TNA ADM 199 790

Collection details

TNA ADM 199 790

Admiralty records concerning Operation Dynamo and the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, dating from 1940.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: ADM 199 790

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199/790. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing only pages tagged with the vessel name Thrifty. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

5 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 697–828 of this collection

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OCR text

OCR tags

697

OPERATION DYNAMO
ENCLOSURE NO. 14 2100
Ship: R.N.L.B. "WALTON AND FRINTON" E.M.E.D.
Written up by Petty Officer Tel.Cooley
Officer Reporting: Commanding Officer Lt.R.H. Mead, R.N.V.R.
Sat. June 1st. 0400 Manned Walton Life Boat RNLB - EMID.
0500 To sea.
0536 Made to signal Station "where are drifters that are going to tow lifeboats". From signal station "go alongside".
0550 Lay off drifters. Proceeding to make enquiries as regards intentions.
0600 Small boats informed what we are doing.
0614 Secure alongside P.O. steps; Captain ashore for enquiries.
0630 Left P.O. steps.
0645 Lay off drifters.
0715 Taken in tow by drifter "Thrifty". Ships in our tow Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat
"Abdybeauclark" lifeboat Walton E.N.E.D.
Lifeboat P.E.42 "Summer" Maid" Motor Boat
"White Bear".
0725 Left Dover.
0729 Tow slipped second from end.
0733 Tow O.K. Under way - sighted South Goodwin
Light Vessel at 0730.
0900 To passing sloop "are there many more to take off".
0901 Reply "Yes".
0910
Destroyers wash parted tow.
0928
Tow O.K. Under way.
1027
Passed E. Goodwins.
1256
Captain H-M passed.
1404 Destroyer H-15 passing broke tow on last boat in line.
1407 Tow O.K. Under way.
1502 Tow broken on last boat in line.
1516 Tow O.K. Under way.
1517 3 planes attacked around. Sloop bombed.
1522 Mine sighted floating. Mine fired at.
Result uncertain.
1537 Ybonne et Moabe of Gravelin French Flag with one English soldier with Brenn Gun onboard heading England. Turned on communicating with us and headed towards Dunkirk.
(Boat just mentioned was sunk about 1615 by bombs direct hit.)
1550 Searching around among very large wreckage.
1605 Turned back for few miles while drifter reports and await results of message by W/T
regarding ship in distress further up main
1615 Bombed channel. by (about 30) many planes - 1 trawler sunk (not in our company). Bomb dropped by our trawler and broke tow throwing men in water. Men picked up. Our planes arrived.
1624 Proceeding to investigate Trawler.
1635 Air attack still on.
1652 Bombs heard dropping Drifters heading home
1640 Departed planes.
without leaving orders. Tried to communicate with drifters to ask their intentions with
Aldis but could get no reply. Tried to collect small boats and motioned life-boat to stop (scored out in log "Comd. Gunner onboard") Lifeboat went on but stopped by
Aldis.
1710/

Boat Broke Drifter England Thrifty White Bear Aldis Cooley Dover English Few Last Light Mead Miles White

723

OCR table 1 from document page 723
GUNBOATS. 257	H.M. DRIFTERS.
LOCUST 258	[X] DORIENTA 339
MOSQUITO	BEN & LUCY 2339
263	KINDRED STAR 344
CORVETTES.	THRIFTY 344
SHELDRAKE 263	FLARE BURNING DRIFTERS. 319
KINGFISHER 265
GUILLEMOT 270	[X] EILEEN EMMA
	FORECAST
THAMES LOCAL DEFENCE	[X] 273 GERVAIS RENTOUL
FLOTILLA.	[X] GIRL GLADYS
	[X] GIRL PAMELA
ROYAL EAGLE 282	[X] GOLDEN GIFT
GOLDEN EAGLE /291	GOLDEN SUNBEAM 351
CRESTED EAGLE 293	LORD HOWARD
	LORD HOUSE
PORTSMOUTH INNER 299	MIDAS
PATROL.	[X] NETSUKIS
	PAXTON
[X] ANKH ,305	BOY ROY
315	SHIPMATES
BOUNTY	UT PROSIM
[X] CARYANDA 303	THE BOYS
LAHLOO	TORBAY II.
THELE 301.	YORKSHIRE LASS
SERIOLA 308, 306	[X] YOUNG NUN
EILA II.	MUN
AHOLA V304	SHEERNESS REPORTS
NONETA 321
323 HARWICH FORCE.	RENASCENT MONARDA
PADDLE M/S.	ARONIA STRATHELLIOT
WAVERLEY	ALOUETTE 2. & men.
[ ] [X] ORIOLE	Recommendations for officers special
[X] DUCHESS OF FIFE	List of officers deserving
MARMION	mention.
M/S TRAWLERS.	Movements of officers.
LORD MELCHETT 1329 330	"A/S" & "LL" TRAWLERS.
STELLA RIGEL	[X] LORD INCHCAPE
	OUR BAIRNS
DRIFTERS.	OLVINA
[ ] MARE 331	CAPE ARGONA
SARAH HIDE TWEENWAYS	TUGS
UNICITY	SUN IV. J
[X] [ ] JACKEVE 106	0.11
THREE KINGS	0.9
[ ] [X] RIG J	FORMIDABLE
[X] STRIVE
	ST .CLEARS/

Ahola Ankh Aronia Bounty Boy Roy Caryanda Crested Eagle Dorienta Duchess Duchess of Fife Eila II Eileen Eileen Emma Forecast Formidable Gervais Rentoul Girl Gladys Girl Pamela Golden Eagle Golden Gift Golden Sunbeam Guillemot Jackeve Kindred Star Lahloo Lord Howard Lord Inchcape Lord Melchett Mare Midas Monarda Mosquito Netsukis Noneta Olvina Our Bairns Paxton Renascent Rig Royal Eagle Sarah Hide Seriola Sheldrake Shipmates Stella Rigel Strathelliot Strive Sun Sun IV Sunbeam Thames The Boys Thele Three Kings Thrifty Torbay II Tweenways Yorkshire Lass Kings May Young

820

int
- 315
HM DRIFTERS
DORIENTA.
BEN They
KINDRED STAR
THRIFTY.

Dorienta Kindred Star Thrifty

827

"KINDRED 29th "THRIFTY" during DUNKIRK OPERATIONS DRIFTERS
REPORT STAR" & FROM OFFICER IN CHARGE OF
321
May to 5th June 1940.
May
29th.
Having all received orders to proceed to Dover on and duty, M/S gear was landed, the ships were coaled special provisioned and left Portland Harbour at 1900
ay
30th.
Arrived off Dover at 1730. Reported arrival to off examination vessel and was told to anchor about 10/4 mile breakwater and await instructions.
May 31st.
Having waited outside Dover Harbour all night We finally received instructions to enter harbour and berth alongside Prince of Wales Pier at 1400.
I reported in person to Vice Admiral Dover and was instructed to stand by for sailing orders.
June 1st. At 0430 orders were received to report to H.M.S. "Lynx"
for final instructions. We were then given orders to take in tow 6 Lifeboats or similar craft with each ship and to proceed to the beach 1 mile east of Dunkirk by route "Y".
We left Dover Harbour with boats in tow at 07 00 for
Dunkirk via North Goodwin Light Vessel.
113 O.
Passed "W" Buoy Saw floating Mine destroyed by gun fire from another vessel.
1330.
Passed several vessels returning from direction of
Dunkirk - some with a few troops on deck, others apparently empty.
1400.
Passed """ Buoy. Speed made good approximately 4 knots.
1430g
Saw large Ship on her side on fire and boat blazing in the water. Shells falling very near from shore batteries.
1530.
Attacked by dive hombers. Sent out message # attacked by aircraft" on R/T. Our lewis guns in action.
Several vessels were seen trying 10 enter Dunkirk Roads but all were driven back by action of enemy aircraft and shore batteries. We altered course to bring us outside range of shore guns.
1610.
Again attacked by dive bombers. R/Teall sent and Lewis
Guns were again inaction.
One salvo of 4 bombs struck the water just ahead of the
"Kindred Star" scorching the paint and scattering small
There was another salvo of 6 bombs dripped - 3 each side fragments on the deck but doing no aparent damage.
of the "Thrifty". These bonbs burst under water throwing
Two hands were washed overboard ut these were picked up up and decks to a depth of several feet.
great columns of water and flooding the top bridge by lifeboats.
The was seen to be badly it by & bomb to pieces. - afterwards tows were slipped for greatel safety.
One Trawler Another unknown vessel as blown to
We sinking. did not stop as there were oth- ships nearer these
1620.
vessels. "Kindred Star"reportedhat the and boiler feed pipes was
Engineer losing water on rapidly also the mainiteam
1730.
were cracked. to collect tow which indepenintly. had attered, all except
3 Returned lifeboats signal having to Dover returned asking received. for nstructions re these
1800.
Sent R/T reply was request. aircra, attheir dive bombing near
"V"
buoy.
1830.
Lewis Guns aircraft, but sustained. "Kindred
Again attacked again in action, no also further two her amage attacks was by
Star" Entered in order to effect high bombing Ramsgate Harbour and repairs. blew dowboiler on

Boat Kindred Star Prince Prince of Wales Thrifty Bridge Dover Few Lewis Light May Prince Roads Wales

828

345
be 322
June 2nd. In Ramsgate Harbour doing temporary repairs to boilor of "Kindred Star".
shaken up and galley stove destroyed.
"Thrifty" reported to be leaking badly, engines
June 3rd. Orders were received from N.O.I.C. Ramsgate to return to Portland in company as soon as the tide permitted. Owing to the repairs not being completed until late, we were not in time for that evening's tide.
The Chief Engineer of "Thrifty" got intoxicated and struck the Skipper of the "Kindred Star" and also his own Skipper. He was placed under arrest by orders of the N.O.I.C. and handed over to the
Ramsgate Police.
June
4th.
Left Ramsgate 0925.
June 5th. Arrived Portland 1100.
June 12th 1940
Lieutenant. R.N.V.R.
ded hereto

Evening Kindred Star Thrifty