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.
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Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 860.
- 2 - I 376 - aircraft attacked which for the quickly rest of made off and we were not again directly 353 us by our extremely phosphorescent water. and I believe the aircraft detected the night. The sea surface was At 2256 a M.T.B. proceeding very fast struck us glancing blow on the Starboard quarter. This craft did not a stop or answer any signals but appeared to carry a green light shining skywards. He was quickly lost in the darkness - marks and splinters left behind showed that he was painted a dark grey. At Dunkirk itself the offing was lit by the burning oil tanks making ship very conspicuous and as the beaches were at this time obliterated by heavy smoke from these fires, I anchored to the Westward at 0110 1st June and waited daybreak. 0350 weighed anchor and entered Dunkirk harbour. At CLUIO, in company with H.M.S. "Locust". 0500 berthed alongside and commenced embarking troops - severe air raids in progress all the time. Two raiders shot down by A.A. fire. 0620 let go and cleared harbour having embarked about 70 soldiers, mostly E. Yorks Regiment. 0750 attacked by enemy bomber, opened fire and hit him with bursts from Lewis gun. No received great assistance in this attack from the troops who mounted their Bren guns on deck. Observed one aircraft shot down by gunfire from H.M. Ships. We were now compelled to go slow as our main engine circulating pumpawas damaged and engines getting extremely overheated. 1000 took in tow for Ramsgate a disabled motor launch. 1300 entered Ramsgate harbour and disembarked troops. 1315 left Ramsgate for Sheerness going dead slow owing to condition of engines. 1547 passed W/T signal to C. in C. for H.N.S. "Ivanhoe" (in tow). 1916 entered Sheerness hargour and secured to buoy. During the whole of the operation, I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the ship's company. Without exception they were calm and cool carrying out their duties with ourge and zeal under most trying conditions. I wish to specially mention Sub Lieut J.G. Llewellyn R.N.V.R. for his devotion to duty and coolness; Coxswain F. Thompson R.N.P.S. for his leadership of the crew; Ordinary Signalman J.L. Wells R.N.V.R. for quick and efficient and signalling; R. Matthews R.N.P.S. Lewis Gunner for well controlled accurate fire with most economical use of amminition. Also, Engineman Macallister, R.N.P.S. for keeping the engines running and controlling D. Seaman R.N.P.S. (Helmsman) and H. Topte, leaks. I have the 'honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) J.S. ROE Lieutenant R.N.V.R. 4th June, 1940.