Admiralty records concerning Operation Dynamo and the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, dating from 1940.
Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199/790. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.
| Page | Image | OCR text | OCR tags |
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| 786 |
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REPORT OF 'BOUNTY' (Contd). |
Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 786.
REPORT OF 'BOUNTY' (Contd). I should Officer like to draw T.Jones special attention to the magnificent work 295 of, Petty throughout operations. 2 The following officers, Dawson, Sub.Lieuts. Godman and Potter-Irwin accompanied me and reported to Remsgate, volunteering ships and services on the following day if required. Our names were accordingly entered on the Volunteer's List. June 2. Having reported to Ramsgate, we were informed that only fast and shallow draft vessels were required. During course of day, found M.T.B.101. lying idle and requested use of same, but were informed that the vessel was R.A.F. property and we were unable to obtain permission to use her. Received instructions to stand by and later to return to own Base. Throughout twenty seven hours spent at Dunkirk and adjacent beaches, were under continuous bombardment from the air and shelling from the land. I 283 Report of Inner Patrol Yacht "AHOLA". C.O. Lt. J.F.Alexander, RNVR. May 29th. 1740. Left Hamble. May 30th. 0840. Arrived Dover. 2150. Left Dover. May 31st. 0600. Arrived off beach at Bray. Hailed by destroyer and told to proceed 5 miles to Eastward and assist embarkation from beach. As we were leaving, hailed by somebody else and todid to stay where we were and assist embarkation from beach by towing boats off to destroyers. Until 1700 approx., stood by beach taking whalers, army pontoons and various craft in tow to destroyers and other larger craft. During this period was able to rescue several men flung into the water from a capsized pontoon. About 1700 ordered by sloop lying off La Panne to collect whaler if possible and return. Obtained whaler from destroyer off Bray. Hailed by Commodore avoid "BOUNTY" and told to get off as many men as possible between 2100 &0400. Returned to sloop off La Panne. Ordered to take whaler inshore and bring off G.H.Q.Staff. Towed whaler close inshore and slipped. Subsequently whaler returned with C.in C's kit and valet. Closed "BOUNTY" for orders and told to take whaler to "THELE". Handed over whaler to "THELE". 1900 to 2200. Meeting boats rowing off from pontoon at La Panne, taking their troops aboard and transhipping one occasion when no soldiers would take a boat back, two to sloop. These boats were rowed back by soldiers. On members of my crew, H.H. Hollands, Petty Officer, J.20594 and F.H.Finch, Able Seaman, SSX.23237 volunteered to take this boat back. This they accomplished and subsequently returned safely. During this period I took off After approx- imately 300 men, mostly between 2100 and 2200. dark, no more troops came off. I estimate that I took off about 00 soldiers, in all, from the beaches. June 1st. Closed beach and found troops lining the and shore, with 0300. some wading into the water. Five swam off were pulled 0400. Closed "BOUNTY" and was ordered to return. aboard. 1150. Arrived Dover. June 2nd. & 3rd. Lying Dover. June 4th. Left Dover for Hamble 1200 June 5th. Arrived Hamble 1200. Sgd. J.F. Alexander, Lt., R.N.VR 5th. June 1940.