TNA ADM 199 792

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Markness looking out to seaward, and lendward dark silhouotton showing against
the stoady glow of fires and the occasional flash of hombs. To 20y the
ships visible as dark blurs only, waiting off the harbour entrance for thoir turn
to como in to the piers, 100ming up largo and distinct 0.13 they drow near. Rooking
shoreward the whole town and harbour were shut in by a. poll of smoke overhead,
which was 110 up by the glare of fires in soveral places inland. Againmt the
glare the piers, harbour and town were sharply silhoustied, and on the piors and
quays an endloss line of helmotted mon in servied ranks, sometimes moving, some-
timon stationary. The funnels and masts of ships showed clear DD they lay along-
side or went in and out of harbour, their hullo hiddon and dark and invisible,
There was not a great amount of noise, syrens hooted occasionally when ships
moved, shells bursting with sharp cracks, distant crashes of hombo, machine-
gun fire faintly heard and nearby at times when someone fived at a plane over-
hood, engines throbbing as D. destroyer moved past, occasional orders and hailing
of boats.
The French T.B.S had an A.A. machino gun that fired à stream of bullots
with coloured tracers, these and the ordinary tracers filled the sky with
firework exhibitions in lovely curves of light.
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The return to Dover gave me the chance to sleep but soon ve blinged into
the harbour and made fast alongside - broad daylight and a silent town alleep but
the welcome sight of a car waiting for us. Up to the Offices for a few words
with Somerville and thon to the Admiral's house and a couple of hours on
Somerville's bed. It WAS very conveniont to have him on duty at that time QS'
day leaving a vacant bed. I slept heavily and woke suddenly as two fellows
came into my room - it HGS Berthon, Captain of the "KETTH," and his First
Licutenant. They were black with oil fuol and in the clothes tikey had boon
resoued the day before but they had come to lot EC know they were sofe. I
looked at them only half conscious and dropped off to sleep again at once, with
D. feeling of thankfulness.
After in bath and breakfast and a for momento in the sun outside I Colt fit
for anything and made my way to the dungeon 011100 again to discuss the noxt
night's operation. There were still 5,000 of the B.E.F. to como thousand. and an unknown
number of French, which was thought to be from thirty to forty