TNA ADM 199 788 A

Дуламо 186.
328
301
Admiralty House,
Sheerness.
June 6th, 1940.
REPORT GIVEN VERBALLY TO LIEUT. COMDR. D.E. HOLLAND-MARTIN, R.N.
A.B. S. Palmer D/JX 148052.
He was put in charge of the "Naid Errant", a 7 ton motor yacht of about 30ft., which started from Sheerness.
She sailed for Dunkirk early on Friday, May 31st as one of a convoy of 7 motor boats which included the "White
Heather". Before reaching the beaches close to Dunkirk he helped to rescue the survivors of a French Destroyer. He picked up about 20, which he transferred to a French tug, and then proceeded to the beaches. On arrival the French soldiers swarmed over his boat preventing him going astern so that he drifted ashore. He left the "Naid Errant" and swam off with his crew to a Minesweeper, whose name he did not know. Shortly afterwards thellatter went aground, but, as the tide rose, both the Minesweeper and the "Naid Errant" floated off. Palmer asked permission to swim back to his boat, but this being refused, he shouted to some soldiers on the beach to bring her alongside. This they managed to do and Palmer jumped on board, cast off from the Minesweeper, and set course for home. He was the only naval rating, in a small boat without a chart, with one serjeant and 8 other soldiers, who he thinks were from the Middlesex regiment. The sergeant he said was all right - "he had some rum in his bottle!". Palmer admits to know nothing about the engines which had already given the stoker trouble on the way over. Off Dunkirk they broke down, and so he broke up the yacht's cabin door and made the soldiers start to paddle. Luckily one of the engines started up and at about 2200 he left the vicinity of Dunkirk seering W.N.W.
For a brief period one of the soldiers relieved him on the wheel. The soldier was willing but/new nothing of steering a course and, as Palmer found him making to the Eastward, he took over again himself and remained on the wheel througout the night. At about 0600 on Saturday, June 1st he picked up the coast somewhere off Dover and followed it up to
Ramsgate arriving there about 1100.
On Sunday, June 2nd, without orders, he sailed again with a crew of one other A.B., but as the "Naid Errant"
was too slow he was ordered back by the captain of the
"Usanco" after getting two or three miles out from Ramsgate.
A.B. Palmer stated that he passed for Leading
Seaman in May 1927, but presumably cannot have been recommended. He says that he has three Good Conduct badges and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. He was drafted for operation Dynamo from R.N.B. Devonport, where he has recently been employed on the Plymouth City Patrol.
1025/2

) 2 (
548
DYNAMO OPERATION - DISTRIBUTION OF LEWIS GUNS
JANE HANNAH
SUN VIII
NARCISSA
ROSE
ACE
BETTY
CLACTON LIFE-
WINSTON
RACIA
MATILDA
BOAT
MERMAID
ADMIRALS BARGE LURNILYNE
MISS MING
MADAME SANGENE
HALCYONE
ELIZABETH OREEN
LETITIA
M.B. 1711
PIGEON
M.B. 37270
HAIG.
M.B. 74
WORF
4. Other smaller craft were also fitted with guns when these became available duo to the vessels proviously fitted being no longer required or unable to continue the operation. In addition magazines were refilled and spare ammunition was supplied as it became necessary.
5. A number of Lewis guns were transferred from ship to ship by the various officers when they changed their commands, and of these we have no record.
6. Four Q.0's for overhauling, and twelve ratings were sent from Chatham and they assisted in the above work.
LEWIS GUNNERS. /
7. All the 23 Lewis gunners sent from London were embarked for the operation, together with those from
Ramagate, most of them making several crossings, and all showed groat keenness in performing their duties.
8. All have returned to Ramsgate with the exception of
Cyril Head
)
J.S. Parker
)
Tug "SUN IV" (sent to Dover)
R. Jewitt
)
Tug "SUN XV" (sent to London)
Loslie Reed )
C.DRichards.
Lieutenant, R.N.V.R.
For D.E.M.S. Staff officer,
Ramsgate.