A few days later I went with a guy from PA to Channel House to try and get a picture of the captain, David Lewry, and we were given a passport image, the one that has been regularly used since.

“Dover was in absolute shock from now because most of the ferry staff lived locally and everyone would have known of someone who worked on the ferries.

“Since then I have covered major stories such as the Great Storm of that year and the Deal Marines barracks bombing but this was the biggest story of my career in terms of tragedy.”