TNA ADM 199 790

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EMBARKATION OF THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
the
Sunday, 26th May, 1940
situation.
The
the
P.M. I was given details of arrangements being
made for the provision of shipping for the evacuation of the
B.E.F. from Dunkirk and the beaches to the Eastward thereof,
to
by Captain Jeffery, and at 6 p.m. I was ordered by V.C.N.S.
raice
to proceed to Dunkirk to take control of the naval shore
embarkation parties. The officers and men of my party
for the pier and beaches proceeded direct to Dover.
I left London 8.35 p.m. for the Nore, and explained
the Admiralty plan for embarkation to the Commander-in-Chief.
I continued my journey to Dover early next morning where I
received my final instructions from V.A. Dover. After going
through the plan for embarkation with him I left Dover in
H.M.S. WOLFHOUND at 1345 with a naval party consisting of
12 officers and 160 ratings, plus signal staff. The weather
was fine and clear.
We proceeded North of the minefield - a voyage
of some 90 miles - and about half way over the first dive
bombing attack took place. These attacks continued at about
halfhour or 40-minute intervals until we reached Dunkirk at
about1800. There were several very near misses but only
minor damage was done to the ship. This was an unpleasent
introduction to the war zone, and dive bombing was certainly
more alarming afloat than ashore, as we were soon to discover.
On reaching Dunkirk we turned and proceeded alongside in the
middle of a very heavy bombing attack.
I disembarked my party, divided them up into
sections and told the officers in charge of each section to
scatter them round the port to make them less vulnerable to
bombing attacks, while I proceeded to the Bastion Naval