TNA ADM 199 790

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REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS 29th OF H.M.S. "LOCUST" DURING OPERATION "DYNAMO" 245 258
May 1940 to 4th June 1940.
29th May. H.M.S. "Locust" and H.M.S. "Mosquito" were ordered to sail
for La Panne and Bray Dunes respectively, and proceeded at
1348.
At 1730 "Mosquito" parted company and at 1845 "Locust"
arrived in position off La Panne Beach.
Large numbers of both British and French Troops were seen
to be waiting on the beach, and it was decided that a first
attempt at embarkation shouldbe made by grounding the fore
part of "Locust" and trying to get the soldiers to wade
out and climb on board over the bow. Ladders were accord-
ingly rigged forward and the ship steamed in to the beach.
The kedge anchor was let go over the stern and at 1900
the ship took the ground forward. After hailing the
beach a few soldiers started to wade off, but gave up the
attempt, and as the tide was falling the ship was got off
and anchored, and embarkation started by means of the Ship's
two whalers.
At 1950 engaged enemy aircraft and continued to do so in-
termittently until 2130. Enemy aircraft were carrying out
bombing attacks on the beaches.
At 2200 "Locust" signalled Commander Cordeaux in "Royal
Eagle" for information, as embarkation was proceeding very
slowly, and there appeared to beno Power boats available.
Reply from "Royal Eagle" that Commander Cordeaux was id-
capacitated and that "Locust" was S.N.O. La Panne.
As there were no powerboats in sight, and a number of pulling
boats could be seen stranded on the beach by the receding
tide I decided to land in order to organize the troops into
pulling themselves off from the beach.
At 2220 S.N.O. "A" in "Hebe" approached and approved my
landing. I accordingly landed at 2230 and found six R.N.
and three Merchant Service (pulling) Life boats
Mut
stranded cutters on the beach about 300 yards from the water's be edge.
about 1000 British Troops who appeared to had
Locut
There were of Non-commissioned Officers. The boats half
of
in charge across the beach and were jambed together, The full
swung and in many cases imbedded in the sand. what was
they
of water took some little time to understand emptied re-
soldiers of them, but eventually all the boats were then pulled
quired down to the water's edge. They were the Soldiers.
and got "Locust" and other ships present by were again
At midnight, enemy aircraft which caused some boats
out to 29th/30th the ships and the beach slight delay
30th May.
bombed the embarkation, by but by 0300 all the board. available
were in off the beach and I returned on
P.T.O.