TNA ADM 199 790

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 1012.

Dynams so. O.D.
526
TO:
COMMANDER M/S.
N°6. 497
DATE: 6TH JUNE, 1940.
FROM: LIEUTENANT J.A. SIMSON R.N.V.R., H.M.S. "LORD GREY".
carried 29th/30th out May, 1940, at Dunkirk. under my command during the night of
I have by the the ships honour to report as follows on the operations
for Dunkirk orders to report on arrival to Captain Tennant. at 1615
H.M.T's with "Lord Grey" and "Clythness" left Dover
instead. signalled S. Foreland P.W.S.S. to use route "X" both we ways, were
Instructions from were to proceed by route "Y", but
We therefore proceeded by route "X" and arrived off
Dunkirk at 2300. The harbour was found on entering to be very
congested as a number of drifters were manoeuvring in the fair-
way and it was decided to lay off the entrance until it was
clear to proceed alongside the quay.
At 2330 we again entered the harbour and tied up along-
side the Eastern Jetty. Sub. Lieutenant Heckstall-Smith (Clythness)
and myself went along the quay in an effort to ascertain the
whereabouts of Captain Tennant, and the state of affairs inside
the harbour. It was impossible to get far owing to the damaged
condition of the jetty and we therefore returned.
Considerable air activity and continuous bombing was
going on over the town, which was ablaze.
It was decided to keep the ships moored alongside in such
a way that they could slip at a moment's notice, and to await dawn
before going further in to the harbour.
A number of rifles and a Bren gun found on the quay were
put aboard "Lord Grey".
At 0210 on the 30th May, cries for help were heard out-
side the harbour and both ships instantly left to investigate. It
was found that H.M.S. "King Orry" had sunk on leaving the harbour.
Ships' boats were launched and "Lord Grey" rescued ten men,
"Clythness" four. "Lord Grey" transferred her survivors to H.M.S.
"Vivacious", and was ordered by the Commander to return to harbour,
and if possible embark troops for transfer to his ship. "Clythness"
was signalled accordingly and both ships proceeded back to Dunkirk
harbour, and as it was now light it was possible to reach the
Southern end of the quay.
On arrival 0410 - I reported to S.N.O - Captain Tennant
was not then available - and was ordered to embark troops for
transfer to a destroyer and then to carry out "LL" sweep in a
N. Easterly direction from the harbour.
Troops were accordingly embarked - "Clythness" 300 (approx)
"Lord Grey" 350 - and were transferred at 0515 to the destroyer
"Whitehall".
"Clythness" signalled that her dynamo In was these not
working circumstances and her a signal was passed to S.N.O. and
At 0605 D/G gear was consequently useless. fresh orders
requested.
(Contd. over).