TNA ADM 199 788 A

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succession of British shipping as motley in its larger form as
were the motor-boats themselves. Tramps, cargo ships, barges,
drifters, tugs, Dutch schoots, British warships, even river
ferry-boats such as carry one's car across the Thames at
Woolwich and elsewhere.
Of individual acts only a few can be given; every crew,
every man almost, experienced some incident or another. some
adventure that could fill a whole small volume on its own. And
yet what can a writer do when such men report such events in the
tersest of language such as "heavily shelled whilst at work"?
A few reminiscenses may be given here in the hope that
some idea of the work may be gathered by anyone who cares to
piece them together. Here are some extracts from a letter
written by Sub. Lt. W.R. Williams, R.N. which serve to illustrate
that merry sangfroid which has been referred to earlier:-
"So I proceeded by compass (error 20°) to the Calais -
Gravelines sands and anchored a few hundred yards out.
I was pulled ashore in the boat, which waited for me
while I walked inland in search of Allied soldiers.
After about a quarter of a mile I saw two men silhouetted
against the glow of a distant blaze. I approached to
within a few yards and hailed them.
I heard one of them say "Lieber Gott!" and they turned
around and commenced to shoot at me. By this time I had
come to the conclusion that I was in enemy territory, so
I hid behind a dune and shot back.
Fortunately it was a very dark night and the Germans
could not see me properly, while I could see their out-
lines quite well. I shot the one on the right twice
and he fell without a sound. The other one screamed
when I fired two bullets at him, and he dropped whatever
he was carrying and then fell and lay still. By this
time I heard nearby shouts so, deeming discretion to be
the better part of valour, I ran at top speed back to
the boat and my ship was under way at her full six knots
within less than five minutes."
-
"I proceeded back to Dunkirk as soon as I had landed
the soldiers at Ramsgate and arrived just in time to
catch the dusk bombing and shelling. There was a lot
of shrapnel falling on the beach and I was greatly
impressed by the Tommies and Poilus who waded out into
the sea and helped the sailors with the boats. Nowhere
did Isee any signs of cracking morale or anything but
cheerfulness.
-
"I went back for the last time the same evening. Dunkirk
was by now a flamir DIGHT unsulba in the "Swallow"
and proceeded todna S kct with a
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