TNA ADM 199 795

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THE SHIPPING FEDERATION,
21
Limited.
VEDITE
Captain N.A. Moore.
West India Docks,
LONDON, E.14 24th June, 1940.
14
The Director of Sea Transport
Ministry of Shipping,
Berkeley Square,
London, W.1.
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For Mr. Bellamy's attention.
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Dear Sir,
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re Mr. Joseph McNamee, ex Chief Officer,
"ST. SERIOL".
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In response to your request for & report on the above named
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Officer, I can do no better than relate as accurately as possible
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the whole story concerning the relief of the "St. Seriol's Crew.
NJ
Early on Thursday, May, 30th., I was informed by the P.S.T.O.,
Dover, that the Crew of the "St. Seriol" has complained they were
no longer fit to continue their duties and, if it was considered
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necessary they were to be relieved as soon as possible.
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I immediately went on board to investigate the complaint and
it was only as & result of my inquiries, that I became fully aware
of the prevailing conditions and the arduous tasks the men concerned
with the evacuation were performing. The "St. Seriol", & small,
unarmed, coasting passenger vessel, had already made several trips
to Dunkirk in circumstances, which as you know, would be most
trying to Crews of warships.
I found most of the Crew in a very fatigued and nervous state,
even though many of them were quite young and of good physique.
After interviewing several of the men I consulted the ship's
Adjutant and Army Doctor to ascertain their views. They were
younger men but they had not the dightest hesitation in saying that
alightly doubtful about the necessity of relieving some of the
which rendered him incapable of standing for any length of
suffering from a form of nervous paralysis from the waist downwards, time.
Mr. McNamee would have to be relieved immediately as he was
The Doctor then informed me that in his opinion Mr. McNamee's
condition was entirely due to the excellent work he had been
contact with a vessel which was sinking from the result enemy
performing during the night. Apparently, the "St. Seriol" of had made
action and went to the rescue.
remained at the time. This was quickly launched and Mr. McNamee
Unfortunately, only one of the St. Seriol's four lifeboats
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took were rescued, he worked untiringly, directing the operations the
charge of it. Throughout the period, in which a large number
and of men assisting in pulling the survivors from the water into
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lifeboat which, apart from anything else would impose at great
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