← Document collections
TNA / ADM 199 790

TNA ADM 199 790

TNA ADM 199 790
Collection details

TNA ADM 199 790

Admiralty records concerning Operation Dynamo and the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, dating from 1940.

Holding archive
TNA
Collection reference
ADM 199 790
View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199/790. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing only document page 474. Show all matching pages ×

1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 474–474 of this collection
Page ImageOCR textOCR tags
474 Page 474 Log in to enlarge

I arrived at Dover at 16.00 and disembarked the prisoners alongside
Adminalty Pier
23
After obtaining fuel I remained at Dover until ordered prt
H.H.S.Kaap Falga to Poole, leaving Doms at 09.20 on Tuesday 4th. June 1940
23
"RUJA"
B
H.M.S. RUJA sailed for Dunkirk from Dover and on first attempt broke down in the
Downs. The ship was towel back to Dover and repaired by Sandhurst and then I reported to N.O.I.C. Ramsgate and sailed for Dunkirk and remained there for 24 hours in order to collect about 300 soldiers off the Beach East of Dunkirk and later on in the evening off the barracades east of La. Panne. On the way back to Poole the ship broke down again and was successfully towed by H.H.S. Pascholl.
Signed H.R.Webber (Lieut R.N.)
"FRISO"
A
This vessel under the command of Licut. G.O. Symonds R.N. and subsequently under
Sun. Lieut. R.N.V.R. made two successful trips to Dunkirk beach and was able to evacuate 1008 officers and men. Although under continual fire from shore batteries and dive bombers the operation was carried out without mishap to vessel or crew.
Signed. G.V.Ward (Sub. Lieut. R.N.V.R.)
"DESPATCH II"
B.
May 29th & 30th.
To West of La Pain. Arrived La Pain 20.00 29th. and embarked 267 French with ships boats only until 04.00
At 04.00/30 discovered 2 ft of water in E.R. no air bottles and belt to air compressor broken. Managed to get under way 10.00/30th and returned to Ransgate
19.00 30th.
May 31st. June 1st.
Arrived Dunkirk 18.00/51 Air compressor not working and insufficient air in bottles to restart motors if they stopped. Embarked 160 mostly Middlesex Regiment with ships boats only until midnight.
Ships company were then exhausted with boat work and all Middlesex Regiment embarked ship sailed for Ramsgate arriving 07.30/1.
Ships Company acted very well. Besides my Lst. Lieut. Lt. Miller I wish to mention
L.S. A.J.M. Upton P/SSX 13505
A.B. W.H. Dibben P/JX 148504
A.B. H.B.Ketchley PJ109346
O.S. S.A.Greenwood P/JX 130093
Signed J.E. Whitwell, Lt. Comdr.
"PASCHOLL"
B.
This ship was only taken over by me on Sunday June 2nd., the previous Captain having returned to his proper duties at Ramagate. I proceeded to Ramagate arriving there 23.00 Instructions received ashore at 23.30 were to remain at anchor until further orders. At 15.00 Monday 3rd. June we sailed with Commander Hammond flying his flag in the ship in Command of 5 skoots. We arrived Dunkirk Harbour Jetty at
23.00 and embarked ap roximately 300 troops and after some delay left at 00.30 Tuesday
June 4th, arriving Ramsgate approximately 08:30 On instructions sailed at 05.30
Wednesday 5th. June for Poole. arrived Newhaven at 21.00 having taken
H.M.S.Ruja in tow at approximately 10.00 Sailed from Newhaven at 18.00 Thursday
6th. June Ruja still in tow arriving Studland Bay approximately 21.00.7th. June entered Poole Harbour.
Signed Wise Lieut. R.N.V.R.
"ZEUS"
I have the honour? to Report the following of my vessels activity in operation
I
Dynamo in diary form.
25th. May Joined at Poole. P.M. Vessel wiped 5.0 p.m. approx cast off and proceeded to anchor off Portsmouth. 9.0 p.m. ordered to anchor off Yarmouth.
26th, May. 5.10 a.m. ordered to remain at anchor until further orders. Hands cleaning ship
3.0 p.m. Ordered to proceed Portsmouth.
6.0 p.m. Arrived Portsmo th. Recive fuel water and stores and ordered to broken proceed
Spithead to swing for deviation. Discharged Dutch engineer. Note compass and steering compass damaged. Results of swinging give very unreliable deviation card
10.30 Proceed in company for Newhaven.
27th. May Dawn arrived off Newhaven and anchoved. Note. Ship very and short overhauling of dec. gear stores rope etc. Hands employed rope etc. Hands employed cleaning ship
9.0 approx. Proceeded in company for Dover.
28th. p.m. Dawn arrived off Dover 9.30 approx berthed alongside "Ruja" at West bad Quay,
Enemy render independance p.m. of navigation impossible we follow rest ahead. gunfire
May air raid 1.0 approx. Proceed in company for Dunking. Compass Considerable so as to etc. all night.

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 474.

I arrived at Dover at 16.00 and disembarked the prisoners alongside
Adminalty Pier
23
After obtaining fuel I remained at Dover until ordered
prt
H.H.S.Kaap Falga to Poole, leaving Doms at 09.20 on Tuesday 4th. June 1940
23
"RUJA"
B
H.M.S. RUJA sailed for Dunkirk from Dover and on first attempt broke down in the
Downs. The ship was towel back to Dover and repaired by Sandhurst and then I reported
to N.O.I.C. Ramsgate and sailed for Dunkirk and remained there for 24 hours in order
to collect about 300 soldiers off the Beach East of Dunkirk and later on in the
evening off the barracades east of La. Panne. On the way back to Poole the ship
broke down again and was successfully towed by H.H.S. Pascholl.
Signed H.R.Webber (Lieut R.N.)
"FRISO"
A
This vessel under the command of Licut. G.O. Symonds R.N. and subsequently under
Sun. Lieut. R.N.V.R. made two successful trips to Dunkirk beach and was able
to evacuate 1008 officers and men. Although under continual fire from shore
batteries and dive bombers the operation was carried out without mishap to vessel
or
crew.
Signed. G.V.Ward (Sub. Lieut. R.N.V.R.)
"DESPATCH II"
B.
May 29th & 30th.
To West of La Pain. Arrived La Pain 20.00 29th. and embarked 267 French with
ships boats only until 04.00
At 04.00/30 discovered 2 ft of water in E.R. no air bottles and belt to air
compressor broken. Managed to get under way 10.00/30th and returned to Ransgate
19.00 30th.
May 31st. June 1st.
Arrived Dunkirk 18.00/51 Air compressor not working and insufficient air in bottles
to restart motors if they stopped. Embarked 160 mostly Middlesex Regiment with
ships boats only until midnight.
Ships company were then exhausted with boat work and all Middlesex Regiment embarked
ship sailed for Ramsgate arriving 07.30/1.
Ships Company acted very well. Besides my Lst. Lieut. Lt. Miller I wish to mention
L.S. A.J.M. Upton P/SSX 13505
A.B. W.H. Dibben P/JX 148504
A.B. H.B.Ketchley PJ109346
O.S. S.A.Greenwood P/JX 130093
Signed J.E. Whitwell, Lt. Comdr.
"PASCHOLL"
B.
This ship was only taken over by me on Sunday June 2nd., the previous Captain
having returned to his proper duties at Ramagate. I proceeded to Ramagate
arriving there 23.00 Instructions received ashore at 23.30 were to remain at anchor
until further orders. At 15.00 Monday 3rd. June we sailed with Commander Hammond flying
his flag in the ship in Command of 5 skoots. We arrived Dunkirk Harbour Jetty at
23.00 and embarked ap roximately 300 troops and after some delay left at 00.30 Tuesday
June 4th, arriving Ramsgate approximately 08:30 On instructions sailed at 05.30
Wednesday 5th. June for Poole. arrived Newhaven at 21.00 having taken
H.M.S.Ruja in tow at approximately 10.00 Sailed from Newhaven at 18.00 Thursday
6th. June Ruja still in tow arriving Studland Bay approximately 21.00.7th. June
entered Poole Harbour.
Signed Wise Lieut. R.N.V.R.
"ZEUS"
I have the honour ? to Report the following of my vessels activity in operation
I
Dynamo in diary form.
25th. May Joined at Poole. P.M. Vessel wiped 5.0 p.m. approx cast off and
proceeded to anchor off Portsmouth. 9.0 p.m. ordered to anchor off Yarmouth.
26th, May. 5.10 a.m. ordered to remain at anchor until further orders. Hands cleaning ship
3.0 p.m. Ordered to proceed Portsmouth.
6.0 p.m. Arrived Portsmo th. Recive fuel water and stores and ordered to broken proceed
Spithead to swing for deviation. Discharged Dutch engineer. Note compass
and steering compass damaged. Results of swinging give very unreliable deviation card
10.30 Proceed in company for Newhaven.
27th. May Dawn arrived off Newhaven and anchoved. Note. Ship very and short overhauling of dec. gear stores
rope etc. Hands employed rope etc. Hands employed cleaning ship
9.0 approx. Proceeded in company for Dover.
28th. p.m. Dawn arrived off Dover 9.30 approx berthed alongside "Ruja" at West bad Quay,
Enemy render independance p.m. of navigation impossible we follow rest ahead. gunfire
May air raid 1.0 approx. Proceed in company for Dunking. Compass Considerable so as to
etc. all night.