TNA ADM 199 792

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CONFIDENTIAL.
OPERATION "DYNAMO".
NARRATIVE OF EVENTS.
Sunday, 26th May, 1940.
Admiralty ordered Operation DYNAMO to commence at
1857. Prior to the receipt of this order, the despatch of
Personnel Vessels to Dunkirk had already commenced at 1500.
At this time a flow of 2 vessels every 4 hours had been agreed
to by the B.E.F., the first of these reached Dover on the
return trip at 2230 and 1312 personnel were landed.
2. On this day the only Inshore Craft available to
Vice Admiral, Dover, were 4 Belgian Passenger Launches and the
Naval Small Craft of the Dover Command such as drifters, and
Motor Boats from the Contraband Control Base at Ramsgate. The
only ones capable of lifting personnel direct from a beach
being the boats from Ramsgate. The Admiralty had been asked
for the supply of small boats, especially whalers and cutters,
but there was always the difficulty of arranging for the
personnel to man them. When matters became urgent, the
Admiralty made a signal to the various Home Ports asking them
to report how many cutters and whalers could be made available
for immediate service under Vice Admiral, Dover.
Monday, 27th May.
3. The Vice Admiral, Dover, was informed by the
Admiralty of the various steps taken to supply coasting vessels
skoots, motor boats and other small craft including pulling
boats for inshore work off the beaches. Very few of such
inshore craft could be available during the day and the main
effort was concentrated on maintaining the flow of Personnel
Vessels to Dunkirk at the rate of 2 every 3½ hours. After a
good start during the night 26th/27th the effect of enemy
action against these transports was felt. Between sailings
timed 0300/27 and 1500/27, no less than 5 transports were
shelled and returned to United Kingdom without making the trip.
In addition MONA'S ISLE was damaged by shell fire and QUEEN OF
THE CHANNEL was bombed and sank during the early hours of the
28th. As a result the Vice Admiral, Dover, reported to the
Admiralty that the normal channel, Dover to Dunkirk, was
impracticable in daylight owing to fire from shore batteries
extending from Les Hemmes to Gravelines. Zuydecoote Pass had
to be used instead and consequently the distance run for the
round trip increased from 80 miles to 172 resulting in a
general slowing up of traffic. This route had to be used
before it could be swept. Work was also commenced to sweep a
channel from the North Goodwin to the Ruytingen Pass and thence
into the Dunkirk Roads, thus shortening the round trip from 172
miles to 108.
4. The S.N.O., Dunkirk, with naval beach and pier party
of 12 officers and 160 ratings, plus communication staff, left
Dover in WOLFHOUND at 1345, and were attacked by dive bombers
at half-hour intervals between 1600 and 1800, on the voyage to
Dunkirk.
5. During the day preparations were advanced for
embarkation/