TNA ADM 199 792

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CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 18.
137
Operation "DYNAMO". Narrative of Events.
31/5
Friday, 31st May (Continued).
Goodwins and commenced to hunt.
55. The arrivals at the home ports indicated that in
spite of the frequent requests for more ships and more boats
received from the various authorities on the French coast, the
rate of evacuation was steadily increasing and would permit,
all being well, of implementing the final evacuation plan
during the night 31/5 - 1/6, Accordingly, instructions were
issued for the special tows to leave Ramsgate at 1300/31 for
Dunkirk via Route X, and Commander-in-Chief, Nore, and Flag
Officer-in-Charge, Harwich, were requested to provide all
available M.T.B.'s to escort this convoy for as much of the
outward passage as possible, which was timed to commence from
Ramsgate at 1300/31. Speed of advance - 5 knots. A party
of Naval officers had been assembled at Dover to embark in
these tows and had been given detailed instructions on the
plan. Two M.A./S boats and 2 M.T.B,'s in the Dover Command
were ordered to accompany the boat convoy and subsequently
embark the Commander-in-Chief, B.E.F. and Staff off the
beaches.
31MAY
56. Shortly after sunrise an on-shore wind arose and
boat work became difficult, many whalers capsizing, and the
prospects of completing the evacuation to plan began to be
less favourable. The following extract from the report of
Captain Howson, S.N.O., on the beaches illustrates conditions
at Bray at this time:
"At 0400 there was a very considerable number of
destroyers, paddlers, trawlers, skoots, etc, off Bray,
and embarkation was proceeding satisfactorily, but a lop
had already started. There were about 10 motor yachts
which had arrived from England, These craft drew 6-7
feet and were unable to get close in to any of the
beaches. During the forenoon, considerable towing of
empty craft towards the beach was carried out, and only
about 2 boats were allowed to get adrift and ultimately
ground. With the falling tide, however, a number of
boats were seen to ground and romain ashore until the
tide rose in the afternoon. These included an A.L.C.,
New
motor boat and a lifeboat. Other power boats broke
down. Nevertheless, the embarkation, much hindered by
the lop, proceeded satisfactorily. As further destroy-
ers and sloops arrived, they were directed to lower their
motor boats and whalers as this had not already been done,
these boats were quite invaluable. About noon, the lop
began to subside and with the rising tide conditions for
embarkation very greatly improved, more boats were sent
in and more boats floated off and matters were proceeding
very well, when the gun at La Panne started to shell the
beaches and foreshore with great accuracy. A certain
number of light craft were sunk. The A.L.C. broke down
and was towed away by a steamer, MOSQUITO, destroyers
and sloops proceeded westward clear of the firing.
57/