TNA ADM 199 795

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 640.

446
unbelievable though it may seem, of all these six boats in
close formation not one lost so much as a chip of paint.
Amongst the commoner difficulties encountered were
submerged lorries in whichtroops had apparently driven right
down to the water's edge at low tide. Another source of much
trouble close inshore was the large amount of floating grass
rope which various craft had used and lost in their rescue
work and numerous articles of military equipment, such as
greatcoats. Quite a few small motor boats were put temporarily
out of action by the ropes and garments fouling the boats'
screws and many times the crews (stripped or not as occasion
permitted) were obliged to go over the side and free these
obstructions before they could carry on.
As those boats which made the earlier crossings returned
with their stories of the difficulties to be overcome, other
crews profited by their experience. to add to - or in some
cases to subtract from - the equipment carried. Arms were
principally in demand and the depot was raided time and again
by officers and crews in search of anything with which they
could hit back. As one manexpressed it "Even a record of the
1812 overture would be better than nothing".
By this time too, volunteers of all sorts, military as
well as civilians, were besieging those boats which were
ordered out, and many were the last minute "pier head jumps"
on to already moving craft by those who were determined not
to be left out.
One story relates how two army cadets disappeared from as
machine-gun nest on the harbour wall complete with gun. They
were next heard of bringing down an enemy plane off Dunkirk
from the deck of & small motor boat!
The principal work accomplished by these small craft
consisted of what may best be called "ferrying". The shore
off the beaches to the east of Dunkirk shallows very gradually;
at times there is no more than two or three feet of water for
- 6 -