TNA ADM 199 795

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321
322
ITWOD boowing
-2-
297
soldiers, some 370 mostly french were disembarked
considerable difficulty. We arrived without furth
COPY.
incident at Ramsgate next morning.
24
To:
D.M.O., Admiralty House, Sheerness.
I returned from Ramsgate to Margate and
to assist S.N.T.O. Now Lieutenant Commander Givin
Shift
On 31/5/40 I boarded H.M.S. "Nelson" (motor
31/5
On Monday evening at 1900 I sailed in
launch) in Ramsgate Harbour under orders to proceed
"Guillemot" for Dunkirk, she had not previously been
to Dunkirk. At 1310 I left the Harbour in company
prgme
3th
and so took me on as Navigator. We arrived at
with H.M.S. "Fervent" in charge of Lieutenant-
entrance at about 2330 after an uneventful trip
Commander Clements, R.N.R. The starboard engine of the
sinking a floating mine. We went alongside the
motor launch was out of repair and on getting outside
and embarked 400 Frenchmen without incident.
the harbour both the centre and port engines developed
air locks which made it neessary to return to harbour.
On our return we ran into fog at the last
After a strenuous afternoon's work the engineer
before the Goodwin and proceeded at slow speed with
cleared the air locks and at about 1645 I again left
the harbour. When about 2 miles south of the
mi
visibility about a cable. We made the North Good
Goodwin Light Vessel I was signalled to by Lieutenant
set course for the elbow and North Foreland buoys,
Newell, R.N.R. in charge of the Northern Inspection had Tug.
unable to find them we anchored tillthe fog lifted,
we found the North Foreland buoy a quarter mile 00
His struck tug a submerged wreck and was listed about
was standing by the trawler "Jacita" which 25°
Starboard beam; we set course for Margate pier and
to port. There were about 300 French colonial asked troops no
second ship alongside.
the trawler and Lieutenant-Newell, R.N.R.
TO I humathed working Lieutenant Commander Gin
refloat to the vessel. He was afraid that the I trawler
in transfer them to his tug before he attempted to
the S T.O. S office was closed on Wednesday, thes
would spent about one hour in transferring return the
be holed and sink during refloating.
reported first to Ramsgate as ordered and then to &
finally proceeding on leave that evening.
accordingly which left barely enough petrol for arriving the at
troops from Dunkirk. I then proceeded, The harbour
Throughout the evacuation I was impressed
voyage Mole, Dunkirk at about 2200. but
necessity of sending in boats fully manned by navel bosts
the East shelled a few minutes before I entered, in on
had been alongside the Mole I found British troops ships.
shallow draught, not necessarily powerfully used.
to the beach, or better still sending in power engined
large numbers onto the Mole and asked an Thereafter Officer to we detail
getting going along the Mole to other
few if any of this type of boat was being
82 men for my and after having nearly run 79 returned by an
I climbed up launch, which he did. down
bas I have the honour to be
left the harbour minesweeper in Dunkirk channel, we anchored till
overtaking and reaching the Downs and landed
Sir
by daylight buoys V.V and then on entered Ramsgate Harbour
the troops.
doinw WOTD Bre Your obedient servant.
BBW
and
as
food
(Sgd)
(Sgd.) W. Barham.
Das
S/L, R.N.
Lt. H.L. Holman, R.N.V.R.
I
24
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