TNA ADM 199 790

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REPORT ON WORK DONE ON DUNKIRK BEACH BY "CONSTANT NYMPH" 30/31 MAY, 1940.
CHARGE HAND. - B.A. Smith., Little Ship Club (Owner of motor boat).
CREW.
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STOKERS ALLEN AND MIXIKUE from Sheerness.
We left Ramsgate about 3.30 Pollo on 30th May, 1940, in tow of
H.M.S. "Jutland" (A Dutch boat taken over by Navy) after lying outside the
Harbour from 9.30 a.m., during which time we had done a little ferrying work
between ships.
We were towed with a whaler and cutter on same tow.
Arrived at our station some miles east of Dunkirk Harbour about
9.30 p.m. and towed whaler and cutter to beach as soon as "JUTLAND" had
30/5
anchored slight mist.
At first we could only find Frenchmen on the beach and took off
several boat loads, then a British officer waded and swam to "CONSTANT NYMPH"
while running slowly up and down the beach line in about 3 feet 5 inches
waiting for the boats to be filled and keeping a look out for British troops,
In spite of darkness and slight mist, the fires on shore and fine
night made bodies of men show up against the sand.
On hearing from British officer that thousands of our men. were a
little nearer Dunkirk, we worked further up and got mainly British for some
time; not many wounded.
One nice fire which was a leading mark was blown out by another
bomb later on in the night, but we were fairly well at home by then and it
caused no delay.
Having filled "JUTLAND", the motor-boat with whaler and outter
turned over to "LAUDANIA",a similar ship, and filled that. "JUTLAND" left
31/5
about 3 a.m.
I am informed by Captain of "LAUDANIA" that these ships hold about
450 men each, making a total of 900 men taken off.
About 8 a.m. "LAUDANIA" was full and the cutter was aground under
a stranded lighter and her crew could not get her off, Captain of "LAUDANIA"
told me to get the crew if I could not get the outter, and this was done.
Certain odd boats were found on the beach by troops of both nations,
any found trying to row to ships in our area were collected and towed to ship,
mk
and efforts made to use them again if serviceable. These efforts were usually
hampered by Frenchmen not tying up to the ship when boarding and letting the
boat drift.
Bombing in the district seemed fairly continuous, some explosions
shook the boat a good bit, but nothing seemed very near.
Anti-aircraft fire seemed to come from the beach in many cases,
tracer bullets from that line were often to be seen.
There was some heavy shelling, apparently directed by planes
dropping Very lights over the ships, one crump was either very near or very
big as the boat trembled as if she had grounded.
Being deaf and having a lot to de prevented my noticing the bombing
much but my crew seemed to think it was increasing with daylights
About 8 a.m. on Friday, 31st May, 1940, having used all fuel and
got rope in the propeller, I was ordered to turn over the motor boat and
whaler to a Drifter believed to have fuel and mechanics, and go aboard
"LAUDANIA" which left at once with all orews and arrived Margate about 5 p.m.
Both Allen and Medkle, the two young Stoker ratings who were my
crew, worked steadily and efficiently throughout the ten hours or so of
working on the beach and were always on the look-out for swimmers or odd craft to
be picked up.
These lads had hover been to sea and were only enlisted in January
1940, they informed me.
(sa) B.A. Smith.
6th June, 1940,