TNA ADM 199 790

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On arrival at Dunkirk I use ordered to 80 to
West pier. I deemed this inadvisable and said 80.
Also it was suggested that I should pick up French soldiers
from the beach inside the harbour. lithout boats this was
impracticable.
Alongside East pier a full load was taken but
not before I had cast off and returned oring to a
misunderstanding. While alonguide a hulk two cables
east from the pièr TAB heavily bombed by two waves of dive
bombers. The second attack was in progress as I laft
the pier and aircraft were engaged by the entire areasent.
Dive bonber attacks on leaving Dunkirk.
During the next half hour the ship was attacked
by successive waves of dive bonbers consisting of three
or four squadrons of about nine each.
The first attack took place in Dunkirk reads
where avoiding action was not possible. The available
speed was 19 knots. In this attack about half the bonbe
dropped were time delay and the nearest appeared to be
about 50 yards away. Although the ship was lifted
in the water a number of times no structural damage was
done.
Succeeding attacks took place in the channel
leading northward from No.5 buoy. In these attacks
the majority of the bomba burst on impact with the water
and caused great damage to personnel. Some of these
dropped as near as 10 yards.
In all it is estimated that over 100 bombe
were dropped near the ship.
Attacks were pressed well home even down to
200 02 300 feet and it can be said that the bombing was
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