St. Julien

Produced from c1927-1931, this super puzzle was another example of Chad Valley's developing technique, introducing a complete outline cut around the ship's shape, set within an otherwise standard rectangular puzzle.
One of a pair of vessels built by John Brown for the Weymouth services, She had two funnels but one was a dummy and this was removed in 1928. When war broke out in 1939 she was put to use ferrying troops but very quickly converted into a hospital ship. She took part in the evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk and Cherbourg in 1940. She spent the remainder of the war as a hospital ship, including a period operating in the Mediterranean and supporting the D Day landings. Afterwards she returned to Weymouth for further railway service which lasted until 1961. Source Wikipedia
The GWR connection is that the St. Julien was employed on the Channel Islands run and the puzzles were described by GWR as A reproduction of the GWR's popular Channel Islands Service Steamship. Source: Phil Stokes .
Photos by kind permission of Alan Sudbury.

Artist: Unsigned
Date: c1927-1931
Brand: Chad Valley
Material: Plywood
Nationality: British-England
Pieces: 150
Series: GWR-Great Western Railway
Size: 17" x 11 1/4"
Theme: Promotional
Title: St. Julien