TNA ADM 199 790

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APPRODIX I.
ACTIVITY OZ XXXX AIRCRAFT.
As the enemy aircraft secued to work in distinct
phases, I think it will be as well to devote an Appendix
to their operations.
On our arrival, they were chiefly occupied in
wreeking Duniciple and the port. It was quite out of the
question to use the harbour at all, and my first reaction
was that evacuation would have to be done from the beaches.
It soon became obvious, however, that they were not
including the pier in their attentions. At times they
were held off by a fine morning nist which sometimes
persiated until afternoon. At these times, when the wind
was favourable, a heavy pall of smoke from burning oil tanks,
to the westward, largely obscured the pier. During the
morning they made attempts to machine gun the beaches, but
were held off by anti-aircraft fire. The beaches were also
bombed but only for a brief pariod. Had they permisted,
they would have inflicted terrific losses on us, for there
were seldom less than 10,000 troops on the beaches. They
later attacked the pier, with dive banbers, ank three ships
and damaged the pier. Had they parmisted in these
successful attacks on the pier and ships alongside, the
evacuation could never have been achieved. They soon,
however, turned their attention to ships lying off the
beaches, and on one day (31st), no less than 100 bombing
attacks vora unde on ships within two miles of the pier.
Happily, at least 2h bombs were dropped on one large wreak
and many boobs on other wreaks. By this time also, Bofors
guna were being collected and this seemed to make them more
any of attacking the pier. The heavy attacks on ships at
see compelled IDD: to stop all sailings and arrivals during
daylight.
On the last day, they appeared once more to
return to the bombing of Dunkirk and its part and bastion.
Energy fighters were occasionally in evidence
excerting their bombers. At times our own fighters gave
us a great measure of relief, but the sky is a big place and
it WELLS often difficult to know if our aircraft were present
OF not. when our aircraft did arrive the French, and less
X
frequantly the British, opened fire on then.
Names already given to
special resignition Adv The first disputed
but all the Remander are mathy of mention
his particularly This have enderlosed.