TNA ADM 199 790

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Dover. Eventually a motor yacht got us in tow and took us to
Commander Troup went with the fast boats to the outer
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port. He made himself piermaster on the western mole
and conducted the embarkation of about 10,000 French
troops. He also had some anxious moments, as the boat
which was to fetch him broke down. Another turned up
in which he embarked with a French General Lucas and
many StafffOfficers and men; and thus had the honour of
being the last man to leave Dunkirk.
12. As Officers and Coxswains pass through Sheerness,
endeavour is being made to extract full accounts of their
adventures. N.O.I.C. Ramsgate is doing the same. These
reports are being forwarded to Vice Admiral, Dover, but
copies of those obtained here are attached. Even so it
will be impossible to do justice to the services of these
young Officers, ratings and volunteers, most of whom were
acting independently, without anyone to see how they
conducted themselves. A list of those who came under my
personal observation is attached.
13. Until all reports have been compared and lists of
Officers, men, and volunteers going out and returning
have been checked, the number of casualties remains
unscertain. Many boats have had to be abandoned owing
to grounding, collision or fouled propellers, but in
most cases the crews transferred to other craft,
One craft is known to have been sunk by bomb.
"New Prince of Wales". Large motor craft. Officer
in command, Sub Lieut. .L.H. Bennett, R.N., now in R.N.
S.P.H.E.
Hospital, Chatham. Two ratings are believed to have been
killed, but I have not been able to get this confirmed.
Several motor boats sailed direct from Southend for
the beaches with volunteer crews who had not signed on.
There may be others, of which there will be no record.
Considering the heavy bombing, shelling and machine
gun fire experienced by many of the boats, the casualties
seem to be lighter than might well have been expected.
14. It would be impossible to speak too highly of the
spirit which has animated all those who have been concerned
in "Dynamo". Everyone tried to do their best for the Armies
at Dunkirk, and those whose fortunes it was to get across
and bring some of them off, will always look back on it with
deep satisfaction. Some of the crews got their boats as far
as Ramsgate, only to find that owing to the shortcomings of
their vessels, they could get no further, but many of them
succeeded in finding another boat with room for them.
A young Able Seaman, whose boat sank after bringing
off 1,000 men, did much, by his sheerful talk and bearing,
to bring about this happy result. His name is
Here at Sheerness the Commodore and his staff, H.M.S.
"Wildfire", and the dockyard did all that man could do to
hasten the preparation and sailing of the varied fleet of
craft which arrived here, some of them needing much attention.
With the exception of the Thames steamers, which could not
run in salt water, though they had a good try at it, very
few craft failed to achieve at least one trip to the French
coast. Many men from the "Wildfire" offered their would services,
have done so had it been possible to spare their services.
though only a few could be allowed to go, and more