TNA ADM 199 790

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CONFIDENTIAL.
130
To: The Admiralty.
via: V.A. Dover.
H.M.S. "SALANDER".
Copies to: F.O., London.
5th June, 1940.
M.S.4.
Sir,
I have the honour to submit the following narrative of events
which took place on Friday, 31st May, and Saturday, 1st June, 1940.
At 1800/31/5 I left Dover in company with HALCYON and SKIPJACK
to rendezvous with the remainder of the minesweepers at YY buay by 2200 in
accordance with V.A. Dover's 0357/31/5.
Here I took FITZROY under my command and followed astern of the
other two groups through Dunkirk Roads, past Dunicirie, to a position off Bray,
I was then ordered by NIGER to anchor one mile to his Eastward, to avoid magnetic
mines laid near No.8 Buoy. This was accomplished by 0015/1/6.
The beach at Bray was under shrapnel fire from inland energy
batteries, and as no boats closed no I lowered a shaler with a Volunteer
crew to land for soldiers (See appendix No.1).
The boat returned in about half an hour with one hand and a
message from General Nontgomery to inform all ships that he intended
moving Weatward to Dunkirk at once as the beach was becoming untenable.
This message I passed to all ships in V/S to ch.
The pontoon pier had been hit by shell fire and no troops
seemed to be embarking at all, so I weighed and kept under way closing
the beach as much as I could.
When a little light appeared, however, boats began to above
off from the beach and dame to no. RA Dover now ordered all ships to
embark men in boats and move Westwards to Dunkirk at dawn. A continual
stream of boats came off with military personnel, and by 0600/1/6 I had
embarked about 450 men, including 29 wounded of whom 11 were stretcher
cases, Attacks by aircraft took place on all ships and salvoes of bombs
were dropped, no ships being hit. We were then attacked by front
machine gun fire from Messerschmitt 109's, and one casualty was sustained.
L.S.A. Gullett was hit in the hand by a bullet. I then noved Westeard
astern of KNITH and SKIPJACK.
At 0820/1/6 an air attack took place on all three ships, and
SKIPJACK was sunk, and KSITH hit and set on fire. KSITH abandoned ship,
and I closed her and sent away both whalers as lifeboats. (See appendix
No.2). Whilst resouing survivors I was again attacked by Junkers 87
dive bombers, and a salvo of four bombs fall about 50 feet ahead of the
ship. They exploded under water when two bomba were approximately abreast
the bridge. The ship lifted bodily and heeled to starboard, and then
settled down with a list to part. She then sank about a foot, suddenly.
I feared she was in danger of sinking, so I ordered the S.P's on board to
be jettisoned. This was done in a weighted bag. (See appendix No.3)
I stopped engines and waited reports from the Singineer Officer and Recutive
Officer.
The Engineer Officer and First Lieutenant ascertained that the
forward, was and had flooded compartments amidahips In comprising about the cold and
ship still seaworthy, although she had gained about 1 foot of draught
hour rooms, steam WILLS gunners got on main engines again. (See Engineer Officer's
0001 stores and canteen store. attached a quarter of an
report).