TNA ADM 199 792

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 306.

337
331
- 29 -
managed to get a room and make up somo of thoir lost aloop.
1/6
We clambered down an iron ladder at the Submerine base and ACTOSO
1800
several boats to get on board M.A.S.B.10. Herc I found that a flag had been
ca
mado for me out of a pieco of cloaning cloth - the red strips orde one h: If of
the cross and the other half and the ballshed been added in rod point. With
this flag flying we loft the harbour on a lovely afternoon to the colution of the
ships WC passed. The harbour was full of destroyers, sloops and minesweepers,
many with the signs of their strenuous time upon them bont bown, holes and
the evidence of bunns and collisions. Some were out of action oltogother and
all were enjoying the first few hours at rest in harbour that many of them had
had for many days.
I think I put in an hour's sleop on the way over and I funcy that my till
then I had had about 7 hours altogother in short snatches, but I felt quite
fresh and fit all the same.
1/6
When we were some milos from Dunkirk we nightod two M.T.B.'s coming towards
us on the Port bow. They were not British and it seemed quito likely they
were Germans, We had turned towards them but as I felt it wes my business to
get to Dunkirk and not get involved in a scrap with M.T.B.'s I gave orders to
go back to our course and 80 full speed. As we aid go the others turned towards
us and for a time it looked as if we could not avoid them, but NO gradually drow
away and they turned back to their former course. I think they rust have been
French as I don't fancy Germans would have loft us alone.
The test of the passage ivas without incident and we got into Dunkin's about
1900 and made fast alongsido the shore end 01" the pior. From there I ont to
the "Bastion" which was the hoadquarters of the Away and the local Freech
Naval and Military Command. From the root of the pier was a ton ndmition
walk along a road which ran behind the old remporte of the bown from: novered
on the left hand. On the right were buildings and shods, montly 10012008 02'
damaged, that hid shipbuilding slips or shipyerds. Mounted in one of the
embrasures was a Fronch field gun which Was firing back over the town. The
road WEB fairly clear but littered with lorries and 0023 the whole way, leaving
little room to dodge others which osreered along the road at intervals. Non
straggled along the road and one Frenchman asked for divections, but there vore