PS Whippingham was a passenger paddle steamer built for the Southern Railway in 1930 for the ferry route to the Isle of Wight.

[2] Although retained on the Isle of Wight ferry route at the outbreak of the Second World War, at the end of May 1940 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and took part in the Dunkirk evacuation; although she only made one trip she brought back 2,700 men.

After resuming ferry services, she was requisitioned again in 1941 as a minesweeper and converted to an anti-aircraft ship in the following year.

[3] She provided cover for convoys assembling in Largs Bay on the Firth of Clyde and later supported the Normandy landings in 1944.

On 31 July 1947 she collided with the 28-ton yawl Ariette, which was preparing to take part in the Royal Thames Yacht Club regatta off the pier head at Ryde.