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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1950 Even after the two wars, the RNLI archive records the rescue of a Greek man described at the time as an "undesirable alien" off Brixham. He had escaped from being returned to Greece in a raft, using a shovel as an oar. He was rescued and handed over to the police.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1949 Back then, RNLI volunteers weren't attacked for rescuing people seeking sanctuary across the Channel. William Peters, a former coxswain of the St Ives lifeboat, received a French award for services including the rescue of French vessels and hospitality shown towards French refugees.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1942 During the Second World War, the RNLI records describe 12 French refugees being rescued in several incidents over a period of six hours.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1940 Belgian refugees were again involved in RNLI rescues. The Walmer lifeboat records include incidents on 24 and 28 May involving Belgian refugees.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1939 The Channel again became a route of flight as war returned to Europe. RNLI records describe two German refugees being rescued by the Walmer lifeboat.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

One of the better-known examples is the rescue of the Peregrine by the Walton lifeboat on 29 December. There were 59 "passengers" aboard, as well as a crew of 33. The crew of the Walton lifeboat were subsequently recognised for the rescue, receiving honours and awards.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

1915 RNLI records show Belgian refugees being rescued at sea. On 10 October, several Belgian fishing boats carrying refugees were travelling towards Lowestoft when two grounded on the Newcome Sands. The Kentwell rescued all 35 refugees aboard the two boats and brought them safely ashore.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

📢 New Publication 📢 Very happy to say that my article "Flights across the Channel: tracing the memories and heritage of maritime migration in the English Channel" has been published in Citizenship Studies! 🌊 🚣 You can download it open access here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Yesterday @alarmphone.bsky.social documented what appears to have been a pushback in the Channel. I am not clear on all the details but pushbacks are prohibited under international law.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

My colleagues Rachel Ibreck, Souhayel Weslety and I wrote a field reflection titled ‘The “UNFAIR” refugee agency: UNHCR accountability after protests and violence’ based on fieldwork researching refugee-led protests at UNHCR offices in Cairo, Tripoli and Tunisa. academic.oup.com/jrs/advance-...

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

We treat Channel crossings today as exceptional, and the RNLI is called a "migrant taxi service." However, people have long sought refuge across the Channel. On this day in 1939, two German refugees were rescued in the Channel by the RNLI and brought to safety in the UK.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

As seems to be the custom on here, meet Fennec and Moss.

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Finally, with my colleagues Rachel Ibreck and Martina Tazzioli, I co-authored the article "Counter-Archiving Migration: Tracing the Records of Protests against UNHCR". This can be found open-access in International Political Sociology here: academic-oup-com.gold.idm.oclc.org/ips/article/...

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Second is an article I co-authored with my friend and colleague, Antje Scharenberg, in Political Geography titled "The Sea in Sea Rescue: Conceptualising solidarity with maritime migrants". . Read it open access here: sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Peter Rees @peternrees.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

First off is an article, titled, "The nomos of citizenship: migrant rights, law and the possibility of justice" published in the journal Contemporary Political Theory". You can find it open access here: rdcu.be/dwhVn

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