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3/6,
by the stream of French craft coming in or loaving the harbour and the
scamanship displayed was really magnificent. A small handy tug to push them
in would have been invaluable. I could not use the M.T.B. for this as a
similar attempt on a previous night had put the M.S.A.B.'s ongine out of
action.
About 2300 I took some of the borthing party from the "WHITSHED" to
land them on the pier but had great difficulty in getting alongsido even in
the M.T.B. Finally, however, they got ashore, and by 2330 three personnel
ships, "WHITSHED" and "SABRE" were alongsido. When 10 is remombered that there
was a wrock alongside the pier itself, a wrecked trawler off the and of the
piling on the West side of the up harbour channel and block ships sunl: to this
channel, the task of these ships manocuvring to get alongside against the
wind and tide could hardly have been more difficult. Luckily the tido was
high. In the meantime, Scoots, French T.B.S and Floot sweepers had been
making their way into the West Quay and the embarkation from there was going
well.
The hold up at the East Pier had however thrown out the programme of
ships entering the harbour and there WOR great congestion in the entrance,
I had to stop ships coming in at times so that other chips could get out in
safety, but there seemed never a moment when ships were not on the movein the
dark, in waters that were alive with small craft, and the handling of the
ships in these congested waters Was marvellous, It was hardly to be expected
however that there would be 110 collisions, and "KTNOFTSHSR" was hit and badly
holed by a French trawler. She transferrod her troops to a traviler 88 her D.C.
cable was outland there wore plenty of magnetic mines about. Then she was
sent back to Dover.
At 0100 there came a report of 6 enemy H.T.B.S proceeding South Weet
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from off Ostend. This was rather disconcerting news with soverel transports,
destroyers and other craft lying stopped off the entrance to the harbour.
There were other troubles as well, for the "KELLET" reported at 0240 that
she was aground. The tide was falling and she could be seen right up against
the Western breakwater. Luckily a lifeboat managed to tow her storn clear and
she got afloat again. It was then too near daylight to risk keeping her. The
West quay was occupied and it would be some time before she could be loaded.