TNA ADM 199 792

Collection details

TNA ADM 199 792

Admiralty records concerning Operation Dynamo and the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, covering 1940–1941.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: ADM 199 792

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199/792. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Page	Image	OCR text	OCR tags
447	Log in to enlarge	CONFIDENTIAL 11131 83 From. Vice Admiral A.E. Bedford. 1940 Date 17th September, 1940. No.22/21. AB/40. To The Secretary of the Admiralty, London, S.W.1. REPORT OF ENQUIRY INTO LOSS OF H.M. TRAWLER "ARGYLLSHIRE" IN OPERATION "DYNAMO". Sir, With reference to A.L. M.L. 6245/40 dated 1st August, 1940, be pleased to lay before Their Lordships the following report resulting from an enquiry into the loss of H.M.A/S Trawler "Argyllshire" on 1st June, 1940. 2. Sub. Lieut. J.S. Weddle, R.N.R., who was in command of "Argyllshire" was examined on 17th September, 1940. 3. At about 0245 on 1st June "Argyllshire" was about 2 miles E. of "S" Buoy in company with trawlers "Lord Melchett" and "Stella Rigel. Many trawlers and other small craft were in the vicinity. "Argyllshire" commenced an attack on what appeared to be a submarine. At 0250 "Stella Rigel" crossed "Argyllshire's" bows and the latter reduced speed, the target then being about 1800 yards on her starboard beam. Shortly afterwards there was an explosion aft in "Argyllshire" due, it is believed, to a torpedo which struck her on the starboard quarter. The bows 40 stood up at about 45°, all fittings on bridge broke loose and ship went down stern first. Two to three minutes later she was seen with bows to the break of forecastle protruding vertically out of the water. She then sank and disappeared in about 20 fathoms. 4. Asdic gear was intact when ship sank; 5 depth charges set to 200 feet went down with her. 5. Confidential Books and SPs, except two or three in Wireless Cabinet, and one Secret Mine Chart which was on bridge, were in steel chest in Commanding Officer's Cabin and went down with the ship. 6. The imperceptible time during which this ship remained afloat after the explosion precludes the possibility of learning anything as to the behaviour of material generally, but it is 2/10) thought that if this class of vessel were fitted with & watertight bulkhead between the Boiler and Engine Rooms there is likelihood of their remaining afloat considerably longer in the 4/11 event of the fore or after compartments being flooded. 7. I was assisted in my enquiry by Commander C.B. Land, R.N. and Lieutenant (E) R.Haynes, R.N. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, a Biaford Vice Admiral	Argyllshire Broke London Lord Melchett Stella Rigel Bedford Bridge Loose Miles Weddle

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 447.

CONFIDENTIAL
11131
83
From.
Vice Admiral A.E. Bedford.
1940
Date
17th September, 1940.
No.22/21. AB/40.
To
The Secretary of the Admiralty, London, S.W.1.
REPORT OF ENQUIRY INTO LOSS OF H.M. TRAWLER
"ARGYLLSHIRE" IN OPERATION "DYNAMO".
Sir,
With reference to A.L. M.L. 6245/40 dated 1st August,
1940, be pleased to lay before Their Lordships the following
report resulting from an enquiry into the loss of H.M.A/S
Trawler "Argyllshire" on 1st June, 1940.
2. Sub. Lieut. J.S. Weddle, R.N.R., who was in command
of "Argyllshire" was examined on 17th September, 1940.
3. At about 0245 on 1st June "Argyllshire" was about
2 miles E. of "S" Buoy in company with trawlers "Lord Melchett"
and "Stella Rigel. Many trawlers and other small craft were
in the vicinity.
"Argyllshire" commenced an attack on what appeared to
be a submarine. At 0250 "Stella Rigel" crossed "Argyllshire's"
bows and the latter reduced speed, the target then being about
1800 yards on her starboard beam. Shortly afterwards there
was an explosion aft in "Argyllshire" due, it is believed, to
a torpedo which struck her on the starboard quarter. The bows
40
stood up at about 45°, all fittings on bridge broke loose and
ship went down stern first. Two to three minutes later she was
seen with bows to the break of forecastle protruding vertically
out of the water. She then sank and disappeared in about 20
fathoms.
4. Asdic gear was intact when ship sank; 5 depth charges
set to 200 feet went down with her.
5. Confidential Books and SPs, except two or three in
Wireless Cabinet, and one Secret Mine Chart which was on bridge,
were in steel chest in Commanding Officer's Cabin and went down
with the ship.
6. The imperceptible time during which this ship remained
afloat after the explosion precludes the possibility of learning
anything as to the behaviour of material generally, but it is
2/10)
thought that if this class of vessel were fitted with & water-
tight bulkhead between the Boiler and Engine Rooms there is
likelihood of their remaining afloat considerably longer in the
4/11
event of the fore or after compartments being flooded.
7. I was assisted in my enquiry by Commander C.B. Land, R.N.
and Lieutenant (E) R.Haynes, R.N.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
a Biaford Vice Admiral