TNA ADM 199 795

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0's 1700.&.1723. VESSELS TAKING PART IN OPERATION DYNAMO.
TILBURY CONTRACTING & DREDGING CO. LTD. STEAM
HOPPER BARGE "LADY SOUTHBOROUGH" - REPORT OF MASTER.
I received orders on May 29th to have steam for sailing
at 3.00 a.m. on May 30th. We left Portsmouth in company of
other Steam Hoppers and proceeded to Ramsgate, arriving there
at 9.30 p.m. I was boarded by a Naval Officer who have me
my route instructions and charts and orders to leave in the
morning at 5.00 a.m. I left Ramsgate on May 31st at 5.40 a.m.
and sailed to Dunkirk arriving there at 12.30 p.m. I
steamed along the beach to the Eastward of the Harbour, and
anchored as near to the beach as I could. I gave orders for
the port boat to be lowered and three hand rowed into the
shore with instructions to fill up a motor launch and fetch
the troops back to us. After being ashore for an hour trying
to get a motor launch and failing, they brought back a boat
from the in the form of bombing, machine gunning and
load of troops. During this time we were under heavy attacks
and to load a motor boat with troops, another air raid
artillery enemy fire. Sent boat ashore again with three fresh hands
and lifted place boat out of water, luckily nobody was hurt but
taking proceeded in which four bombs were dropped quite close to the us
boat was useless having opened all her planks. Later I was told
that the tide was just right for beaching. I got underweigh I
ordered starboard boat away for troops. Seeing a motor
and steamed head first for the beach. After beaching
pleasure the handy filling up with troops my mate the sent
a craft quite have him alongaide and took off under troops. heavy
This line to him and was we carried out four times while still load of 478
enemy attacks from orders to hoist the boat which ahead and
procedure the air. After getting a full had done
full astern we England. While steaming down but we two
splendid work. were at last clear of the sands the fairway we
troops on board I After gave about half an hour of full and began
German bombers from their course and once at again 7.30 we a.m. were and lucky was
our journey for dived at us and machine gunned us,
sheered away We arrived at Margate Pier at 8 a.m.
not to get hit. Went alongside Margate provisions
disembarked troops, sent off to anchor to await orders go
told to anchor. took in fresh water and to for
fresh to Dunkirk load again. and was Laid at Margate Portsmouth until June at 4th 3.00 when a.m. orders on
came off that Underweigh we were at sailing 3.20 for a.m. but was stopped cleared. at North Hove
Goodwin the 5th. and told at to anchor 7.15 a.m. until steamed channel down was channel with a fair
and
proceeded
P.T.O.