TNA ADM 199 790

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and wounding of seven a lull in the bombing attacks the cable was slipped, and ratings and two officers, and two Belgian soldiers. During the capstan being out of action, and Lthe ship got under way, the troops by this time coming off in various boats were picked up, and the boats abandoned as they were holed and boats' falls shot away. As both compasses were out of action I decided to get clear of the sandbanks before dark.
During the above attacks fire was opened on the bombers, but one near miss aft wounded or killed the 12 pdr. gun's crew. The majority of Lewis gun pans in ready use racks were pierced by bomb fragments and caused several jambs.
The spare I2 pdr. gun's crew was closed up, but by this time the bomners appeared to be concentrating on the harbour although several high bombing attacks were nad along the coast. On clearing the Nieuport Bank the paddle-minesweeper
Gracie Fields asked for assistance. She had suffere direct hits and was out of control, steaming at about six knots with her helm jambed, with 15 degrees starboard wheel on. 1
proceeded alongside and took off about eighty British soldiers. After this, as she appeared to be & danger to navi ation, I took her in tow leaving the ship's company on board. Kellett passed and at ay request led ae as ay compasses were still dead.
At 0130 Thursday 36th. May the Gracie Fields reported that she was sinking. 1 slipped her and went alongside, took off the ship's company, four badly wounded soldiers, and abandoned her and broadcast her approximate position (51 degrees 20 minutes North, 02 degrees 05 minutes
East). By this time Kellett was out of sight and visibility was poor. At 0646 the South Goodwin Light Vessel was sighted and 1 was led into Dover by H.M.S. "Mosquito:
1 secured alongside disembarking jetty at 1000 and landed troops. wounde d and dead.
After disembarkation ship proceeded to Submarine
Basin and was taken in hand for temporary repairs by
Sandhurst, and remained out of action until 20.0 Saturday
Ist. June. By this time the D.O. coil was functioning but the compasses were still out of action. After leaving harbour 1 was ordered to roceed in company with Halcyon and ordered her to rendezvous at North Goodwin. On arrival at North Goodwin 1 patrolled in the vicinity, but saw no sign of Halcyon, and I heard on return that she had not left harbour. AS all ship ing going towards the beaches had now ceased, 1 decided to proceed to the eastward with
& view of assisting any ships returning in difficulties.
T buoy was passed at 0532 and course altered to westward.
off. buey. Off S buoy A/V Stella Regal closed and transferred 23 British troops whom she had picked up some time previously. Returned to Dover by 1030 and landed troops. At 2000 proceeded to Dunkirk in company with
Halcyon and Speedwell by West Fass, entering the breakwater at 0030 Monday June 3rd. On entering Iwas ordered by R.A.D. to wait outside as there were no troops waiting embarkation.

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Proceedings by H.M.S. SABRE for the period 27th May to 5th June.
"SABRE" again sailed for Dunkirk, and at 0115/1 both boats were &
again sent in to the - eastern beach. No troops were found there, 86
proceeded to search further east. Hearing "S.O.S" being sounded C
a syren, steamed towards 16 and Count a drifter stranded on a submerged wrack. Went alongside and took off the crew and troops. Jus before dawn some more instroyers were Count off Bray, and Sabre's
Doats were sent in to bring off troops which could now be seen in large numbers. On "Shikari" CLILING up a cutter was taken over from her. The towage of this, full of trocps, proved too much for the motor boat and the troops had to pull off to the ship. INO trips were made in this way. Hourwhile on orders from R.A.Dover (in Heith)
"SABRE" went alongside a tus, took off her troops and sent him to tow "Speedwell" off. During this time a single aircraft (apparently ch a Messersmidt 100) approached and made some rather half hearted machine gun attacks. Intense 1.4 thre provented these from boing X
pressed home. There vas also VI unsuccassful dive bonbing attack by a Junkers 87. Numerous British fighters ware seen, and our freedom from serious interference was prosumably due to them. At
0700 having about 500 troops aboard, *SABRE* returned to Dover, arriving at 1000.
At 2030/1 procested to Dunkirk in company with
"Codrington" at 28 knots. It 8315 secured so the east pier and C111-
ad up with troops. Shoved off at midnicht and returned, fortunbately coming no with "Icarus" who YAS followed as or as the DONILS (Sabre compass still Daine unreliabe). Arrived at 0400/3 and landed troops.
18 1845/8 proceeded to Dunkirk in company with
7 "Shikari" who was sent about at the North Goodsin be T. until arrival in Dunkirk Channel, then passing new Ruytingen bank bucy
H.M.H.S. "parts" was seen to be sinking and to have boats away.
A crossichannel steamer which had just been overtaken was sent to has assistance

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mostly suffering from severe burns; the Commanding
Fifty seven cot-cases alone were brought off,
Officer and other survivors from His Majesty's Destcleared the steamer out as far as was known, I proroyer Grenade were amongst those embarked, After having ceeded down the coast towards Bray, and picked up troops from several boats, which they had found on the beach. A
Captain Churchill, from the Headquarters Staff, off and told me that he had to get over to England to see his uncle, the Prime Minister,by 0600.
8.
I proceeded to Margate, arriving at 0550 on May
30th, disembarked troops,survivors and Cartain Churchill, then sailed for Sheerness for coal and Ammunition.
9.
I left Sheerness at 0300 on the 31st and arrived without incident off the beach just to the Bast of
Dunkirk, at 0930. The rate of embarkation was slow ording to considerable surf on the beach, but valuable assistance was given by a large power boat, It was necessary for me to leave at 1230 in order to unload and be at By render-vous by 8300 on May 31st for the evening operations.
10.
I sailed from liargate to comply with previous instructions and proceeded, under the orders of the
Senior Officer 11 the Fifth Minesweeping Flotila, to By appointed station off the beach; navigation at this period was difficult,a the absence of wind allowed the smoke from Dunkirk to settle over the channel, that visibility The poor. On enchoriz at 2345 a shell from 8
shore battery landed about a cable to securd; this ma repeated spasmodically. Reports were then received of magnetic nines being dropped in the channel.
on 11, embarkation, using ships' boats, Short y after a
About 0832 the Flotil a ms ordered to carry bombing attack took place,and from then on these attacks were practically continuous. Several Heinkel III
type aircraft were observed, but the majority of the attackers were identified as Junkers 87 Dive-bombers.
Embarkation was carried out, though the rate ha slow, this operation the ship case under machine-gun fire aground; 12. a vire was passed and I towed her off. During
His Majesty's Ship Speedwell ma seal to be tenant for the speed and coolness with which be carried from the air, end great credit is due to ay First Lieuout the ution.
afloat 15. to proceed alongaide in Dunkirk harbour, and to
I then received orders from the 7108 Officer comp. ete with troops there. As troops vere being and a machine-gun embarked, attack me delivered, but no casualties were bombs were dropped in the harbour incurred.
14. board, His Majesty's Dostroyer Ivanhoe to was her hit
Just before I al ipped, with a full load of by troops a bomb on outside the herbour. Two ships went assistance, 80 I proceeded at full speed,

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GUILLEMOT and KINGFISHER weighed and proceeded at 1910
and met AUTO CARRIER with LADY OF MAN some distance astern at the North
GOODWIN Light Vessel at 2200. Two floating mines were sighted while on passage, and a third was sunk off GRAVELINES by GUILLEMOT by orders of
KINGFISHER, at 2215. Ship arrived off DUNKIRK at 2300 and went to the
WESTERN MOLE at 2355. It was high water and owing to the shape of the
MOLE the ship could not lie close enough for the brow to reach. This difficulty was solved by heaving the bow in and utilising the flare of the bow. The ship secured past H.M.S. "SPEEDWELL" which was lying at the outboard end of the MOLE. There were about six hundred French Troops ashore, and after thirty one minutes of embarkation the ship was full, and cast off from the MOLE, leaving about two hundred troops behind.
Boats were seen approaching the MOLE and it was thought that the remaining troops would be collected by them. GUILLEMOT cast off at 0225.
There was considerable conjestion at the entrance and Collision was with difficulty avoided. Aircraft flares were seen on the return Journey but no attacks were made on the ship. Thick fog came down at daylight, a nd the ship anchored near the FORELAND BUOY at 0428 for one hour, arriving at MARGATE at 0700 and disembarked 387 Officers and man.
Irade