[4] After the end of World War II she was repeatedly sold, renamed Ashford and then Chris M, before being substantially enlarged in a conversion to a schooner and reverting to her original name.

[4] Built in England in 1943 as a deep sea tugboat,[4] she was tasked with Royal Navy work and salvaging merchant ships damaged in the Battle of the Atlantic and other naval engagements during the Second World War.

Empire Sandy's Second World War 'Official Log-Books' documented all her wartime voyages including the complete particulars of the crew, names, addresses, ages, next of kin etc.

[7] Ashford is listed[8] as part of the salvage team attending the battleship HMS Warspite after she was driven aground on 23 April 1947 on the way to the breakers.

In the early 1970s the aged ship was to be sold to breakers for scrap, but the steel hull was still in very good condition and she was bought by Nautical Adventures Co. for a possible conversion.