TNA ADM 199 790

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OPERATION DYNAMO
*
ENCLOSURE NO.8
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SHIP:- M.B. SKYLARK
MICHAEL STEVENS 4B.
OFFICER:- SUB.LIEUTENANT M.J.R. YEATMAN, R.N.V.R.
Friday, 31st May. Took charge of M/B. SKYLARK, overhauled engine,
proceeded under tow of VRDEDA. Tow broke down - returned to port.
Overhauled engines of one or two other M/B's.
Saturday, 1st June.M/B. SKYLARK. Towed by RIGA to near Dunkirk.
Transferred survivors to RIGA from French Destroyer, who had picked
them up from torpedoed ship.
RIGA returned to Dover, and I returned under own
power by Kellet cut to Dover by about 10.0 p.m. Reported at CAMBER
and returned to Granville Steps.
Sunday, 2nd June. Transferred in charge of MICHAEL STEPHINS
Lowestoft Lifeboat - 2 Stokers and 1 A.B. from Transit Camp for crew.
Overhauled engines, fuelled and provisioned - proceeded under tow of
Tug SUN XI. Arrived Dunkirk, after dark about 2230 hours. Entered
harbour and went toward Eastern Mole. Rammed by M.T.B. without much
damage. Went alongside Eastern Mole. With difficulty got 12 French
soldiers aboard. Proceeded out to find tug which had disappeared,
landed troops on trawler. Returned to harbour, being rammed by
another M.T.B. on the way. Found Sloop (identification letters S.G.
or s.c.). Owing to swish of tide she could not come alongside, so
with the big engines of the lifeboat I pushed her alongside and went
aboard to help make fast. Climbed on to Mole, which was being shelled,
and by means of some forceful language and a rifle butt, Induced the
French troops who were lying on the Mole to start down on to the
Sloop. Once a few had started they all began to go down. Got 52
into the lifeboat and cast off to try and find tug. After searching
for some time, and being hit again by a fishing boat, I decided at
0100 to return under my own power to Dover.
Reported a floating mine by morse to a destroyer about
6 miles E.S.E. of N. Goodwin Light Vessel.
Reached Dover and landed French troops at 0710.
Returned lifeboat and reported at Submarine Camber
at 0730.
Shrapnel on Eastern Mole was mostly at first confined
to outer end of Mole until the Sloop drew alongside. Then the
range shortened, I got the definite impression that someone had been
spotting for the guns, as the direction of fire shortened very
rapidly and accurately. Suffered no casualties though among my
contingent. In fact, I found considerably greater risk from the
movements of allied craft then from Nazi shelling. There seemed to
be no attempt to keep any rule of the road. Outside the Harbour
had one attack from a Nazi plane. No hits, but she may just have
been having a blind shot at four of us who were altogether.
(Sgd)
MARWOOD J. B. YEATMAN.
Sub.Lieutenant, R.N.V.R.
H.M.S. KING ALFRED.