TNA ADM 199 792

143
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 22
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events,
141
31/5
Friday 31st May (continued).
65. Casualties to H.M, Ships during 31st May,
M/S DEVONIA received damage from near miss bombs whilst off La Panne. About 1600 ship was ordered to be beached.
At 0600 on the 1st, after having destroyed all useful apparatus, and ammunition put overboard, ship was beached and abandoned.
M/S HEBE, whilst off Dunkirk, was damaged by enemy aircraft and returned under own power to Dover.
Destroyer EXPRESS. Damaged by enemy aircraft whilst off Dunkirk.
Saturday 1st June.
66.
2 Hospital Carriers which had sailed the previous
1/6
evening returned shortly after dawn. Only one had succeeded in entering Dunkirk Harbour, the other had laid off 4 hours under heavy fire and returned to Dover. 4 personnel vessels failed to enter Dunkirk during the night, but succeeded in the early hours of the morning. One of these, the PRAGUE, was bombed and severely damaged half-way across on the return journey, but succeeded in making the Downs with the assistance of tugs, where troops transferred to other ships particularly
A/S trawlers LADY PHILOMENE and OLVINA. The supply of personnel vessels was maintained throughout the day, not without a series of setbacks caused by 3 ships refusing to sail and by
2 being turned back when on passage, by French Destroyers owing to heavy bombing and shelling of the approaches to Dunkirk.
Of those that operated during the 24 hours, 1 was sunk, 2
damaged by bombs and shell-fire and 1 by collision.
67. During the middle watch it transpired that no further troops were attempting to evacuate from La Panne off which were stationed one paddle minesweeper, a fleet sweeper and two destroyers, probably due to the heavy shelling from German guns eastward, and later information was received that the troops were marching from La Panne through Bray towards
Dunkirk. Accordingly, during the night the Rear Admiral,
Dover, instructed all small craft to move wast, with boats in tow, towards Dunkirk, and the Vice Admiral directed all ships under orders for La Panne to other positions further west, concentrating the main effort on the beach immediately east of Dunkirk.
To a request from Dunkirk for Hospital Ships, the
Vice Admiral replied at 0715 that the large ship berths alongside at Dunkirk must be occupied by personnel ships and the wounded that could conveniently be embarled should go with personnel. This direction was in accordance with the Government policy previously communicated to the Vice Admiral.
68. Soon after dawn enemy aircraft were active and heavy bombing and machine gun attacks developed at 0500 over the whole area from Dunkirk to La Panne. A second series of attacks commenced at 0830 and lasted until 0900, during which time nearly every ship off the coast was subjected to intensive bombing and machine gunning, formations of 30 and 40
machines/

APPENDIX I.
160
to
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
162
LIST OF H.M. SHIPS, PERSONNEL SHIPS AND HOSPITAL CARRIERS
TAKING. PART.
A.A. CRUISER: CALCUTTA
DESTROYERS:
ANTHONY HARVESTER MALCOLM VIVACIOUS
161
159
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 40
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
Inshore Flotillas and Naval Shore Parties (continued).
June 1st, noon. Dunkirk East Beach.
"Conditions other than state of the sea, which was good, were shocking. The German planes were flying low and using machine guns. Operation delayed as great difficulty was experienced persuading some of the French to embark.
So far as I could understand their units were incomplete, and they were unwilling that part of a unit should embark without the rest. At one point on the beach there were at least 2,000 men, none of whom would embark."
Monday, 3rd June. Dunkirk East Pier. 0045.
"There were no troops on the jetty so I went to the inner end. There I found a French Colonel with about 3,000
men waiting to be told where to go. I had to stand at the end telling them that their Colonel was in my ship before they would follow."
ARTLETT
LA DORADO
RINGIA
STELLA
OLVES
OLVINA
ffice of
Flag Officer Commanding,
MIN
SILVER DAWN
Dover.
DRI
June, 1940.

APPENDIX I.
160
to
Operation "DYNAMO"
Narrative of Events.
162
-
LIST OF H.M. SHIPS, PERSONNEL SHIPS AND HOSPITAL CARRIERS
TAKING. PART.
A.A. CRUISER:
CALCUTTA
DESTROYERS:
ANTHONY
HARVESTER
MALCOLM
VIVACIOUS
BASILISK
HAVANT
MONTROSE
WAKEFUL
BLYSKAWICA
ICARUS
SABRE
WHITEHALL
CODRINGTON
IMPULSIVE
SALADIN
WHITSHED
ESK
INTREPID
SCIMITAR
WINCHELSEA
EXPRESS
IVANHOE
SHIKARI
WINDSOR
GALLANT
JAGUAR
VENOMOUS
WOLFHOUND
GRAFTON
JAVELIN
VANQUISHER
WOLSEY
GRENADE
KEITH
VERITY
WORCESTER
GREYHOUND
MACKAY
VIMY
(40)
SLOOPS:
BIDEFORD
GUNBOATS:
LOCUST
MOSQUITO
UNESWEEPERS:
ALBURY
HEBE
QUEEN OF THANET
BRIGHTON QUEEN
HALCYON
ROSS
BRIGHTON BELLE
KELLETT
SALAMANDER
DEVONIA
LEDA
SALTASH
DUNDALK
LYDD
SKIPJACK
DUCHESS OF FIFE
MARMION
SANDOWN
EMPEROR OF INDIA
MEDWAY QUEEN
SNAEFELL
EL
FITZROY
NIGER
SPEEDWELL
GLENAVON
ORIOLE
SUTTON
GLENGO
PANGBOURNE
SHARPSHOOTER
GOSSAMER
PLYNLIMMON
WAVERLEY
GRACIE FIELDS
PRINCESS ELIZABETH WESTWARD HO
A/S VESSELS:
ARLEY
COMFORT
MARETTA
BOTANIC
CONIDAW
NAUTILUS
BROCK
FYLDEA
POLLY JOHNSON
CALVI
GULZAR
SANGASSO
CHICO
JOHN CATLING
STARLIGHT RAYS
re
SPECIAL SERVICE CRESTED EAGLE
GOLDEN EAGLE
ROYAL EAGLE
ESSELS:
"LL" TRAWLERS: INVERFORTH LORD INCHCAPE OUR BAIRNS THOMAS BARTLETT
it
A/S TRAWLERS:
ARGYLLSHIRE
KINGSTON ANDALUSITE STELLA DORADO
ore
BLACKBURN ROVERS
KINGSTON OLIVINE
THURINGIA
CAYTON WYKE
LADY PHILOMENA
WESTELLA
an
GRIMSBY TOWN
SAON
WOLVES
ue
KINGSTON ALALITE
SPURS
OLVINA
all
INE RECOVERY
FIDGET
JACKETA
SILVER DAWN
RIFTERS:
FISHER BOY
LORD CAVAN

page 5.
198
Sub Lieut. Galbraith.
196
6.
I was by Y gun for first attack. After hit I though ship was on fire and took some of gun's crew forward to deal with it, ordering a torpedoman to start jettisoning Port forrard depth charges, which appeared to be in danger. Found no fire but hauled on board two burned men who were in water Port side. Went aft where it was reported that shell room was flooding. Had all hatches closed. Assisted Gunner with jettisoning depth charged.
Tried to render cabin flat water tight. Went forward to assist with tow forward observed bow to be bulged by close bomb near water line. Took cover in P.O's mess for start of 2nd. attack.
Captain ordered me to get Vickers in action. Found torpedoman who knew its action and managed to get only three single rounds off during attack. Complete jam resulted. Later saw G.M. who declared nothing could be done. Took cover for 3rd. attack.
Watched destruction of A/S Pannel. Was ordered by 1st. Lieut. to load.Army boat and supervise its manning. Accompanied Sub. Lt.
Ellis to Captain's cabin to get C.B's for destruction. Just reached deck when last attack started. Took cover by Y gun and inside after screen. On order to abandon ship, saw boat manned, threw some C.B's which I saw on U.D. over the side and then jumped for boat. A/S C.B's were not destroyed.
Lieut. Sowry.
7.
At the beginning of the first attack I was on the bridge on the G.C.O's phones. Soon after bombers were sighted I
gave the order "All guns with H.E:T.F - load" and "Rapid Salvos".
Planes were sighted astern, angle of sight about 60° and at no time was the Director Layer able to report Director on during this attack due to the A of S being too great. Consequently no executive order to shoot was given.
After this attack I was told by the Captain to take the motor boat away and commandere two fishing smacks which were passing 1/2 miles away. The first of these was abandoned and I
returned in the second and stood by to tow. A wire was passed and made fast round a stout beam in the smack, which carried away some 15 minutes later. A second wire was then made fast round the foremast but as the tow was not clear of the deck house, the smack veered round and had to be pulled back into position by the motor boat. An additional rope was passed and made fast on the other quarter and the ship was turned through about 60 degrees., but the smack was again in the wrong position for towing, being alongside the forecastle bows pointing aft. At this point second bombing attack took place and I slipped tow and stood off to about 1 mile, the smack being machine-gunned by four planes. When attack was over I returned and reconnected tow which later parted due to taking up the slack too väolently. This was due to the language difficulty of giving orders to the French crew of the smack, the only other man on board the smack being an R.A.F. pilot. A
further bombing attack started, the final one, and I again stood off from the ship. When I returned the crew was abandoning ship and I picked up all men in the water, two Carley floats, one RE
pontoon and some men from each whaler. At this point, with 70
men aboard, Whitehall appeared in the distance and we made out to intercept her, using the smack's siren and the French ensign half way up the foremast. We met her about 12 miles away and passed information to her and requested her to collect men from remaining boats. I then set out on a course for England and in mid-chai.nel we transferred everyone to H.M. Trawler Olvina.

CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 22
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events,
Friday 31st May (continued).
65. Casualties to H.M. Ships during 31st May,
M/S DEVONIA received damage from near miss bombs whilst off La Panne. About 1600 ship was ordered to be beached.
At 0600 on the 1st, after having destroyed all useful apparatus, and ammunition put overboard, ship was beached and abandoned.
M/S HEBE, whilst off Dunkirk, was damaged by enemy aircraft and returned under own power to Dover.
Destroyer EXPRESS. Damaged by enemy aircraft whilst off Dunkirk.
Saturday 1st June.
66. 2 Hospital Carriers which had sailed the previous evening returned shortly after dawn. Only one had succeeded in entering Dunkirk Harbour, the other had laid off 4 hours under heavy fire and returned to Dover. 4 personnel vessels failed to enter Dunkirk during the night, but succeeded in the early hours of the morning. One of these, the PRAGUE, was bombed and severely damaged half-way across on the return journey, but succeeded in making the Downs with the assistance of tugs, where troops transferred to other ships particularly
A/S trawlers LADY PHILOMENE and OLVINA. The supply of personnel vessels was maintained throughout the day, not without a series of setbacks caused by 3 ships refusing to sail and by
2 being turned back when on passage, by French Destroyers owing to heavy bombing and shelling of the approaches to Dunkirk.
Of those that operated during the 24 hours, 1 was sunk, 2
damaged by bombs and shell-fire and 1 by collision.
67. During the middle watch it transpired that no further troops were attempting to evacuate from La Panne off which were stationed one paddle minesweeper, a fleet sweeper and two destroyers, probably due to the heavy shelling from German guns eastward, and later information was received that the troops were marching from La Panne through Bray towards
Dunkirk. Accordingly, during the night the Rear Admiral,
Dover, instructed all small craft to move west, with boats in tow, towards Dunkirk, and the Vice Admiral directed all ships under orders for La Panne to other positions further west, concentrating the main effort on the beach immediately east of Dunkirk.
To a request from Dunkirk for Hospital Ships, the
Vice Admiral replied at 0715 that the large ship berths alongside at Dunkirk must be occupied by personnel ships and the wounded that could conveniently be embarked should go with personnel. This direction was in accordance with the Government policy previously communicated to the Vice Admiral.
68. Soon after dawn enemy aircraft were active and heavy bombing and machine gun attacks developed at 0500 over the whole area from Dunkirk to La Panne. A second series of attacks commenced at 0830 and lasted until 0900, during which time nearly every ship off the coast was subjected to intensive bombing and machine gunning, formations of 30 and 40
machines/

APPENDIX I.
to
Operation "DYNAMO"
-
Narrative of Events.
LIST OF H.M. SHIPS, PERSONNEL SHIPS AND HOSPITAL CARRIERS
TAKING. PART.
RUISER:
CALCUTTA
YERS:
ANTHONY
HARVESTER
MALCOLM
VIVACIOUS
BASILISK
HAVANT
MONTROSE
WAKEFUL
BLYSKAWICA
ICARUS
SABRE
WHITEHALL
CODRINGTON
IMPULSIVE
SALADIN
WHITSHED
ESK
INTREPID
SCIMITAR
WINCHELSEA
EXPRESS
IVANHOE
SHIKARI
WINDSOR
GALLANT
JAGUAR
VENOMOUS
WOLFHOUND
GRAFTON
JAVELIN
VANQUISHER
WOLSEY
GRENADE
KEITH
VERITY
WORCESTER
GREYHOUND
MACKAY
VILY
BIDEFORD
TS:
LOCUST
MOSQUITO
EEPERS:
ALBURY
HEBE
QUEEN OF THANET
BRIGHTON QUEEN
HALCYON
ROSS
BRIGHTON BELLE
KELLETT
SALAMANDER
EL
DEVONIA
LEDA
SALTASH
DUNDALK
LYDD
SKIPJACK
DUCHESS OF FIFE
MARMION
SANDOWN
EMPEROR OF INDIA
MEDWAY QUEEN
SNAEFELL
FITZROY
NIGER
SPEEDWELL
GLENAVON
ORIOLE
SUTTON
GLENGOWER
PANGBOURNE
SHARPSHOOTER
GOSSAMER
PLYNLIMMON
WAVERLEY
GRACIE FIELDS
PRINCESS ELIZABETH
WESTWARD HO
ESSELS:
ARLEY
COMFORT
MARETTA
BOTANIC
CONIDAW
NAUTILUS
BROCK
FYLDEA
POLLY JOHNSON
CALVI
GULZAR
SARGASSO
CHICO
JOHN CATLING
STARLIGHT RAYS
AL SERVICE CRESTED EAGLE
GOLDEN EAGLE
LS:
ROYAL EAGLE
TRAWLERS: INVERFORTH LORD INCHCAPE OUR BAIRNS THOMAS BARTLETT
RAWLERS:
ARGYLLSHIRE
KINGSTON ANDALUSITE STELLA DORADO
BLACKBURN ROVERS
KINGSTON OLIVINE
THURINGIA
CAYTON WYKE
LADY PHILOMENA
WISTELLA
GRIMSBY TOWN
SAON
WOLVES
KINGSTON ALALITE
SPURS
OLVINA
RECOVERY
FIDGET
JACKETA
ERS:
SILVER DAWN
FISHER BOY
LORD CAVAN

Page 2.
PS WHICH TOOK PART IN OPERATION "DYNAMO" - 26TH MAY - 4TH JUNE, 1940.
PART I - BRITISH SHIPS (continued)
SWEEPING CRAFT.
ARIA
JEANNIE MACINTOSH
REED
TY
JOHN AND NORA
RELONZO
NIC
JOHN CATTLING
RENASCENT
CK
LORD BARHAM
RESTRIVO
I
LORD CAVAN
REWGA
THNESS
LORD COLLINGWOOD
RIG
CO (E.S.)
LORD GREY
SARAH HYDE
FORT
LORD HOOD
SARGASSO
IDAW
LORD INCHCAPE
SATURN
TENTA
LORD KEITH
SILVER DAWN
SIBLE
LORD MELCHETT
STARLIGHT RAYS
GET
LORD RODNEY
STELLA RIGEL
HER BOY
LORD ST. VINCENT
STRATHELLIOTT
DEA
MARE
STRIVE
NIUS
MARETTA
SWIFT WING
A
NAUTILUS
TARANSAY
ZAR
OLIVAE
THOMAS BARTLETT
VERFORTH
OUR BAIRNS
THOMSONS
CKETA
OVERFALLS
THREE KINGS
CKEVE
F
POLLY JOHNSON
TWEENWAYS
UNICITY
S TRAWLERS.
GYLLSHIRE
KINGSTON ANDALUSITE
SPURS
ACKBURN ROVERS
KINGSTON OLIVINE
STELLA DORADO
PE ARGONA
LADY PHILOMENA
THURINGIA
YTON WYKE
OLVINA
TOPAZE
IMSBY TOWN
ST. ACHILLEUS
WESTELLA
INGSTON ALALITE
SAON
WOLVES
HAMES SPECIAL SERVICE SHIPS.
RESTED EAGLE
GOLDEN EAGLE
ROYAL EAGLE
.A/S.B's. M.T.B's. ETC.
M. A/S. B. 10
M.T.B. 68
.C. MOTOR-BOAT
( ex "EXCELLENT")
M.T.B. 16
M.L. 100
A/S. B. 6
M.T.B. 22
M.T.B. 102
.A/S. B. 7
M.T.B. 67
M.T.B. 107
OVER FLARE-BURNING DRIFTERS
PAXTON
BOY ROY
GOLDEN GIFT
SHIPMATES
EILEEN EMMA
GOLDEN SUNBEAM
THE BOYS
FORECAST
LORD HOWARD
TORBAY II
GERVAIS RENTOUL
LORD HOWE
UT PROSIM
GIRL GLADYS
MIDAS
YORKSHIRE LASS
GIRL PAMELA
NETSUKIS
YOUNG MUN
(Continued)
Sunk.