Admiralty records concerning Operation Dynamo and the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, covering 1940–1941.
Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199/792. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.
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Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 210.
258 3 - 131 King 255 this damage did not seem so serious as the fact that the steering gear was out of action and that the steam which prevented us from getting into the steering flat being no stop valve accessible. could not be cut off the boilers - there apparently 29/5 76 A fire had broken out in the Stewards' quarters on the starboard side, but I was able to put this out without much trouble. The holes made forward were of a jagged nature, from three to four inches at greatest width, and also a number of rivets were blown out. Some damage to an oil bunker was apparent, as oil fuel was coming into the seamen's sleeping quarters forward in considerable but not heavy quantity. The worst hole in the stokers' quarters was caused by the blowing in of a completely deadlighted porthole. All leaks were eventually stopped that were visible, and the pumps seemed to be coping with any influx successfully. Owing to the darkness it was difficult in some parts of the ship to fully ascertain all damage or possible hidden weaknesses. I went ashore to discuss the situation with the Senior Naval Officer and had to report that I did not anticipate the ship being seaworthy before dawn, and that she was certainly not in a fit state to take on troops. The ship had in the meantime been secured alongside, bow in. It was considered from information now gained that the ship would again become subject to attacks at dawn, and would then most probably be destroyed. The Senior Naval Officer instructed me to either proceed to sea or endeavour to ground the ship on the East side of the Pier, where she would be useful as a breakwater. Soon after 0030 on the 30th May I decided to leave 30/5 the berth, as the ship was aground and might be difficult to get off later. I also decided that if the ship was sufficiently manoeuvreable to be grounded where required that she could also possibly be extricated either bow or stern first from Dunkirk Roads and possibly reach assistance Ph I found thes:- my hungomy :- one V.U and 4 scander wounded hilding :- 4 here killed / Officer and nt men mounded. tomage to the ship was rus tamed as follows /. 55. coils severed 2. Two life loats badly boled 3- Boar back piered Priside 4. are rentilator holed and sundy minor depects to wining etc