TNA ADM 199 795

50/-
SECRET.
480
Use of Landing Craft during the evacuation of the B.E.F.
Report by the Inter-Services Training and
Development Centre.
Orders were received at about 3100 hrs on 26th May to load all available landing craft in the CLAN MACALISTER at Southampton for immedlate despatch to Dover. Eight Action, being all that were available, were duly loaded together with their crews, 2500 gallons of petrol and 300
gallons of lubricating oil.
Commander R.A. Cassidi R.N. was in charge of the party and with him were Sub. Lieut
Wilcoxon R.N.V.R. and Sub. Lieut Eyres R.N.V.R.
The crews comprised 45 ratings,
The CLAN MACALISTER sailed at about
1800 hrs 27th May. Subsequent action of A.L.C.
is described in appendix "A" attached.
Two jet propulsion type M.L.C. (12 and 17),
2.
arrived at Portsmouth from the clyde on 39th May.
They were put into commission forthwith, but were found to be in very bad condition, and a considerable amount of work had to be carried out on the engines and hulls before they could be used.
Two new pattern H.L.C., (21 and 22,) and
A.L.C. 10 were delivered by "hornycrofts on 30th May.
These were also put into commission forthwith.

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6.
As far as can be ascertained, up to the present the following casualties were sustained by crews of A.L.C.:-
Killed - one officer (Sub. Lieut R.
Wilcoxon, R.N.V.R.)
Wounded - Two ratings.
Injured - Two ratings,
Five craft were lost out of the nine employed;
two of these were never hoisted out of the Clan
Macalister owing to an accident to the derricks, and it appears that A.L.C. 8 and 15 need not have been lost, although the deliberate destruction of
A.L.C. 10 was perhaps justified on the grounds that she was disabled and might fall into the hands of the enemy.
of the 4 A.L.C. which returned, A.L.C. 5
7.
is in SHEERNESS Dockyard in a damaged condition.
It is suggested that she should be repaired there without delay, and that she should return to ortsmouth under her own power or in tow. An officer and a crew can be sent to fetch her.
I would point out that these craft were
8. subjected to very abnormal use; they were invariably overloaded; a great strain was thrown on the engines the clutches owing to the fact that the sea off and at DUNKIRK was full of every form of floating etc., obstacle beaches including clothing, equipment, etc., which continually fouled the propellors,

484
Appendix "A",
Part I
Report by Commander R.A. Cassidi R.H.
A.L.C., 3,4,5,8,15,16,17, and 18 were embarked, together with their crews and 1 P.O. 2 seamen and 2 stokers IS
spare hands, on board S.S. Clan Macalister at Southampton on
17/5
Monday 27th May. The ship sailed that afternoon.
in
2.
on Tuesday morning she anchored in the Downs 28/5
and was instructed by the examination vessel to await orders from Dover, At about 3200 hrs that evening 1 1dg stoker and
1 ord. seaman fell into the bottom of No. 4 hold which had been left uncovered. Both were seriously injured.
CZ
3.
At 2230 a boat arrived with an officer bringing orders, the injured men were put aboard this boat.
S.C. Clan liacalister was ordered to proceed forthwith to vicinity of Old Dunkirk, disembark Lending Craft and then return to the
Downs.
Captain Mackie of S.S. Clan Macalister was extremely relectant to proceed as he had not been supplied with the necessary charts,
I therefore borrowed a chart from the boarding officer. Hovever
Captain.ackie then stated that he also required the assistance of a Pilot before proceeding.
In view of his refusal to proceed forthwith, 1 then asked that my landing craft should be hoisted out immediately expressing my intention of steaming them across to the Belgian Coast under their own power, as it was imperative that the should arrive at the point of embarkation as soon as possible,
At this Captain Mackie decided to sail his own vessel, stating at the same time that he could not follow the route given in his orders, as he did not know the positions of the various lettered bueys mentioned. He proposed therefore to disembark

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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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120 selim 01
Appendix "A".
Part II.
A.L.C.3.
A.L.C. 3 was stowed in No. 8 hold in
Clan Macalister, and was hoisted out at approximately noon. She worked the beach near Old
Dunkirk embarking British troops until the evening, then as there were no vessels left in the vicinity, set off for Dover with about twenty soldiers aboard,
Shortly after passing Dunkirk she fell in with
A.L.C. 8 and 15, and in company with them arrived at Dover at dawn, on Thursday May 30th.
2.
On the evening of Thursday, May 30th, the left Dover in company with A.L.C. 8 and 15, for
Dunkirk beaches arriving there at dawn, Friday,
May 31st.
She evacuated troops, (French and British), until approximately 2230 hrs, when both engines gave out due to sand in the cooling systems, A.L.C.S
was then taken in to# by 2 small merchant vessel who towed her to Ramrgate, where she arrived about
0500 hrs on Saturday June 1st.
Two civilians volunteered to assist in attending to the engines, and eventually succeeded in repairing them satisfactorily. Ash.C. 3 then preceeded to Dover, and arrived there about 1130 hrs on Saturday 1st June. On reporting at Dover they were told to hold themselves in readiness to return to Dunkirk, but later were ordered to proceed in company with A.L.C. 17 to their base in Hayling Island,
A.L.C. 3 reported at Hayling Island at 1300 hrs on

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APPENDIX "A" PART II
smit stuoz ns
A.L.C.8.
A.L.C. 8 was the last A.L.O. to de hoisted out of the Clan Macalister. She proceeded inshore bringing
British troops to the Clan Macalister and continued working from the Old Dunkirk and of the beach until about 1900
39th. May. when trouble experienced with the stern gland which became overheated. She therefore embarked some soldiers from A.L.C. 15 which appeared to So overorawled, and made for Cover,arriving there at Claims on Thursday, May
30th.
Repairs to engines were affected and the returned to Dunkirk, reaching her destination at darm on Priday 31st.
A.L.C. 8 continued bringing off troops, chiefly in towed boats. About 1100 Friday May 31st. the rubber mounting blocks of the engines appeared to be carrying away, however the coxswain carried on working until be vas finally forced to stop the port engine
The starboard engine was also giving trouble, 30 after assisting to demolish A.L.C. 15 he ran one more trip with soldiers, putting them aboard & drifter which then towed them into Dunkirk harbour.
This drifter, still towing them, left Dunkirk for
Dover during Friday afternoon, Shortly after leaving, the wash of a vessel, passing at speed, parted the tow.
As A.L.C. 8 was drifting out of the abannel, the Skipper of the drifter was unwilling to follow her to retake har in so an attempt was made to sigk her by gunfire from 8 the drifter's tow, 3 pdr. gun. This attempt failed, and A.L.C.
was left drifting some one to two miles to the Westward of
Dunkirk. Her grow returned to the base at Hayling Island onboard
A.L.C's 3 and 17.

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APPENDIX "A" PART II
A.L.C. 15.
A.L.C. 15 was the second boat to be hoisted out from Clan Macalister, and proceeded directly in shore embarking British troops from the vicinity of Old Dunkirk.
Fifteen trips were carried out during the day, and at
2000 approximately, as no ships were in the vioinity to accommodate troops, she set off for Dover, with troops aboard. Shortly after passing Dunkirk she fall in with
A.L.C. 3 and 8. These three A.L.C. reached Dover at dawn on Thursday May 30th.
On Thursday evening A.L.C. 15, 8 and 3 laft
3
arriving off Dunkirk at dawn on Friday May s1st.
Dover 15 had engine trouble, but carried on enbarking old
A.L.C. troops from the beach in the vicinity of she
British principally with the aid of Scate which on a
Dunkirk, Eventually she damaged her propellors
@
towed. motor lorry, and being out of control, dirifted a small trog of submerged beam on. The crew succeeded in launching off to a ashore the beach and so making their my after and of boat from A.L.C. 8 came alongaide shortly considered put drifter. 15's angineer ashore. As be apparently 15 be at
A.L.C&B not be possible to salve A.baC. to burden that it would and shortly after ahe at ssan the to after part her on fire and the petrol tanks to explode, at fiercely, of the boat being blown high in the

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Appendix "A"
Part II.
Individual action of Azb.C.
Note: These narratives, (with the exception of
A.L.C. 5), are compiled from reports received from crews of A.L.C.
A.L.C. 5
(continuation of Commander Cassidi's report.)
After being hoisted out of Clan
Macalister A.L.C. 5 proceeded some my to the coast and carried on inshore,
The beach proved to be exceptionally flat for & long distance off shore, and as the craft was carrying one week's provisions and an additional 200 gallons of petrol, she vas drawing more water than usual. in view of this and the number of men it was intended to enbark, (50), it was necessary to drop the anchor on approaching the shore, and to hold the boat so that she was floating in about three feet of water. 10 - 8 therefore necessary for the troops to made - 50 yds when were up to their waists in water, which entailed which their they being dragged bodily over the box ramp had previously been lowered.
2. c/ made beaching awkward, and the use of an
A slight surf, thrown up by the inshore wind, was essential, Owing to bad seamanship, A.L.C. at anchor 5 lost her anchor and warp at the first attempt

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A.L.C. 17 joined A,L,C. 5 off La Panne on this day, but as she was having constant trouble with her steering gear she returned to Dover where repairs were effected, She was the only A.I.C. sighted by A.L.C. 5 since leaving the CLAN MACALISTER,
4.
I (Commander Cassidi), YRS informed that large numbers of British troops were awaiting embarkation near Old Dunkirk and that there was 1
shortage of boats there. Accordingly A.L.C. 5 moved towards this town p.m. "hursday 30th ay.
5.
Being once more in the vicinity of the CLAN MACALISTER I took the opportunity to board her.
She had been abandoned after having been bombed aft, and although externally she appeared very little damaged, she was burning internally, apparently as far forward as the engine room. the ship was burning so Ciercely that the hot deck burn$
the soles of my rubber boots completely any as I
tried to approach AobaCo 4 and 18, which were still lying in their original stowage on the after deck,
Both A.L.C. appeared to have escaped damage from bombs, but No. 4 had a few holes burned in her, and presumably the bottoms of both sere likely to have suffered from the heat,
The weather conditions were not a
6. deal easier there being little surf to hamper sare good the embarkation of to troops, and large numbers taken off until after dark.

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21
had now started to shell the anchorage and beach.
In these circumstances I decided to bring the craft back to England, - if she could survive the voyage. I was able to get in touch with H.M.
Yacht Caleta and she succeeded in towing A.L.C.5
into Sheerness, where she arrived a.m. Saturday
1st June,
When passing Clan Macalister in Caleta, it was seen that Aot.,Co 4 and 18 were still more or less intact on the after deck, but considerably charred and burned. It is impossible to estimate accurately, the number of men A,T,C.S was able to rescue, 'ut it must have been between the and three thousand.
Taking everything into con-
10. sideration the engines ran remarkably well. of reverse gears gave a certain amount to
The the part engine being unable but go trouble, considerable part of the time, astern a remembered that all the beaches were etc., it must be with everykind of rope, equipment, foul, and littered propellors were constantly ardueus the BO that reverse the gears had to work under most conditions.
The main source of anxiety was the fore necessitated continuous from water, in trap door, This leaked pumping continorder uously, to and keep the floor beards free

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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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all soldiers and wounded. Clan Lacalister was then ordered to seigh and proceed, It was however discovered that the telemotor steering gear W&E not working, and owing to the fire, which was raging aft, it was 1mpossible to rectify this, or even to approach It as the after magazine was in the centre of the conflagration and liable to explode at any moment,
The Clan Macalister was therefore adandoned, and the remaining officers, naval ratings, and crew embarked in H.M.S. anghourne, which apparently 193
also subjected to heavy and continuous air attacks,
Two ratings of the A.D.C. crews were wounded while onboard H.M.S. S. Pangbourne,

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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