TNA ADM 199 795

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landing craft at position some 10 miles off shore.
To this arrangement I agreed,
L
4.
At daybreak, when making for this position, we were ordered by one of the minesweepers to keep to the route laid down so that eventually Clan Macalister Tas anchored some
1/2 miles off shore, close to Old Dunkirk, and in the vicinity of a. heavily listed French merchant ship which was slowly sinking. The first of the A.L.C., six of which were stowed forward, the remaining two aft, was histed out shortly afterwards.
Those stowed forward were holsted out first, commencium with
No. 16. No. 15, was put into the water next, followed by my own craft No. 5.
The weather was fine, with a light breeze from N.N.:.
5.
My instructions were that concentrations of British troops were to be expected at ta Panne, Braye, and someshere between Braye and Old Dunkirk. Accordingly I gave instructions that the craft should be grouped as follows:-
Nos. 5, 3, 17, (Commander Cassidi in No. 3), to work off 1.2 Panne,
Kos. 4, 8, 16, (Sub. Lieut Wilcoxon R.N.V.R. in 4), off Braye, and
Nos, 15, 18, (Sub Lieut Syre R.N.V.R. in No. 15), between Braye and Old Dunkirk. Shortly before commeneing operations 1 modified these instructions, and left it to the discretion of individual cexswains to work where their services seemed likely to prove most effective.
A.L.C. 16 left the ship 28 soon RP she 8 hoisted out and proceeded straight inshore, No..15 had slight difficulty in starting her engines, 16 that 5 was the next to leave. 1 mysèlf was onboard this craft.
Commander Note. Cassidi's report is continued in Part II under the detached action of A.L.C.5, as he remained with that craft.

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Appendix "A"
Part II,
S.S. Clan Macalister.
A.L.C. 18 and A.L.C.4.
Both the above A.L.C. were on the after deck in S.S. Clan Macalister, and hoisting out commenced on 29th May after A.L.C. 16,/5, 17, & 5 had been disembarked, A.L.C. 4 was in the process of being hoisted out shen a destroyed, (D54), passed Clan Macalister at speed, less than a cable distant.
The Clan Macalister, being light, relled heavily, and both the after derrick guys parted. Asbolic
4 on the end of this derrick, swang to and fro across the ship until the lascar seaman working the sinch last his head, and let her come down with a run across the after end of A.L.C. 18 The force of the impact knocked one of the engines right out through the bottom of
A.L.C. 18, and the underside of AsbaCo 4 THE also extensively damaged, Both boats, being rendered useless by this accident, were left in their original stevage positions on the after deck of S.S. Clan Macalister.
Prom approximately 1300 hrs anwards,
British 2. treeps were embarked onboard Clan Cacalister without interruption. At 1600 hrs approximately Clan
Macalister was hit by a bomb on the part quarter, this killed or injured most of the 13 pdr gun's crews, she were serving their gun close by.
At 1630 hrs Clan Maclister was hit by second bomb in No. 5 hold. This killed or injured a a number of soldiers in the 'tween decks and set the ship on fire aft.
At 1700 hrs approximately Clan Macalister two further bombs right aft. At about
1815 was struck hrs H.M.S. by Malcolm dame alongside and took onbeard

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APPENDIX "A" PART II
A.L.C. 16.
Sub. Lieut. Wilcoxon R.N.V.R. was originally detailed to work in A.L.C. 4, but owing to an accident to this craft when hoisting out, he embarked in A.L.C.
16 on her next coming alongside Clan Macalister with troops.
is
A.L.C. 16 WILB the first boat to be hoisted out, and proceeded straight inshore to the beach near Old Dunkirk where she evacuated British troops. After setting scee seven trips successfully, she was boarded by a nob of
French soldiers, who overwhelmed the boat to such an extent that she became partially swamped, the starboard lattery was flooded and both engines failed.
Eventually sufficient French were evicted to erable
A.L.C. 16 to be floated off, and the port engine started.
Unfortunately in going astern off the beach she rode over the anchor, and did such damage to the part shafting that the port stern tube was loosened in the Presework of the hull, and water poured into the boat.
Continually pumping and baling, A.L.C. 10 continued running for a further hour and a half avacuating troops,
However, the damage to the boat was such that Sub. Lieut.
Wilooxon thought it advisable to arrange for the boat to be towed back to England for repairs.
With this in view they went alongaide and put troops aboard H.M.S. Bideford, Sub Ident. Wilmoxon at the -
time going inboard to arrange for a tow.
While lying alongaids Bideford a heavy attack was made by enemy dive bombers, and Bideford was struck aft. A
terrific explosion resulted within a few feet of A.L.C. 16

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The wooden portions of the boat forward and aft were blown to fragments, the bottom of the boat split lengthways, one of the crew falling out through the bottom, but the azmoured portion of the boat remained intact, the of the closing in overhead. Fortunately the boat's
O.L.A
crew were arouching dorm in the armoured part of the craft when the explosion occurred and were completely unscathed.
They attribute their survival entirely to the armour protection. Several other boats in the imadiate vicinity as were blown to atoms and samic at once. A.L.C. 15 sank after a few admites.
Unfortunately Sub. Lieut. Filsoxes, who was abcard
H.K.S. Bideford, was nortally mounded. P.O. Gill and
Stoker Hardstaff of A.L.C. 16 found him sitting on a
Sollard, just forward of the quarterdeck in Bideford, with one of his legs bloom all above the issue. They endeavoured to stop the hasmorrage using a rifle pail through as & commiquet. Jub, Lieut, Tilecron sent them in search of a medical officer, but they - unite to find one,
II.M.J. Xallet gette alongside Bideford and took off the srew of A.L.C. 16 together with other survivors and wounded.