TNA ADM 199 792

CONFIDENTIAL 119
.
Report on Operation "DYNAMO".
117
Page 8.
Staff Officer, Captain L.V. Morgan, C.B.E., M.V.O., D.S.C.
Augmented by additional officers, including both
Army and Royal Air Force, specially appointed for the occasion, their task of organising and operating the large and varied collection of H.M. ships continued without a pause day and night throughout the 10 days that the Operation lasted, and I can never testify adequately to the excellence of their work, upon the efficiency of which successful results depended.
Finally I would like to pay tribute to the valuable support and assistance which I received throughout the whole course of the evacuation from Vice Admiral Sir James
Somerville, K.C.B., D.S.O., who was appointed to H.M.S. LYNX
for special service in connection with the evacuation.
The attributes of this officer for initiative and resource are well known throughout the Service, but I venture to express the opinion that never in the course of his long and distinguished career have they been put to better use than during the operations for the evacuation of the Allied
Armies from Dunkirk.
17.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF PERSONNEL.
I have already transmitted a brief list of those recommended for immediate award or decoration (which His
Majesty has pleased to accept) and T will forward a

CONFIDENTIAL
Report on Operation "DYNAMO".
Page 8.
Staff Officer, Captain L.V. Morgan, C.B.E., M.V.O., D.S.C.
Augmented by additional officers, including both
Army and Royal Air Force, specially appointed for the occasion, their task of organising and operating the large and varied collection of H.M. ships continued without a pause day and night throughout the 10 days that the Operation lasted, and I can never testify adequately to the excellence of their work, upon the efficiency of which successful results depended.
Finally I would like to pay tribute to the valuable support and assistance which I received throughout the whole course of the evacuation from Vice Admiral Sir James
Somerville, K.C.B., D.S.O., who was appointed to H.M.S. LYNX
for special service in connection with the evacuation.
The attributes of this officer for initiative and resource are well known throughout the Service, but I venture to express the opinion that never in the course of his long and distinguished career have they been put to better use than during the operations for the evacuation of the Allied
Armies from Dunkirk.
17.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF PERSONNEL.
I have already transmitted a brief list of those recommended for immediate award or decoration (which His
Majesty has been pleased to accept) and I will forward a further list at a later date when time has permitted a full examination of all the reports.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Balaway Vice Admiral.

-3-
representation must take precedence over any normal form of proportion as between officers and men.
6.
In List 'A', 93 H. M. Ships and Vessels and 80
requisitioned or other small craft and tenders are represented, ye besides beach parties, pier parties, and base organisations.
r
In List "B", 42 H. M. Ships and Vessels and 37
requisitioned or other small craft and tenders are included;
some of them are also represented in List 'A'.
The total number of H. M. Ships and Vessels and requisitioned small craft and motor boats manned and working independently in this Operation is unknown, but is estimated to be 600.
There were besides H. M. Ships' own boats, a further large number of open boats used in tow or as tenders to the larger craft, estimated at about 200,
7.
As will be seen from the above, it has been impossible to recommend decorations for more than a small percentage of the personnel engaged in the operation. It is therefore submitted to Their Lordships that consideration should be given either to the issue of a special plaque to each ship engaged in the operation, or that a special medal be struck, in
:h addition to any decorations awarded, to be worn by any officer or rating actually taking part in the operation afloat or on the beaches at Dunkirk. of the two, I would prefer the issue of a. medal for the following reasons:
(a) That many unrecorded acts of gallantry and examples of meritorious service took place in small craft and on the beaches and piers which deserve recognition.
(b). A great number of the personnel were not in ships or boats at all, being used for beach parties, etc.
(c). A plaque could only be issued to a ship, and many hundreds of the personnel engaged were in small boats requisitioned for the purpose.
8.
In conclusion, I would refer to Dover Despatch
A.14/0/876/40 of the 18th June, 1940, in which I made special reference to the invaluable services of the following officers, whom I trust Their Lordships will recommend to His Majesty for decoration in recognition of their outstanding services throughout Operation Dynamo.
Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville, K.C.B., D.S.O.
Appointed to H.M.S. LYNX, special service, in connection with the evacuation. The attributes of this officer for initiative and resource are well known throughout the service, but I venture to express the opinion, never in the course of his long and distinguished career have they been put to better use than during the operations for the evacuation of the Allied Armies from Dunkirk.
Captain/

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REFERENCE SHEET.
g, rom The Head of Military Branch
To The First Lord
THE
CW
OFFICERS
MERCHANT
NAVY
FEDERATION LTD.
Representing Navigating and Engineer Officers of the British Merchant Navy.
MEMBER OF
Registered Office: 23, LEADENHALL STREET, LONDON, E.C.3.
THE NATIONAL
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All correspondence to
Our Ref.
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be addressed to the
Your Ref.
TELEGRAMS: "PULONEROPE. FEN. LONDON."
General Secretary.
Branch Offices in Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, Southampton
Representatives in all principal Ports at Home and Abroad
19295
June 1940.
he Federation is governed by a epresentative Council of
The Secretary,
The Admiralty,
19401
Ls avigating and Engineer Officers,
S. W.
ected by its Constituent
Associations.
16JUNE4A
Sir,
PRESIDENT
re: Captain G. Mallory of REGIST
VICE-ADMIRAL SIR EDWARD
HEATON ELLIS, K.B.E., C.B., M.V.O.
S.S. "MALINES".
GENERAL MANAGER:
WILLIAM H. COOMBS
We are given to understand that the Masters of
(MASTER MARINER)
the ships engaged in the Dunkirk evacuation have been asked to report on services of special merit rendered
Federated Organisations:
by their officers and crews.
UNITED KINGDOM.
We are quite certain that Masters will refrain
Navigators & Engineer Officers Union.
Navigators 8 General Insurance Co., Ltd.
from making any reference to their own particular
Radio Officers Union.
service, and it is for this reason that we venture
AUSTRALIA.
to inform you that we have been asked by some of the
Merchant Service Guild of Australasia.
officers concerned, to venture to direct your
CHINA AND HONG KONG.
attention to the work of Captain Mallory, Master of
China Coast Officers Guild.
the S.S. "MALINES" owned by the L.N.E.R.
Marine Engineers Guild of China.
NEW ZEALAND.
You will be aware that he answered distress
New Zealand Merchant Service Guild.
signals from H.M.S. "GRAFTON" and we understand he
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
put his ship alongside the "GRAFTON" and was
Straits Merchant Service Guild.
instrumental in saving approximately 1000 lives and subsequently picked up survivors from H.M.S. "WAKEFUL"
Canadian Merchant CANADA. Service Guild.
I understand that the officers of his ship,
Parliamentary Committee:
both deck and engine-room officers, were greatly immodore The Rt. Hon, The Earl Howe, impressed by the fine seamanship and cool courage
Lord Churston.
[P.C., C.B.R., R.N.V.R.
ement leut Davies, Esq., K.C., shown by their Captain.
P. -Commdr. R.T.H. Fletcher, M.P. R.N., M.P.
dmiralof the Bart., Fleet, Sir Roger J.B. Keyes,
Herbert, Esq., M.P.
We trust that it will be possible for Captain
Mallory's name to be considered if awards are in ommander -Col, Stephen King-Hall, M.P., M.P. etc.
G.C.B., K.C.V.O.
contemplation.
J. T. C, Moore-Brabazon, R.N., leut.-Col. M. Pickthorn, Esq., M M.P. C.,
M.P
D, Smiles, M.A.,
C.I.E., D.S. O., M.P.

Commander HolGook.
would you care TO remark on This letter?
R:: Gleadave
Teacher A a
GHT
ИОӀТАЯЗОВ
We venture to revert to the probability of any other Masters having rendered exceptional servi which their own reticence may possibly preclude you from learning the real measure of their services.
With compliments,
Yours faithfully,
P.S. I am sending a similar letter to the Minist be of Shipping in case this is a matter to dealt with by that Ministry.