TNA ADM 199 790

9
13
Night of May 29th.
Enemy activity was reduced during the night, only two bombing attacks being made. It was intended to recommence embarkation from Eastern Arm under cover of darkness but apparently due to some misunderstanding the only ships that arrived were 4 trawlers and a yacht.
Consequently a great opportunity was missed. Probably
1500 troops could have been embarked had the ships been forthcoming. As & result of the bombing of the Vole referred to above, the pier itself was hit by 8 dive-bomber and severely damaged, but a brow was put in place which permitted the passage of troops.
In reply to V.A. Dover's 2057/29, asking whether the harbour was blocked, I replied at 2150 -
"No. Hope to get 8 good move on tonight but it is doubtful if much more can be done during daylight hours."
Apparently incorrect information as to the blocking of Dunkirk Harbour had been telephoned by Commander Dove from La Panne. This unfortunate incident reduced the shipping entering during the night to a minimum.

40
44
Night of May 29th.
Enemy activity was reduced during the night, only two bombing attacks being made. It was intended to recommence embarkation from Eastern Arm under cover of darkness but apparently due to some misunderstanding the only ships that arrived were 4 trawlers and a yacht.
Consequently a great opportunity was missed. Probably
15000 troops could have been embarked had the ships been forthcoming. AS a result of the bombing of the Vole referred to above, the pier itself was hit by a dive-bomber and severely damaged, but a brow was put in place which permitted the passage of troops.
In reply to V.A. Dover's 2057/29, asking whether the harbour was blocked, I replied at 3150 -
"No. Hope to get a good move on tonight but it is doubtful if much more can be done during daylight hours.
Apparently incorrect information as to the blocking of Dunkirk Harbour had been telephoned by Commander Dove from La Panne. This unfortunate incident reduced the shipping entering during the night to a minimum.

145
Monday 3ed June (Cont:)
150
a Mine blew up on our port bow and soon after the leading
Blockship following in our wake, blow up, presumably
Mined. M.T.B. picked up survivors. The remaining two
Blockships carried on with thier job. Shikari, in waiting, proceeded alongside and embarked 400 troops, French, who had been left after the last Ship evacuating had sailed. Among these troops was General Bathelemy, commanding the Flanders Garison, who stated that 12000still remained in Dunkirk. This was reported. By this time it was light and firing at the Jetty had Commenced, one shell hitting the Jetty, causing many casualties.
0340. Ordered to withdraw by Captain Dangerfield. An uneventful passage. 0645. Arrived Dover. Disembarked troops. 0950. Recieved signal to return to Home Ports.
1130. Proceeded to Plymouth under orders of Captain D.
Codrington. 2100. Arrived Devonport.
Commanding Officer
H.M.S.Shikari.
JUN 1940
.
*
DOVE E R

169
(2)
. 174
0830. Returned to beaches, contacted 350 troops of R.A.S.C.
and R.A.O.C. detachments, including Montenant Colonol and officers. with ascistance of 150 troops, large ship's lifebout was pulled down boach and successfully floated to accident embarlextion, but after removing good, dr take did not give sufficiont bucyancy to componsate for stove in gerboard stroke.
Scarlous lack of boats, reducing omborization rate to about 30 por hour with own bonts only. 227 troops orderhod remainder being cont off to Salamonder and dostroyers. Somo difficulty exporienced through persistent attempts of Large masses of French troops to intercept boats and domand passage Assisted by British troo a in heading off French submers by riflo fire from 50 yurds further along beach. Dunkirk burning with much molio. Miximm visibility, slight cloud. No. R.A.F. support aighted all day.
2600. Lovel bonbing attack on Sutton, Solvenndor, Grogliound and paddlors from 5000-10000 foot. Coo solvo pattom bombo without result. One salvo of H.S. straddling Station and paddlors, no lite.
One dive borbing attack on Suttom and Creyhound, noor nice started fire in Greyhound sundships. One line of 5 bombo aloco to G.H.).
on DOB front, on a line starting from centre of the town down beach and into don, final too bombo fulling such aldo of Service.
Comperitivoly mll bombo used, with incondinres, 000
of which got light to a drifter cable from Strtton which was sunk by paddlors gunfire. To R.A.P. support visible. for smll machine gun hits on Strtton. Greyhound budly damaged by bember and riddled with mahine on fire.
1706. Procoeded Dover, leaving La Panno during further air redd of Issu intensity, in company with Sulamander. No R.A.F. support visible on passage.
2300. Arrived off Dove, only, what. feld in progress, unchored
Chocrved plane at about 1500 foot drop three mignatic nines about
2 cables ahoad, coundo of nines strilling mor clearly andible.
Parashutos soon by several separate observers. signalied position of mines to V.A. Dovor.
mursday 30th. May. 0600. Proceeded into Dover, discharged troops.
1052. Proceeded Sheernues with one boilor. Drove fires in other boiler to make repairs to birlowork, damgod by bunb explosion.
1632. arrived Shoomoos, orderlood coal and ammittion.
riday State My. 0205. Left Shoorness in company with Lydd and Booo.
0400. Companyee maddenly produced a and 30 degrees of devintion,
Rose assumed load of dividion, Inter company dovintion improved and Subton responsed Lead.
0812. Arrived proceeded cust puballol to bonches passing
4 planes wrocked on he boach weat of two with Prench markings. 29. Passed Dunkisk harbour 1 cuble. Harbour fires. wall intect and little damage apparent from counard except Imgo
Continued DOID from bouch close work of
0835. high Hurricanes One 0.230 ship ounls alenguide cust plur of Dunicipt. 2
Sinfire, and Spitfires overhead, processing home of harbour, at
Fearch spood. and several cargo ships must court cast. continued groups Long column on the bonoh. Combinuous column about 1 wills dectroyers of troops surehing into Dunisive from long along bouch cast of
3 milon off is punno. wind Items force In frushering, troops with DOG
0906. slight Anchored but considerable mall.. Consenced loading
COMMANDING OFFICER
19 JUN 1940
H.M.S. "SUTTON"

Page 1.
NARRATIVE.
290
SIGNALS.
Scorth Goodwin Light in company with "Dundalk", signal to "Niger" be used to was carry given. out ferry service between Sheerness
Informed V.A.D. and R.A.D. Time of arrival La Panne 0700.
ered both whalers and motor-bost and sent them inshore.
Teach. 1 considerable surf was running. There was no one soon as the boats arrived in they were seized by soldiers.
overleaded and capsized.
R.A.D. from "Niger"
regarding the final evacuation wa s received giving the
1. V.A. D's 0357 intend to dezvous and time. As "Niger" then scareely any troops fill up with troops now to R.A.D. in "Keith" with the Idea of saving time.
and If unable to make 20
but R.A.D. instructed yachts to fill up "Niger" first.
-ndervous in time tonight
1045 "Niger" had over 200 troops on board when it was will ask him to supply spare ship.
Sheerness in order to save Before sailing
1. "Niger" from R.A.D.
R.A.I In consequence Lieutenant Hichens R.N.V.R.
You should leave in time two yachts as pantoons, secured grass lines to the to make rendezvous tonigh
Manised the boats pulley-haldy on these lines. I was work made the most tremendous difference to the rate of
-$ whether full or not.
Spart from making it comparatively safe and avoiding the
/3. R.A.D. from "Higer"
aldiers which was extremely high in the early morning,
I have one officer who frequently.
has volunteered to stay at Admiralty pier.
ashore and assist on the beach. He is confident
4 Sailed immediately.
that with a grass line and a yacht suchored in in 38 fathoms. "Niger" and group 3 were to westward.
close he will get all lowered as the evacuation was timed for 0030 and it was soldiers off quickly. I
last shore motor boats would be used.
have great confidence in him and intend to leave
Time off with some 30 soldiers under the commend of Sub.-Lieut.him behind.
had been towed by tug Tanya. Sub.Lieut. Byggott who had
4. Nost immediate.
Shumb reported that there were 150 soldiers abreast the ship
F.0.Dover.S.N.0.Dunkirk moved to the westward to Bray. two whalers and the motor from V.L.D.
gred and sent in. A fairly heavy surf was still running.
tray wishes to commence evacuation 2030. Instruct
.v.r. (Name anknown) from THE San nill. anda off from beach
A B if 100 1
motor-boat in and another a shipse boat boat and were that aground there were with about some 50 60 more sold beaches at this time.
off returned 30 empty about this time orders and reported to that they
The They Cox'n reported later that the left. boats had got off before were at once sent in with tow the other boats
Sand that there were no soldiers of came alongside with hander Brigadiers the orders Robb and that to move all the further other to
Balso eastward seen from the shore and from troops the troops of were me. Shortly afterwards this our boats time onwards returned with off Bray. I
larly but slowly.
large took a numbers were seen to be floats. on the These beach and ers transport, but towed were also sent in and was on nearly and swam low off. water, "Niger" was about three cables from the continously u from Nieuport throughout the night.
ried out machine-gun attacks on the ships and beaches. Several
N.O.1/c Ramage let
330 troops on board "Niger" weighed and proceeded, from Major "Sutton" General @th,5th,6th Nore, Speedy M.S.F.C.IN N.O.1/c Shee C
Salamander* troops that the troops had been ordered to remained and a message was received proceed to
-rness from V.A.D.
All available ships operating under V.A.Dove:
ceeded "Sutton" in company, in accordance with' shore. signal In No.45 accand M.S.F.s' addressed are required to evacuate tonight Saturday. Ships t from chor 1 instructions 1 mile east from of Dunkirk, Admirel's 3.5 motor cables boat, "Sutton" proceeded
-0 sail to arrive off beaches between Dunkirk and a point It miles Eas abark troops.
-t at 2200/lst June.Ship worked a ship's from boat the borrowed beach, the from motor S.S. boat Vren was in Dover, lowered the together other whhler-s sail.Ships equipment which have are report not not D.G. to forth ded in the ashore morning. Lieutenant Hichens, R.P., and R.N.V.R. no other in boats charge. being Licutensnt worked. heto with comply.A be whether shown dimmed shoreward they lightis can occeded no troops along on the the beach beach towards waiting Dunkirk. About 5 He cables endeavoured westward to gewhen in 1510/1/6. position.
chments start emberkation of French troops but had drawn considerable up on the difficulty. beach. Finally he found

-379
- 384
Report of proceedings of M.T.B. 68.
27.5.40.
0740
Arrived Dover in company with 10th M.T.B.
0900
Flotilla.
28.5.40.
0830
Proceeded to Dunkerque.
0825
Secured E. Jetty Dunkerque, reported to S.N.O.
3,430
Ferried soldiers from W. to E. Jetty.
1130
Proceeded to Dover with hand message for V.A.D.
1310
Secured Dover.
Fuelled, stored to repaired defects.
2140
Proceeded to Dunkerque taking Captain Bush,
Commander Dove and Lt. Commander Dennis.
2350
Secured Dunkerque.
29.5.40
0400
Proceeded along beach to La Panne to examine troop concentrations.
0555
Returned to Dunkerque.
0911
Returned to Dover.
0942
Attacked by Hostile Aircraft. O.T. wounded.
1035
Secured Dover. Fuelled, stored and repaired defects.
1540
Slipped Dover taking W/T set for Lord Gort.
and Demolition party.
1610
Secured Dunkerque.
Patrolled beaches, earrying instructions for small craft, collected fuel for motor boats, transferred wounded and took off crew of sunk merchantship.
30.5.40
0530
Returned to Dover.
0710
Secured Dover.
Repaired defects and fuelled.
31.5.40
1110
Returned to Dunkerque.
1227
Dunkerque.
Carried staff officer in char e of small craft to organise beaching of drifters etc.
2032
Returned to Dover.
2205
Dover.

Report of proceedings of M.T.B. 68.
419
27.5.40.
Arrived Dover in company with 10th M.T.B.
Flotilla.
28.5.40. 0630
Proceeded to Dunkerque.
0825
Secured E. Jetty Dunkerque, reported to S.N.O.
Ferried soldiers from W. to E. Jetty.
1130
Proceeded to Dover with hand message for V.A.D.
1310
Secured Dover.
Fuelled, stored to repaired defects.
2140
Proceeded to Dunkerque taking Captain Bush,
Commander Dove and Lt. Commander Dennis.
2350
Secured Dunkerque.
29.5.40
0400
Proceeded along beach to La Panne to examine troop concentrations.
0555
Returned to Dunkerque.
0911
Returned to Dover.
0942
Attacked by Hostile Aircraft. O.T. wounded.
1035
Secured Dover. Fuelled, stored and repaired defects.
1540
Slipped Dover taking W/T set for Lord Gort.
and Demolition party.
1610
Secured Dunkerque.
Patrolled beaches, carrying instructions for small craft, collected ruel for motor boats, transferred wounded and LOOK oif crew or sunk merchantship.
30.5.40
0530
Returned to Dover.
0710
Secured Dover.
Repaired defects and fuelled.
31.5.40
1110
Returned to Dunkerque.
1227
Carried Dunkerque. staff officer in charge of small craft to organise beaching of drifters etc.
Returned to Dover.
2032
2205
Dover.