3. (astailed account).
29
5/40 Sailed Amazone, Poole to Portsmouth D.Y.
5/40 a.m. 'wiped' ship in Block; stored with 14 days provisions and various instruments and navigational books.
p.m. Swung ship for compass adjustment and anchored near outer
Spit Buby. Sailed at dark in company to Newhaven.
5/40 0005 sighted submarine, surfaced, 1'm E of Owers Lt.V.. Reported to Examination Vessel on arrival with instructions to pass on message. Anchored outside harbour on orders received, having no opportunity to provide sand-bags, Lewis gun, etc.
Salled at dark for Dover in company, led by Foxglove.
5/40
Arrived at Dover a.m.
Sailed p.m., for Operation Dynamo, in company, and proceeded by long route.
Amazone led the skyts, but the compass was found to be reading about 70 low, due to Gerricks' being topped ready for the exercise, and her position was lost by the time this was rectified. I beached the ship about m/a mile west of Bray, bows in, and with a kedge astern.
Lieut. Audley, R.N.V.R. landed in our two small boats and led down troops from the sand-dunes. By 0300 the boats' crews were exhausted and the boats were being capsized by the sea which had increased with the westerly wind. It was obvious that no more could be taken off in our own boats from the beach. I approached a sloop which was not anxious to take our troops. A large steamer at anchor outside informed me that she was on her way in, and there was too much sea for putting Amazone alongside her. I decided not to go in to the eastern jetty at such a late hour with troops on board and returned, without incident, by the long route to Dover.
Disembarked about 100 officers and men (British) at Admiralty Pier.
Lieut. Audley's leg had been injured when hoisting in our boats4
and he was placed on the sick list.. Sub. Lieut. Clarabut, R.N. was detailed from Montrose as First Lieutenant. I embarked essential stores and large quantities of water, also a Lewis gun and as few sand-bags.
Nei ther the Naval Shore Signal Station nor the Pier Master was urs.
able to inform Mr. Clarabut of the ship's whereabouts and it was
0th.
not possible to leave until 0230 after I had found him myself. This wasted five hours.
0230 Sailed in company with Pacific but lost touch soon afterwards. Made landfall to Eastwards of Dunkirk about 0930. Having been informed that there was no danger from mines I had taken a short out in shallow water. This, and the fact that the compass was still 'low', caused us to mistake Gravilines for Dunkirk! I steamed up and down the coast and examined the harbour from about 1 mile out and found no sign of life. Having no W/T, and having had no orders since 2100 the day before, I steamed W.N.W to seek information. Picked up drifter and
Anchored about 300ˣ from shore in 10 ft. water and embarked about proceeded to Bray Beach.
400 officers and other ranks, sending in water drums by empty boats.
340691 L.A. C. Harker returned inshore several times, until exhausted, with a large collapsible boat, taking water drums each time. He took charge of the troops in his boat most efficiently and set a very fine example. Later, while the ship was being dive-bombed, he took charge of the troops on deck and directed rifle-fire very cooly during each attack in spite of fairly accurate machine-gun fire.
.915
Proceeded. Fredanja informed me he was taking route Y so, presuming there were special orders, sailed/company. in
2010
Attacked by German bomber off Middlekirke. Three bombs dropped close to Fredanja - avoided delay-action effect.
013
3 more bombs dropped close to Fredanja.
Lef.
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