TNA ADM 199 790

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General above eight vessels: sent the following letter to the Masters Quarter of the
Lt. General to Sir the Forces Walter Venning, has K.C.B., C.M.G., C.B.E., M.C., Master 1--488
459
"I fine wish part to which thank you, your engineer and crew for the
tion of the B.E.F.
you and they played in the recent evacua- very
In in which particular the I wish to convey my admiration for the
volunteered to perform a dangerous task quite outside
personnel of the W.D. vessels participating way
their normal duties.
To have been successful in saving the lives of over 1,300
British and Allied soldiers is a feat of which all of you
concerned may well feel proud.
The damage done to so many of the craft engaged is a testi-
mony to the dangers which you and those serving under you
faced with cheerfulness and gallantry.
I am proud to think that, as Quartermaster-General to the
Forces, the War Department fleet comes within my sphere."
In addition, Colonel Redman - Deputy Director of Transportation
Equipment, Ministry of Supply has written me privately - as follows:
"Dunkirk, May 30th to June 3rd, 1940.
I took my hat off to the Navy, but I have put it on again
and now take it off to the Fleet.
I was extremely interested to receive the particulars you
sent me yesterday, and shall keep them in memory of very
gallant actions. You must be proud of your lads."
Whilst Captain P.Hodgkinson - - who as Officer i/c Transport at Portsmouth has
for so long been intimately connected with the War Department fleet has
generously sent the following message:
"All ranks of the War Department Fleet at Portamouth wish
to convey to those members of the Fleet, who took part in
the recent evacuation from Flanders, their congratulations
on a hazardous job well carried out, and felicitations on
their safe return.
With Portsmouth also wish to be associated. They appear to
the above, the members of the Transport Staff at
have well supported the motto of the Corps."
Finally I, as your Commanding Officer, would like once again to express my
deep appreciation of the work you all did.
Well done.
G.EBad work
Colonel
A. D. M. T.
Woolwich
8 June, 1940