Details

FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
Later on 2nd June, on instructions from the N.O.I.C., the original crew took
charge of the Marsayru, but she did not, apparently, make a second trip to Dun-
kirk. Her skipper (G. D. Olivier) received the D.S.M. for his services, and her
engineer (C. Coggins) a mention in despatches.
The Cockle Bawley boats
Of the small craft that went over on this day, Admiral Ramsay speaks in
the following terms of the Cockle Bawley boats²:
"The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all
volunteers who were rushed over to Dunkirk in one day, probably none of them
had been under gunfire before and certainly none of them under Naval discipline.
These boats were Thames estuary fishing boats which never left the estuary, and
only one of their crews had been further afield than Ramsgate before. In spite
of this fact perfect formation was maintained throughout the day and night under
the control of a Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.³ in command of the Unit, and all orders
were carried out with great diligence even under actual shell fire and aircraft
attack."
One of these cockle boats, the Renown, was blown up by a mine while returning
to England disabled and in tow of the drifter Ben and Lucy. Her skipper,
W. H. Noakes, and his crew⁴ were killed. The Ben and Lucy had been towing
the drifter Feasible (disabled by a shell hit), 3 life-boats and the cockle boat
Letitia. At 0115 on the 1st June the Renown, by then disabled, attached
herself to this tow, but an hour later she was blown to pieces and a hail of wood
and splinters came down on the Letitia's deck. The Letitia's skipper (A. J.
Dench) says, In the pitch dark we could see nothing, and after the explosion
we hard nothing and we could do nothing, except pull in the tow rope, which
was just as we passed it to the Renown about 3 hour before.
French and Belgian ships arrive
Early on the 31st it became known that the Belgian Government were anxious
that several small Belgian fishing craft lying at Brixham should take part in
the evacuation and steps were taken to arrange this.
At 1335 the French destroyer Léopard routed from the Downs to Dunkirk
two French trawlers5, three French motor fishing vessels⁶, and ten Belgian
trawlers⁷.
The Belgian trawlers were under the orders of Pilote Malet; the remainder
of the ships under Lieutenant de vaisseau Drogou.
Other Allied ships that sailed for Dunkirk on this day were the French cargo
ships Ingénieur Cachin and Margaux, the trawlers Pierre et Marie, Emma and
Duperre, and the patrol vessel Diligente; the Belgian trawlers Lydie Suzanne
and Yvonne, and the drifters Gerard-Léon (H.64), Anne Marie and Thérèse
Compas. On her return journey the Pierre et Marie picked up 3 English sailors
from a drifting motor boat.
I The Marsayru's skipper says that throughout 31st May, and the days and nights that
followed (its all a complete jumble in my mind) we were
under constant fire
but
the
ship was not hit by anything." It seems, however, that Mr. Olivier was only in the evacu-
ation for 5 hours, i.e. from 1600 to 2100, 31st May.
2 Defender, Endeavour, Letitia, Reliance, Renown and Resolute.
3 S/Lt. M. H. B. Solomon, R.N.V.R.
4 L. V. Osborne, Mate, and F. W. Osborne, Engineer.
5 Chasse-Marée and Angèle Marie.
6 Margaux (D.692), Jeune France (Di.1213) and Du Guesclin (D.G.910).
7 Indépendence (0.308), Victor-Erna (H.63), Louise-Irène (H.80), Pharailde (H.42)
Raphael-Raymonde (H.43), O.L.V. Van Vlaandeven (N.49), John (O.210) Anna Marguerite
(Z.2), Buffalo Bill (Z.4) and the M.41.
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INDEX
References are to pages.
A.5, (Belgian), 107n. 29.
Abrial, Abel Admiral, 12, 51, 61, 68, 85, 96, 105-7, 113, 115, 116, 120.
Tasman, 20,
Abukir, Adam, Lt. sunk, Gen. 28. Sir R., 18 (organises Dunkirk bridgehead), 26, 35.
Advance, 53.
Adventuress, 60n.
Aegir, 91.
Aidie, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Ahola, 71n.
Air, (see Royal Air Force) : cover for evacuation ships, 5; co-operation with B.E.F., 7;
co-operation with Navy, 123 ; German ordered to concentrate attacks on shipping, 83.
Aircraft, Naval operating under Coastal Command, XIII.
Albury, 28n, 44, 53-4, 86, 97, 107n, 109, 114n, 116, 119.
A.L.C.3, 52.
A.L.C.5, 47, 52 (rushed by French troops).
A.L.C.4, 51, damaged.
A.L.C.8, 52, 75n.
A.L.C.15, 47, 51, 75n.
A.L.C.16, 45 (sunk), 52.
A.L.C.17, 45, 52 (breaks down).
A.L.C.18, 52 (damaged).
Alcmaria, 71n.
Aldis, Capt. T., 108.
Alexander, Maj.-Gen. Hon. H.R.L.G., 66 (assumes command), 68, 84, 85, 96 (to decide
when evacuation must end), 98, 103, 105, 108 (embarks),
Alice, 20, 29, 30 (abandoned).
Alphacca, 101.
Amazone, 29n.
Ambleve, 60.
A.M.C.3, 71n, 75n.
Amiral du Nord, see Abrial, Adm.
Amulree, 71n, 74 (sunk).
Anderson, Lieut. C. C., 67.
Andora, 71n.
Angèle Marie, 62n, 73n.
Angler II, 32n, 47n.
Ankh, 71n, 74 damaged.
Anna Marguerite, 73n.
Anna Marie, 73.
Anthony, 20n, 23, 24n, 27, 30, 42, 47n, 53, 54n, 55, 64 (damaged), 80.
Archangel, 19, 28.
Argyllshive, sunk, 85.
Arley, 13n, 39, 44.
Aronia, 71n.
Arras, 62, 69.
Arras, lost, 6.
Aura, lost, 100.
Autocarrier, 114n, 118.
Balloons, 75, 84.
Balquhain, 72n.
Barbara Jean, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Barker, Lt.-Gen. M. G. H., 2.
Base Party, British Naval, embarks, 102.
Basilisk, 61, 86, 90-91 (sunk).
Bat, 63.
Bathelemy General, 120.
Beach parties, 21, 49, 65, 70, 77, 79-83.
Beaches embarkation begins, 17, 22 allotted to troops, 18; organised, 23, 31n, 75n
all ships diverted to, 23, 24 ; first supplies reach, 26; weather affects embarkation,
difficulties, 57, 81 ; crowded with troops, 58; difficulties of control, 58 ; marked by
36, 48, 69-70; development of evacuation from, 54, 60; changing situation causes
lights, 58-9; no ships off, 59-60; strewn with motor transport, 69; 30,000 troops
195