THE submarine Sirdar, which featured in the film Morning Departure, sank in dry dock at Sheerness Dockyard and the frigate, Berkeley Castle, capsized.

While experts were saying the frigate could not be salvaged, Mr F.A. Pound, the yard's chief constructor, was more optimistic.

His theory was that a ship is designed to float upright, so with judicious help from struts and wire hawsers, she was made to lift herself.

While this operation was underway, other dockers were detailed to work with servicemen, council workers and volunteers to sandbag the breached defences.

Much effort was concentrated on the Scrapsgate area where a wall was rebuilt some 50 yards from the original as a second line of defence.