TNA ADM 199 790

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exceptions to that procedure and they each rowed their boat
back to the beach single-handed.
I saw little hope of achieving with these men what their
own officers could not do, so I had the boats made fast until
a few had collected and then, manning the largest with my own
crew, sent them to row ashore towing the others, with orders to
let go the others on reaching the shore for the troops to man
themselves and to row back the large boat with troops.
On reaching the shore. so many troops crowded into this
boat, and none would get out, that there seemed little likelihood
of the boat ever being able shove off the beach.
It was about an hour later when a French officer took
charge and threatened to shoot anyone who did not get out of
the boat when ordered to, that the boat managed to leave the
shore.
In the meantime, troops had been coming out to us in
other boats made avaliable to them by the fact that the wind
was gradually blowing the empty boats in to the shore.
I had taken JUTLAND in to about sixty yards from the
shore where we were lying in eight feet of water.
After a while an enemy air attack developed. In our
vicinity four bombs were dropped immediately in rear of the
beaches but the attack seemed to be directed chiefly at the
ships lying off; the next ship to the westward of us
receiving one bomb in the after magazine, another ship farther
westward being set on fire. One plane dived to masthead height
or lower over a nearby ship but, I think, failed to score a hit.
JUTLAND replied with her only and newly found armament -
about fifty French rifles - whom I had stationed on deck, the
remainder of the troops being in the hold.
Partly due to the presence of hostile aircraft and
partly to the boat problem again. the supply of troops coming
off to the ship gradually ceased. I estimated We had some
275 troops on board and it was at this juncture that I decided
to make sure of what we had got and set course for returning.
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