TNA ADM 199 792

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CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 8.
Operation "DYNAMO" Narrative of Events,
Wednesday, 29th May (continued)
midship end on the bottom. All the troops on board went
down with the ship; certain of the crew floated clear. After
about 1/2 hour motor drifters NAUTILLUS and COMFORT arrived and
started to pick up survivors, later joined by GOSSAMER.
Captain of the WAKEFUL was in the COMFORT. GRAFTON and LYDD
were close and Captain of WAKEFUL warned GRAFTON she was in
danger of being torpedoed. At that moment, 0250, GRAFTON was
torpedoed, COMFORT was lifted in the air, and Captain of
WAKEFUL washed overboard. COMFORT was going full speed and
as she came round in a circle LYDD and GRAFTON opened fire on
her, evidently thinking she was an enemy ship. It is
believed that COMFORT crew, except one, and WAKEFUL survivors,
except 4, were killed. LYDD then bore down on COMFORT,
rammed and sank her.
Previously GRAFTON, who was proceeding to Dover with
troops, had observed a ship tropedoed, and Iovered her boats
to pick up survivors, subsequently ascertained by signal to
LYDD to be WAKEFUL. A small darkened vessel, thought be
a drifter, was signalled and told to pick up survivors.
Within a few seconds of this, GRAFTON was torpedoed, The
bridge was also hit, either by a shell or grenade, and the
Captain killed instantly. LYDD then tried to come alongside
but after hitting starboard side sheered off, and appeared
to ram a vessel on port quarter. This was COMFORT. GRAFTON
opened fire under the impression LYDD had rammed the M.T.B.
Target was then shifted to another vessel further away on
port quarter, and vessel was observed to blow up with a bright
flash. This may well have been the enemy M.T.B.
29. During the forenoon JAGUAR, GALLANT and GRENADE
were dispatched via the new Middle Route X to test the
opposition by shore batteries prior to introducing this route
as an alternative to the long Northern route. GRENADE arrived
Dunkirk, reported no fire from shore batteries, but that she
had experienced heavy bombing. These three destroyers were
attacked by dive bombers when approaching Dunkirk at about
noon, and GALLANT was damaged. At least six attacks were
carried out, one enemy aircraft was brought down by gunfire
and others by fighters. An hour later MALCOLM reported
Dunkirk heavily bombed with a large number of aircraft and
during the afternoon this bombing extended up the coast to
ships off Bray. During the afternoon the Middle Route X was
brought into use for destroyers, but small ships were still
routed round the Northern route to Zuydecoote Pass. LOCUST
and MOSQUITO joined Dover Command and were despatched to work
on the beaches during the afternoon. Shortly after noon
enemy shore batteries near Nieuport began to bring Zuydecoote
Pass under spasmodic gunfire and the state was being reached
whereby the new Middle Route would become the only practicable
daylight approach to Dunkirk and the beaches. At noon,
CALCUTTA, who was able to get across to La Panne beach to
receive troops by small boats, embarked 1200 troops from the
minesweepers and then sailed for Sheerness, the minesweepers
remaining to load up again. At 1606 the New Route X having
been fully swept, all ships were ordered by the Vice Admiral
to use Route X, exercising navigational caution, and those
from Dover were instructed to proceed by Route Z, the South
route/