TNA ADM 199 792

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The plan was to use Dunkirk only, except for some French local craft
2/6
which would embark from the beach immodiatoly East of Dunkirk. The omborkation
was to start at 2100 and go on till 0300 at which time blockships were to onter
the harbour.
I had felt the previous night that more ships could have used the pink had
they been available and I had sent additional ships there from off the berches
into the harbour. To make full use of the pier this night 2 programme was
worked out of personnel ships, destroyers, minemwcepors and sloops coming in at
half-hourly intervals to different berths so that three or four ships should be
alongside the East Pier continuously. Denny thought this impossible and liable
to result in confusion but a scheme was got out which provided a carrying capacity
of 37,000 men in addition to those that would get off in the small craft. I also
asked for a couple of fast boats to act as runners for me, and two *** I bolieve
from the "VERNON" mis were told off.
Besides the large ships there were tugs, scoots, drifters and all noner
of small craft going over as well - some of them to lay off and be loaded by
smaller boats and others to go right up the harbour past the large ship borths.
There was a large number of wounded in Dunkirk and orders had had to be
given that fit men were to be got away in preference, as apart from anything
else, embarking wounded would have taken up too much valuable time. In con-
sequence it was decided to try and get some of the wounded away in daytime in
Hospital ships in the hope that the Germans would respect then. Two were
accordingly sent over but one was bombed and sunk and the other WAS 80 bedly
damaged that she had to return. The wounded, except those who could walk and
get down to the pier, had to be left behind.
I went over again in M.A.S.B. 10, accompanied by Senerville and Goodenough
and on the way we had A mild bombing attack and also picked up three Bolgian
soldiers who had got about half way across in a pulling boat. They 1010 not too
pleased at being taken back to Dunkirk but were later docented into 8 deptroyer.
Just outside the harbour we met one of the two fast motor boats in charge
of D. Sub-Lieutenant. He told us that he had started over with the other boat
but they had both been machine-sunned and the other boat disabled. Commender
Clouston who was in it had told him to go on and leave him. Clouston and his