TNA ADM 199 792

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143
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 22
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events,
141
31/5
Friday 31st May (continued).
65. Casualties to H.M, Ships during 31st May,
M/S DEVONIA received damage from near miss bombs
whilst off La Panne. About 1600 ship was ordered to be beached.
At 0600 on the 1st, after having destroyed all useful
apparatus, and ammunition put overboard, ship was beached and
abandoned.
M/S HEBE, whilst off Dunkirk, was damaged by enemy
aircraft and returned under own power to Dover.
Destroyer EXPRESS. Damaged by enemy aircraft whilst
off Dunkirk.
Saturday 1st June.
66.
2 Hospital Carriers which had sailed the previous
1/6
evening returned shortly after dawn. Only one had succeeded
in entering Dunkirk Harbour, the other had laid off 4 hours
under heavy fire and returned to Dover. 4 personnel vessels
failed to enter Dunkirk during the night, but succeeded in the
early hours of the morning. One of these, the PRAGUE, was
bombed and severely damaged half-way across on the return
journey, but succeeded in making the Downs with the assistance
of tugs, where troops transferred to other ships particularly
A/S trawlers LADY PHILOMENE and OLVINA. The supply of person-
nel vessels was maintained throughout the day, not without a
series of setbacks caused by 3 ships refusing to sail and by
2 being turned back when on passage, by French Destroyers owing
to heavy bombing and shelling of the approaches to Dunkirk.
Of those that operated during the 24 hours, 1 was sunk, 2
damaged by bombs and shell-fire and 1 by collision.
67. During the middle watch it transpired that no further
troops were attempting to evacuate from La Panne off which
were stationed one paddle minesweeper, a fleet sweeper and two
destroyers, probably due to the heavy shelling from German
guns eastward, and later information was received that the
troops were marching from La Panne through Bray towards
Dunkirk. Accordingly, during the night the Rear Admiral,
Dover, instructed all small craft to move wast, with boats in
tow, towards Dunkirk, and the Vice Admiral directed all ships
under orders for La Panne to other positions further west,
concentrating the main effort on the beach immediately east
of Dunkirk.
To a request from Dunkirk for Hospital Ships, the
Vice Admiral replied at 0715 that the large ship berths
alongside at Dunkirk must be occupied by personnel ships and
the wounded that could conveniently be embarled should go with
personnel. This direction was in accordance with the Govern-
ment policy previously communicated to the Vice Admiral.
68. Soon after dawn enemy aircraft were active and
heavy bombing and machine gun attacks developed at 0500 over
the whole area from Dunkirk to La Panne. A second series of
attacks commenced at 0830 and lasted until 0900, during which
time nearly every ship off the coast was subjected to
intensive bombing and machine gunning, formations of 30 and 40
machines/