TNA ADM 199 788 A

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 33.

Dynamo 126.
83
8
6
22.
June 1st 1940
ROYARD ENDER
* 3 JUN1940
X. 208,
Sir,
GOS GOSPORT EG
*
At Ramsgate.
9 regret to report that the shif under my command,
the lighter X. 209, attached to the Royal clarence yard
Portsmouth, was involved in a shght collision early on
the morning of June ,st 1940. The circumstances were
as follows:-
At affroximately 0200 on June 1940, X:208
was some five miles to seaward from the town of
Gravelines on that fortion of the French coast which was
occupied by the fermans. The sky was totally overast by
heavy nimbus cloud and the night was very dark.
9 was proceeding very cantroisly at 2 knots in order
to he as silent as possible and to avoid showing my position
to the Germans by my how wave. My course was South
20° West, and was as steady as youring would allow.
A bow-wave suddenly affeared on my starboard
fow, and resolved itself into a small washif, nationality
and class unknown due to the darkness, proceeding on
a course almost exactly offosite to my own. For no
apparent reason he suddenly altered course and now across
my how. 9 stopped engines and then went astern, but
before 9 could take the way off my shif the warship had
swring himself beam on across my bows and I hit him
beneath the bridge. After the collision the washit mad
offand disappeared. X.208 sustained shght damag
to the hows of the shif but was able to carry on her
work, minus the ships boat, which was smashed by our screws as
we went astem. ( Signed)
Williams, sub Lientenant, Royal navy.
R.g. Banks. act Masts.
H.W. Edmidon (Q.m.)
g a Windebank Lg slaker