TNA ADM 199 790

10
&
14
30th may
Passenger transport KING CERT which had been daraged by a near dos Dalla 29th May still alongaide the
Pier at midnight. X BAW the Captain and told him he met go and gave libia the alternative of benching himself on the
Eastern Seich if MA ship was not converthy, or of proceeding to Angland the escare of a bender. 0230 he was observed endeavouring to clear the harbour. It vas subsequently found out that he only about 4 cobles outside the entrance.
At 0039/30 tide the following signal to Dover:-
There 10 3. shortage of chips and boots. I have no destroyers".
There were as air attacks in the early morning
Later, when ships began G arrive and all value quict.
In view or the havy haved presented by
1
a mumber of ships boing alongaide the Hole at one this, destroyors were alongable the Piar one at a time.
Arrival of the first destroyer the a signal for en attack by one homber. Newever, the bright sunshine of yeaterday gave my to mist and It ves possible to speed up embarkation without undue risk.
0755 following signal was made:-
"Gront opportunity missed during night when only three drifters arrived. No motor or food yet provided on
Dunicink beach for large meber of troops. Sporadic bombing".
Atchout 0000 store ship arrived with provisions but no water. This anused 80 much congestion on the Pier that in view of the urgant need to nand off every possible man, about half the food had Been unloaded unloading was, after chart the, abondoned and the store ship filled with troops. & certain amount of water vas obtained from destroyers.
One personnel ship arrived about 0920, the first one since the previous day. ther ships (three drifters) filled shortly

41
30th May 30 Th
45
Passenger transport KING ORRY which had been damaged by a near miss p.m. 29th May, still alongside the
Pier at midnight. I saw the Captain and told him he must go and gave him the alternative of beaching himself on the
Eastern beach if his ship was not seaworthy, or of proceeding wathout Crooks well to England = the escort of a trawler. At 0230 he was
^
observed endeavouring to clear the harbour. It was subsequently found out that he sunk about 4 cables outside the entrance.
At 0039/30 made the following signal to Dover:-
"There is a shortage of ships and boats. I have no destroyers".
There were no air attacks in the early morning
Later when ships began to arrive, and all was quiet. 1 In view of the heavy target presented by a number of ships being alongside the Mole at one time, destroyers were ordered alongside the Pier one at a time.
Arrival of the first destroyer was a signal for an attack by one bomber. Subsequently, however, the bright sunshine of yesterday gave way to mist and it was possible to speed up embarkation without undue risk.
0755 following signal was made:-
"Great opportunity missed during night when only three drifters arrived. No water or food yet provided on
Dunkirk beach for large number of troops. Sporadic bombing".
Attbout 0800 store ship arrived with provisions but no water. This caused so much congestion on the Pier that in view of the urgent need to send off every possible man, about half the foodhad been unloaded.
unloading was, after abandoned and the store ship filled with troops. A certain amount of water was obtained from destroyers.
One personnel ship arrived about 0920, the first one since the previous day. Other ships (three drifters) filled shortly

221
209
OPERATION DYNAMO
ENCLOSURE NO. 7.
SHIP: EMPRESS, RIVER LAUNCH. LUCY LAVERS 4/B.
OFFICER REPORTING: SUB-LIEUTENANT T.W. BETTS, R.N.V.R.
Leaving H.M.S. KING ALFRED on Friday, May 31st, I
proceeded to Sheerness, to await the arrival of Motor Boats for the purpose of evacuating troops from Dunkirk. On Saturday, 1st
June, I was placed in command of the River Launch EMPRESS with a crew of 6. The clutch of the starboard engine had been giving trouble before I left, but I decided that, at any rate,
I could make Ramsgate. In this assumption I was wrong, as I
broke down when about half the distance was covered.
The trawler escorting the motor boats took me in tow to
Ramsgate, and thence to Dunkirk, where, having had my engineer repairing his engines on the journey over, I left the trawler and prepared to pick up troops. Nearing the beach West of
Dunkirk, and judging the water too shallow for further progress inshore, I rang down "Hard Astern" to the engine room, in order to take the way off my ship.
The starboard engine, then, not only refused to go astern, but refused to assume the neutral position, with the consequence that the ship was carried high and dry on to the beach. Upon examination I found that it would be quite impossible to salvage the ship until between 9 and 10 am. on the next day.
After having placed an anchor out well aatern, I and my crew swam out to deep water where we were soon picked up by a launch and put aboard a drifter.
The drifter proceeded to Dunkirk Harbour, and I and my crew assisted in the embarkation of troops, after which we returned with the drifter to Dover and reported to H.M.S. LYNX.
2nd June, 1940 at 1400 approximately, I was placed in charge of the R.N.L.I. Motor Lifeboat LUCY LAVER and proceeded to Dunkirk under tow with the Drifter GOLDEN SUNSHINE.
After/

222
* 210
- 2 -
After having searched the beach West of Dunkirk for troops and not seeing any, we proceeded into the Harbour again and took on a load of French soldiers. The Drifter GOLDEN
SUNSHINE then towed my ship back to Dover.
(Signed) T.W. Betts
Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.
4th June, 1940.