TNA ADM 199 792

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CONFIDENTIAL.
153
Page 32.
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
151
4/6
Tuesday, 4th June (continued).
have an air reconnaissance over the Channel.
It was reported that a Transport was lying on its
side between Dunkirk and Gravelines and also a barge east of
the Goodwins with survivors on board.
C. in C. Nore, despatched 2 M.T.B.'s to find the
Transport with no avail. On the 5th the R.A.F. speedboat
$
did a sweep south of a line Goodwin/Boulogne and recovered 33
French troops and two naval ratings. In addition French
troops were picked up by patrols and brought in to Dover,
Margate and Ramsgate. Troops also arrived in French and
Belgian Trawlers totalling in all some additional 1,100.
Air reconnaissance was also carried out on the
morning of the 5th but nothing was reported.
REMARKS ON THE INSHORE FLOTILLAS
and
NAVAL SHORE PARTIES.
98. About 400 small craft, ranging from Dutch skoots
to 30 ft. Motor boats, set out at various times to the
Flanders Coast. In addition scores of pulling boats,
merchant ship life-boats, Naval cutters and whalers, were
sent off in tow. Only a proportion - particularly of the
pulling boats - succeeded in reaching the coast and taking
active part in the evacuation. Fewer still were able to
remain off the coast for more than one period. Nevertheless,
these small craft, in conjunction with the pulling and power
boats of H. M. ships off the coast, were responsible for
lifting more than 100, Allied troops direct off a stretch
of open beach in shoal waters between 1600/27/5 and 0400/2/6.
Further, a large number of the power boats operated within
Dunkirk harbour on the last three nights, working principally
in the inner harbour, which was continually under artillery
fire, ferrying a further large uncounted number out to the
comparative safety of ships lying off.
99. Throughout the period all these craft of the
inshore flotillas were subjected at one time or another to
intense attack from the air, both by bombing and machine gun,
and a large proportion also to sporadic bombardment by German
artillery. Under this fire no case occurred of boats ceasing
work as long as troops were in sight on shore, and movements
of boats westward away from the fire zone only occurred as
dictated by the military situation ashore.
100. The initial despatch of requisitioned and volunteer
small craft was controlled from -
1
Naval Control Service, London,
Westminster Pier,
Ramsgate,
Gravesend,
Dover,
Southend,
Newhaven,
Sheerness,
Portsmouth,
preliminary/