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TNA / ADM 199 795

TNA ADM 199 795

TNA ADM 199 795
Collection details

TNA ADM 199 795

Admiralty reports on naval operations off the Dutch, Belgian and French coasts during 1940.

Holding archive
TNA
Collection reference
ADM 199 795
View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199/795. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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SECRET
WAR OFFICE NOTE ON DUNKIRK EVACUATION.
Up to 30th May, 1940, the arrangement 718 that British troops were to be taken off in British ships and French troops in
French ships. Notwithstanding this arrangement up to noon 31st
May, 14,811 French troops in addition to 149,642 British had arrived in this country in British ships. The number taken off in French ships is not known but the Admiralty had the Impression
X
that the French Navy made very little offort and that no effective steps had been taken to collect French coastal shipping.
On the night 30/31 May Lord Gort received orders that equal numbers of French and British troops were to be taken off in British ships. It was decided that the final night of
Y
evacuation was to be 1/2 June. Evacuation by daylight vsa 00
longer possible as the only channel #88 covered by enemy glas and his air action was incessant. On the norning 1st June alone 19
lost six ships by onemy bombing.
Notwithstanding the former decision the everuation vas
Alexander and the last of the British troops left Dunkirk in the continued up to and including the night 3/4 June.
early morning of 3rd June. This withdrawal vas made is full agreement to hold the perimeter and asked only for British state to and with Admiral Abrial who said he had sufficient namel French air troops assistance during night 3/4 June. At considerable our shipping this assistance ISS given.
the period after the decision to take off off equal in numbers of During French and British troops the numbers bronght
British ships were 11.
74,943
British
97,735
French
The total numbers including mounded during the shole period of evacuation were -
224,385
British
112,548
Franch
The main reasons for the disparity in total minbers are -
(a) Failure of French Navy to make an affort to assist in
(b) evacuation. Failure of French High Command to issue say orders 4a to
(c) French evacuation. Commander's withdrawal instatance to that the his const, spoups had 1678 resulted vas too tired in their to failure continue to reach Donkirk while evacuation still possible.
The War office.
3rd May, 1941.
1
Alexander Gort Last Little May

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 180.

SECRET
WAR OFFICE NOTE ON DUNKIRK EVACUATION.
Up to 30th May, 1940, the arrangement 718 that British
troops were to be taken off in British ships and French troops in
French ships. Notwithstanding this arrangement up to noon 31st
May, 14,811 French troops in addition to 149,642 British had
arrived in this country in British ships. The number taken off
in French ships is not known but the Admiralty had the Impression
X
that the French Navy made very little offort and that no
effective steps had been taken to collect French coastal shipping.
On the night 30/31 May Lord Gort received orders that
equal numbers of French and British troops were to be taken off
in British ships. It was decided that the final night of
Y
evacuation was to be 1/2 June. Evacuation by daylight vsa 00
longer possible as the only channel #88 covered by enemy glas and
his air action was incessant. On the norning 1st June alone 19
lost six ships by onemy bombing.
Notwithstanding the former decision the everuation vas
Alexander and the last of the British troops left Dunkirk in the
continued up to and including the night 3/4 June.
early morning of 3rd June. This withdrawal vas made is full
agreement to hold the perimeter and asked only for British state to and
with Admiral Abrial who said he had sufficient namel French
air troops assistance during night 3/4 June. At considerable
our shipping this assistance ISS given.
the period after the decision to take off off equal in
numbers of During French and British troops the numbers bronght
British ships were 11.
74,943
British
97,735
French
The total numbers including mounded during the shole
period of evacuation were -
224,385
British
112,548
Franch
The main reasons for the disparity in total minbers
are -
(a) Failure of French Navy to make an affort to assist in
(b) evacuation. Failure of French High Command to issue say orders 4a to
(c) French evacuation. Commander's withdrawal instatance to that the his const, spoups had 1678 resulted vas too
tired in their to failure continue to reach Donkirk while evacuation
still possible.
The War office.
3rd May, 1941.
1