TNA ADM 199 795

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32
CONFIDENTIAL
(2)
Sea Transport Office,
NAVAL ASSIS TANT
Fowey, Cornwall.
33
*
8 JUN1940
6th. June 1940.
*
Sir,
of
I have the honour to report that, in company with Lieutenants
MacKewan & Nettle, RNR and Lieutenant Blandy, RNVR, I proceeded
at 1150 hours, 26th. May 1940 from Dover to Dunkirk in S.S. "MAID
OF ORLEANS".
At 1300 hours the vessel was shelled by shore guns from Calais
but although several shots fell close and the superstructure was
splintered, no direct hits were registered.
Throughout the night of 26th.May and during the 27th.May I was
engaged in supervising the embarkation of troops from the Monitor
Quay, despatching the vessels as soon as loaded.
During the
3,
whole of this time, the operations were subjected to incendiary
and high explosive bombing by enemy planes at about 10 minutes'
intervals.
D.S.T.O. Office were set on fire by incendiary bombs followed by
During the forenoon of 27th.May, the adjacent buildings to the
heavy bombs.
All official documents and property in this
Office were collected and placed in a Military van, ready for
Commander Lewis and myself approached the Police
de removal. Navigation and manged to obtain temporary accommodation near
van to this location owing to intense enemy fire and heavy bombing,
the Semaphore but it was subsequently found impossible to get the
rendering the roads impassable.
the early evening of 27th.May I contacted with all Commander codes
Lewis During at the Caisson and arranged for the destruction of
and secret documents.
Eventually, Lieutenant Commander
Seymour, RNVR and destroyed the secret documents, opened planes.
reached the Base by diverse routes and the in my Deed presence, Box
and extracted its contents, amid heavy bombing by enemy D.S.T.O.'s
staff The removed Office but was it was not possible to save any personal in belongings three
destroyed then abandoned and members of the
or conveyances kit. and parties All were formed to superintend the
personnel proceeded to the Caisson evacuation
and the troops.
embarkation of Destroyers had previously landed about 160 by
men with In this Officers connection, for Beach Grouping and embarkation of troops.
boats which were sent off to the ships.
issued orders for immediate evacuation to proceed and
for Commander Officers to Lewis be distributed then among the various ships and
as ready.
Cash to the value which was subsequently attached.
of 1,000 Francs was extracted handed from the to Deed the
Secretary Box at the to D.S.T.O's the P.S.T.O. Office, at Dover, whose receipt is
28th.May, eastern T.S.S. 1 was the engaged Harbour in embarking entrance in troops this this manner from vessel's and others five lifeboats. were
"QUEEN OF THE CHANNEL".
During the early beach hours at the of
the
side were of brought alongside in During these
taken 200 to men other craft in the vicinity.
operations one boat was lost.