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not on the way. I than embarked General Alexander and transferred him
assist on the pier and in the control and borthing of shipping had been sent over
rtly after to the first Destroyer to leave. Two motor boats with parties
these were attacked by aircraft on passage, and one with Communder Clounton
ly damaged to be of use. She ms sent back to England.
sunk. The other arrived, but had one engine out of notion and was too
by 2200, There was a fresh Northerly breese and this, coupled with the
The evacuation was timed to start at 2100 and four Destroyers had got
od tide, set ships off the pier and they had difficulty in borthing until the
le turned and the brease dropped. Large mmbers of French flabing and other
ft moving in and out of the harbours added to the difficulties.
M.A/S.B. 10 assisted two destroyers to borth by pushing them.in. By
so the B.E.F. were all away and at 2300 Capisin Termant and the rest of the
7al party left in N.T.B. 102. The absence of the naval borthing parties,
barked with the last of the B.E.F., was much folt, and the French did nothing
replace them. There was then a very long pause before any French troops
aded. no down to the East pier. One ship was alongside 28 hours before the -
There were large mmbers of French troops at the Yest Quay and
O Personnel Ships were sent in there. The second of these, the ROUN, went
round when clearing and I was reluctent to risk any more. Also this plar
S supposed to be used by French ships and some French Destroyers did go there.
USN relibated at High tide next day and returned safely.
The flow of troops was so slow that it was obvious that the ships
milable could not be filled in the time and I sent back three destroyers and
veral Fleet Sweepers expty and also at least two Personnal Ships.
This was a disappointing night. For some reason the French did not
one down and did not appear in any mmbers until about half an hour before dam.
be reason given was that a counter-attack had to be made. At 0300 there were
free Personnel Ships alongside and I had to order then to leave at 0310. the
lockships arrived at 0310 and I left for Dover shortly aftermatis.
1ght 3/4 June.
1.
For this night the time available for enharitation, 2230 to 0230, WAS
educed by an hour, and it was planned to use both Bast and West yders in addition
rom small boats. upper the West pier schools, minosweepers, and two correttes
o mall druft at the quays of the harbour. Vessels also lay off for loading
are detailed. East For yder YEAR to have 10 Transports, 6 Destroyers, and 4 Paddlers.
HTTSHED was to land borthing parties at 2200.
ai
swareding with want French over flating boats on their way in and the piers full of troops.
I in M.T.B. 102 and arrived at 2200 to fini the harbour
some of SABRE were trying WHITSHRD and landed them. No ship succesding
and later until the for over an hour to get alongside, and finally in
very 53. difficult There was again tide a turned at 2330. SHIPPING and three I Ships took
fresh Northerly wind and borthing conditions Pursonnel were
borthing party until off 2330 so that only three hours was available was for
the It East is pier remarkable that in spite of this only one paddler unable
the East pdor.
3
Owing to the ships, the harbour antrance got very congested in which
delay in borthing, the mmbers of small cruft and and the
continual that arrival of fresh is ulo solely to the magnificant way
the ships there were were handled no collisions in these constricted unters. Time and again I feared
a ship would go ashore in some impossible position.
/55 I