TNA ADM 199 792

CONFIDENTIAL.
153
Page 32.
151
152
4/6
150
its
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 31
it of
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
he
3/6
at
S
ed 33
h
Monday, 3rd June (continued).
d
93.
In the evening the Vice Admiral was informed by the
B.N.L.O. Marceau that it was estimated 30,000 French remained and that the French Admiralty agree that evacuation should be terminated that night if possible. Force used was to consist of 9 Personnel Vessels with one in reserve, 9 Destroyers
(maximum number available), 4 Paddle Minesweepers, 7 Fleet
Minesweepers, 9 Drifters, LOCUST, 2 Corvettes, 4 French
Destroyers and a number of organised motor boat flotillas including lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover, together with a large number of French and Belgian fishing vessels. The lifting capacity of this force, if used to the full, was more than 30,000, but it was certain that the facilities within
Dunkirk could not permit more than about 25,000 to be embarked in the time available, and this number only if the French troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all points of embarkation. This point was impressed upon the French Liaison
Officers and a number of French officers and ratings added to the augmented pier parties which were despatched to Dunkirk at 2200 in advance of the evacuation force.
toots
94. The movements commenced according to plan. The weather conditions at Dunkirk, although favourable as regards ere tide were adverse with a north easterly wind tending to blow the
Personnel Vessels and Destroyers off the vital East Pier makin berthing difficult. The MANXMAN, the seventh Personnel Ship king to due to sail refused to sail, and her place was taken by the theless,
ROYAL SOVEREIGN.
power
4/6
or
Tuesday, 4th June.
tretch
00/2/6.
95. At midnight when the earlier vessels had commenced thin the return voyage fog was reported in mid-channel and off the cipally
Thanet coast and a number of ships had to anchor before entering harbour. The EXPRESS and SHIKARI were the last ships llery the to leave Dunkirk at 0318 and 0340 and carried approximately
1,000 troops and the British pier parties. Except for an air attack on SHIKARI this final passage was made without intere ruption by the enemy and though the fog made navigation r to extremely difficult it undoubtedly served to shield the Armada ne gun, from enemy aircraft.
German ceasing
96. When the count was taken later in the day it was ements ascertained that 27,000 troops had been evacuated as a result d as of the night's operation and Admiral Nord agreed that the operation should be considered as completed, observing that all anmunition at Dunkirk had been expended and that the olunteer numbers left behind were small consisting principally of noncombatant troops. This decision was agreed to by the French
1
Admiralty at 1100, and the operation Dynamo terminated by
Admiralty Message 1423/4.
97. It was realised that in all probability there might be a number of open boats, barges, etc. tsmouth, bout in the channel with troops on board. It was accr scided to inary/
have

CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 32.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 31
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
Monday, 3rd June (continued).
93. In the evening the Vice Admiral was informed by the
B.N.L.O. Marceau that it was estimated 30,000 French remained and that the French Admiralty agree that evacuation should be terminated that night if possible. Force used was to consist of 9 Personnel Vessels with one in reserve, 9 Destroyers is
(maximum number available), 4 Paddle Minesweepers, 7 Fleet
Minesweepers, 9 Drifters, LOCUST, 2 Corvettes, 4 French
Destroyers and a number of organised motor boat flotillas including lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover, together with a large number of French and Belgian fishing vessels. The lifting capacity of this force, if used to the full, was more than 30,000, but it was certain that the facilities within
Dunkirk could not permit more than about 25,000 to be embarked in the time available, and this number only if the French troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all points of embarkation. This point was impressed upon the French Liaison
Officers and a number of French officers and ratings added to the augmented pier parties which were despatched to Dunkirk at 2200 in advance of the evacuation force.
94. The movements commenced according to plan. The weather conditions at Dunkirk, although favourable as regards tide were adverse with a north easterly wind tending to blow
S,
Personnel Vessels and Destroyers off the vital East Pier making berthing difficult. The MANXMAN, the seventh Personnel Ship due to sail refused to sail, and her place was taken by the
ROYAL SOVEREIGN.
Tuesday, 4th June.
95. At midnight when the earlier vessels had commenced the return voyage fog was reported in mid-channel and off the r
Thanet coast and a number of ships had to anchor before entering harbour. The EXPRESS and SHIKARI were the last ships to leave Dunkirk at 0318 and 0340 and carried approximately
1,000 troops and the British pier parties. Except for an air attack on SHIKARI this final passage was made without interruption by the enemy and though the fog made navigation extremely difficult it undoubtedly served to shield the Armadas from enemy aircraft.
I
96. When the count was taken later in the day it was ascertained that 27,000 troops had been evacuated as a result of the night's operation and Admiral Nord agreed that the operation should be considered as completed, observing that all anmunition at Dunkirk had been expended and that the numbers left behind were small consisting principally of noncombatant troops. This decision was agreed to by the French
Admiralty at 1100, and the operation Dynamo terminated by
Admiralty Message 1423/4.
97. It was realised that in all probability there might be a number of open boats, barges, etc. drifting about in the channel with troops on board. It was accordingly decided to have val

DMS
OPERATION "DYNAMO".
bas
H.M.S. # GOSS AMER ",
5th June, 1940.
L
1
D
The Commander in Chief,
H.M.Ships and Vessels at the Nore.
ir,
I have the honour to submit the following despatch on the operations J
£ H.M.Ship # GOSSAMER # under my command during the evacuation of unkirk, for the information of Their Lordships.
1
We made six trips in all, and transported, as accurately as can be scertained, 3214 British and French troops to this country. A list E
18 recomendations for awards is appended. At the same time the entire hips company did as much to deserve a medal as tose few I was able to ingle out.
When this operation is compared with the glordous feat at Zecbrugge in 1918, I am inclined to believe that it imposed greater strain on the ficers and men. This was particularly 80 due to the constant repetition in the belief that each one was the last. Again there were the long hours off the beaches in momentary expectation of the arrival x enemy aircraft(en expectation which was seldom disappointed ). Then the six hour passage home with constant reports of the presence of enemy
L.T.B.'s on the route, and in the knowledge that we had six or sevenhu undred souls on board and no boats whatever.
"GOSSAMER" sailed from Harwich at 1230 on 28th May, 1940, in company with H.M.Ships "KELLETT", "ALBURY", "ROSS", "LYDD", "PAINGBOURNE", sand "LEDA". H.M.S. "SALTASH" was left in the Tyne boiler cleaning.
flotilla arrived at EUIDCOTE addititis Pass at 2030 and stapped off
BRAY at 2115. There cared to be a large wood close to the shore but on neurer approach this was seen to be a mass of troops on the and.
Two ships were left there and the remainder proceeded to the East Pier at Dunkirk which at that time was intact.
As it was low water it took half on hour to embark troops down 1mprovised ladders, but "GOSSAMER" sailed at 2215 with 430 on board.
from now on it was impossible to exercise control over the fiotilla as a unit, and this narrative is concerned with "GOSSAMER" alone.
Just outside the 2UIDCOTE PASS we come upon the "MANNIAN" aground, and S.S. "PRAGUE" stopped, without charts. "MANXMAN" was given directdons, and a boat was sent to "PRAGUE" with a chart of Dunkirk. As will be seen this delay seved our lives.
Proceeding towards KWINT DOUY we soon came into a patch of water filled with mom crying BHelp", and heads could be seen all round in the
Ben.
I stopped and lowered boats ( three whalers and a skiff ).
I
WED then halled by Commonder R.L. Fisher of H.M.S. "WAKEFUL" who said he had been torpedoed and that the Submerine vas still near by.
In actual fact I believe he was attacked by on M.T.B. Dut my boats and almost all my officers were now lost in the night, and it took some time to recover them with such few men as they had been able to pick up.
The skiff was loft alongside a drifter. No doubt we were wrong to stop, but at the time I thought otherwise. We then steered so as to evoid KWINT BUOY, and proceeded without further incident to Dover, arriving there at 0655 an Wednesday 29th May.

Lieutenant Derek Peel Willan
H.M.S.
you publication in next authorised for press eutenant
Navy, H
Lieut
London gayelte Supplement
H
Me wahicdrow čorrectionsindicated below are made in the notification which appeared The in Supplementary London Gazette No 34925, dated 16th August, 19
1940:-
0
Page 5064.
the heading To be Companions of the Distinguished Service Order.
I Hall
Havy should
3
Second Sea Lord.
On reading F.O.C.Dover's report quoted in the letter from the Governor of the Isle of Man, the Admiralty shared the view of the Governor and no award was made to "Manxman" at the time (Gasette 16.8.40). Early in January however the abbed X.
Admirality received from the Ministry of Shipping a copy of a letter addressed to the Ministry, on 31st December 194.0, by the Mercantile Marine Service Association. In the light of this letter it appeared that an injustice might have been done, possibly through misunderstanding on the part of the Sea Transport Officer, and F. O.C. Dover was asked to abbed T.
enquire and report.
abbed 2.
His reply exonerated Captain Cowley and he was avarded a
Mention in Despatches and sent a letter informing him of this and expressing regret at the misunderstanding. A certificate of his Mention WD.S also sent to him.
For come months the mistake cost Cantain Cowley not only his employment but also his reputation. It is hoped that
Lord Granville will now use his great influence in the Isle of Man to help restore Captain Cowley's good name.
12th May, 1941.
Captain
Transport LevenwoRd.val Navy, H.M.S. Codrington.
Lieutenant Arthur Alan Whitshed Pollard,

Page 4.
WHICH TOOK PART IN OPERATION "DYN/MO" - 26TH MAY - 4TH JUNE, 1940.
PART I - BRITISH SHIPS (continued)
NEL AND HOSPITAL SHIPS
RCHANGEL
MANXMAN
UTOCARRIER
MONA'S QUEEN
EN-MY-CREE
NEWHAVEN
IARRITZ
NEPHRITE (Store Ship)
ANTERBURY
NGAROMA
LAN MACALISTER
NORMANIA
OTE D'ARGENT
PARIS (Hospital)
OTE D'AZUR
PRAGUE
INARD (Hospital)
PRINCESS MAUD
ORIAN ROSE (Store Ship)
#
QUEEN OF THE CHANNEL
ENELLA
ROEBUCK
ОЛМ QUEEN
ROUEN
SLE OF GUERNSEY (Hospital)
ROYAL DAFFODIL
SLE OF THANET (Hospital)
ROYAL SOVEREIGN
ILLARNEY
ST. ANDREW (Hospital)
ING GEORGE V
ST. DAVID (Hospital)
ADY OF MAN
ST. HELIER
EVENWOOD (Store Ship)
ST. JULIAN
OCH GARRY
ST. SEIRIOL
LORINA
#
SCOTIA
AID OF ORLEANS
TYNWALD
MALINES
WORTHING (Hospital)
MANXMAID
WHITSTABLE
BRITISH SHIPS
ADVENTURESS
BONNY BELLE
re
AGNESS CROSS (Life-boat)
BOURNEMOUTH LIFE-BOAT
ALBATROSS III
B.P. ONE
ALOUETTE
BRITANNIA
ANDORA
BULLFINCH
ANDORA II (R.A.F. Launch)
CABBY
ANNE IV
CANVEY QUEEN
ATHOLA
CAVERSHAM (M.B.)
AURA
CHAMOIS (Lighter)
BATL
CHERFIELD
BAT (Lighter)
/
CLAUDE (Water Boat)
BEE (Lighter)
COMMODORE
BELFAST
CONSTANT NYMPH
BLACK ARROW
CORDELIA
BLACK JAVA
CORNELIA
BLACKPOOL
BOBELI (Motor Cruiser)
C. 11
C. 9 } (Tugs)
BONNY HEATHER
C.Y. 63
DABB II
DEFENDER
DHOON (Trawler)
(Continued)
Sunk