TNA ADM 199 795

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tide, arrangements were to be made to ensure that all craft
should be kept afloat in not less than one foot of water
pending ships being available to embark troops. I also
discussed with the Brigadier, the need for ensuring that
troops would be properly fallen in when the final evacuation
took place to prevent so far as possible an almost inevitable
ugly rush, but nothing definite could be fixed up in this
matter pending the promulgation of the final plan not then
received.
I learnt that the Brench final evacuation was expected
to take place on Friday, completing on Friday night, in view
of the closing in of the enemy and as soon as I had specific
instructions that my beach parties were not to be taken
prisoner and in order, for psycholigical reasons, to avoid
the undesirability of the Naval personnel embarking to the
possible exclusion of Military personnel (even if they could
do so), I left instructions that half of the personnel were
to embark between midnight and the early hours of Friday.
At about 2000 I again set off for La Panne intending to
return that night as soon as I had seen the Rear-Admiral.
There were many men embarking in the few boats available
going off to about 2 or 3 destroyers and sloops lying off
La Panne and I had considerable difficulty in getting a
WORCESTER as his Flagship, but he himself was ashore.
passage off. I eventually found the Rear-Admiral was using I
decided to wait for his return which did not occur until
about 2230. Meanwhile, enemy aircraft were active in the
vicinity and destroyers were filling up with troops. I
stressed to the Rear-Admiral the urgent need for ships
and boats already obvious), and maintained to him the question
of covering fire during the evacuation, but my main object
was to get his concurrence which he gave me, to my embarking
the following day in at motor boat off the beaches to
rectify the projected recurrence of emptied boats being cast
adrift.
It was too late to return to Bray that night by
she sailed for Bray in the early hours, disembarking me
land, and after the Rear-Admiral had transferred to EXPRESS
into the trawler OLVENA at about 0400(?) At this time
there were a very considerable number of destroyers, paddlers,
trawlers, acoots, etc., off Bray and embarkation was proceeding
satisfactorily, but at 1010 had already started. From Bray I
of about ten motor yachts which arrived from England.
transferred to SCIMITARY motor boat and later to ANNI, These one
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craft drew 6 to 7 feet and were unable to get across any of
the beaches. I used ANRH as my headquarters during the day,
and instructed half the yachts to proceed to La Panne and
the other half to work off Bray. During the forenoon,
considerable firing of empty craft towards the beach was
carried out and only about two boats were allwed to get adrift
and ultimately aground. with the falling tide, however,
till the tide rose in the afternoon. These included the ALC, a
quite a number of boats were seen to ground and remained ashore
fast motor boat and a lifeboat. Other power boats broke down.
Nevertheless the embarkation, much hindeedd by the lop, proceeded
satisfactorily. As destroyérs and sloops arrived, I instructed
them to lower their motor boats whalers where this had not
already been done. These boats, sepecially destroyers motor
boats were quite invaluable. During the morning, at certain
[Contained in Vol 4, p112 amount/