TNA ADM 199 788 A

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correct lying to four off knots. place a beach and crowded Sighted many with soldiers small craft go and some destroyers was hailed to out and a few came in as I boats. could. Was soldiers waded went as near inshore thought this Some apparently go alongside small coastal rowing of soldiers aground. Went to her and steamer took hour we went while she opened fire. In got way on and I lay when off bombing raid started, destroyer About to go alongside to be transferred to destroyers. off a boatload drift in port then starboard engines broke down Returning her to beach alongside and disembarked soldiers. about half an while there enough in to be reached easily by pulling. go anchor.
close close to the shore before letting so let Was could assist in the engine room to volunteer.
engines in a bad condition so I asked any soldiers who filled up with military. E.R.A. reported boats;
Royal Artillerymen and Royal Engineers came forward Six to help
E.R.A. White. Sand was found in the carburettors and the distributors required resetting. One engine was ready in just over one and a half hours, so got under way and proceeded to a destroyer to discharge men aboard.
Next attempted to get alongside pier made of army lorries by dropping astern on anchor. Only one side of the pier was approachable, wind setting on shore difficult sea running, parted all my ropes in efforts to get alongside then found pier unusable where my boat could approach.
Received and discharged more soldiers, also received signal that refuelling drifters were on their way to assist light craft.
E.R.A. reported only enough fuel remaining for ten minutes running, then went alongside destroyer where I
received one drum of petrol to carry on for a while.
Received signal for all ships to be ready to leave at a moments notice.
Both engines failed again as I was proceeding inshore
Dropped anchor in shallow water. Large air battle in progress about thirty planes involved. Very shortly after 1700 (time rather uncertain) the enemy opened fire with a gun ashore. After first shell landed in the sea
I ordered my crew to get below between the engines.
Second shell landed in the water alongside my ship about three yards off and burst. Able Seaman Todd, and Able
Seaman Holloway were instantly killed, Chief Petty Officer
Dawson received cuts on the face and neck, E.R.A. White was hit in the leg, I was hit in the nose, hip and foot.
Blinded by blood I was unable to see the extent of and asked for a report on the ship's condition and the damage. Ordered charts and secret papers to be the burned casualties incurred. Was told she was sinking slowly and my were really dead and he reported there was no doubt, they two A.B's killed. Told coxswain to make sure they had been killed outright.
The Stoker burned my papers and charts while the coxswain hailed for assistance, E.R.A. White remained by me and kept me informed as to what was happening.
assisted The into her, the remainder of the crew then abandoned motor coxswain shortly lowered the dinghy and I was launch ship (Coxswain, and were taken aboard casting the dinghy
E.R.A., Stoker). Pulled over to adrift, a during this period I could not see and did not see

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cutter.
I
my For the Owing rest of to later the the day borrowed until my a whaler last trip and I 2 carried hands from only IMPULSIVE. British 3A36 troops.
were unguarded water than and five below feet, ground the swell hull, and we the fact that SWALLOW's propellors less inshore at some speed, check and it considered it unsafe to go shoot (50 fathoms were in towards turned of grassline the beach, bent and the on to it was nearing allow therefore, the the end cutter to of its run into to tow bows to seaward and the boat 30 fathoms was backed of 3" into rope), shore. the cutter's clambered megaphone how to the water and
Crowds over of the rushed into had by been embarked, I went cutter. and when I I instructed them inboard. of subsequently stopping while the hangers-on cutter out were of pulled reach the remainder; ahead so as to take thought enough cases occasion the when were the very weak and very helpless; was easier, for but in all on one
With men the British troops the loading were of the loaded, were blown in broadside on and to the the whaler, and which in the fully parted, both the cutter instance, case soldiers cutter, the combined efforts of the four Naval beach, ratings and it was only with great difficulty that we re-established it and hoisted a them, using SWALLOW's dinghy. The tow parted again and the line in to were unable to refloat her, so that I was obliged to send in the dinghy.
Each time after loading, I proceeded alongside IMPULSIVE, whicl had a jumping ladder rigged. In order to avoid waste of time in shortening in my eighty-fathom towline, I passed the end of it to
IMPULSIVE and requested her to haul the boats alongside, which was done by part of the ship's company doubling along her deck. After the first trip, I borrowed IMPULSIVE's whaler and two more hands, and made a number of trips from shore to ship towing both boats. There were at this time very few boats working between the shore and the ships, but there were some boats full of troops broached to on the beach and unable to get off. One motor boat belonging to a destroyer, one whaler and a small motor yacht were the only boats working on two or three miles of beach, and in view of the target presented to enemy aircraft by destroyers and other ships waiting to embark troops, I requested
IMPULSIVE to transmit a signal from me to Admiralty, repeated V.A. Dover, requesting more sutters and power boats to speed up the embarkation.
There was some shelling on the beaches, and a good deal of A/A fire from the ships as German aircraft appeared overhead at frequent intervals.
At about midday, IMPULSIVE hoisted two black shapes, and when
I next came alongside she reported that she had struck some wreckage and damaged her port propellor (this happened, I think, while she was taking avoiding action during an attack by aircraft).
As IMPULSIVE had to proceed for docking, I returned her whaler and the borrowed ratings who had manned my cutter, and proceeded to work with WINCHELSEA. Up to this time IMPULSIVE had taken some
400 soldiers, nearly all British. Before she left, I obtained from her
50 gallons of fuel for my boat.
I should like to mention here the ready co-operation of the
Captain, everything possible was done to assist me both by the handling the the First Lieutenant and many others of H.M.S. IMPULSIVE; of petrol, lending a whaler and hands to help in working my cutter short ship to provide a lee, by hauling the long tow line, and by providing and also by providing food for me and my boat's crew during the periods when we were alongside.
I later received much assistance and co-operation from H.M.S.
HINCHELSEA who lent me a signalman and ratings for my cutter and gave
De all her available petrol.