TNA ADM 199 795

Fire was opened and WES effective in
1964
THE NORTH LIVERPOOL AND
TELEPHONE 1654 CENTRAL
TELEGRAMS "ST TUDNO, LIVERPOOL.
WALES
TEAMSHIP Co LIMITED
5. ST TUDNO
T. s. ST SEIRIOL
40, Chapel Street
M. V. ST SILIO
T.G. BREW. SECRETARY
8th June, Liverpool,3 1940.
To The Liverpool & North Wales
Steamship Company Limited,
40, Chapel Street,
Liverpool.
Dear Sirs,
"St.Seiriol"
On Tuesday the 21st day at 7.30 pm. while entering
Calais my vessel was attacked by Three Enemy Bonbers but they failed to make a hit. while alongside more attacks were made but we managed to get away at 8.30 pm, and proceeded to Dover and then to the Downs to Anchor.
On Monday the 27th May at 1.30 pm. we proceeded to Dunkirk in company with the "Channel Queen" arriving Dunkirk about
8.0 pm. alongside the Mole, but were ordered to go to the
Beaches to pick up Troops, using our Lifeboats. While the
$
lifeboats were away 1 was asked if 1 could go back to the red
Mole by a Destroyer as there were a very large number of troops there. It was now about 10.0 pm. and dark and heavy bombing and gunfire all around.
1 got alongside the Mole in a very short time and in embarked 600 soldiers and left the Mole at about midnight.
I went back to look for my lifeboats but as they were being used to convoy troops from the Beach to other craft 1
proceeded to Dover via the Calais route as ordered by a
Destroyer. During the passage 1 was again attacked by
Aircraft but got away without being hit. On arrival at at
Dover I was ordered to Folkestone to disembark.
ds,
The M.V. "Channel Queen" was bombed and sunk.
On Wednesday 29th May we left Dover at 12.30 pm for
Dunkirk to embark troops. Arrived off Dunkirk in heavy de
Mole, when the Mole was bombed, also the "Fenella" which bombing and shore gunfire and proceeded to go alongside the was alongside and the "Crested Eagle". 1 could not make a landing. There no troops there so I proceeded to the beach to embark were troops following the S.S. "Crested Bagle"
It which had of troops. The bombing was now terrific. a The complement "Crested Eagle was hit and went on fire, from ns and we lowered our only lifeboat and rescued 150 Air. men the burning ship under very heavy fire from the
Arrived Dover about 6.0 am and disembarked. (Thursday
30th May).
Yours faithfully R.AAM
Master.

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into two parties, one to work from Le Panne to Bray and one from Bray to Dunkirk. Commander Gorton proceeded along the beach with his party to work East of Bray and later I with Commander Otway-Ruthven and two other officers also proceeded along the beach to Bray. There were vast numbers of troops on the beaches round Malo le Baine.
Enemy aircraft were heard overhead and they and the guns west of Dunkirk were bombing and shelling Malo and Dunkirk
Fort. The night was very dark, the tide was low and as we proceeded to Bray we met many large bodies of troops making their way westward including a certain number of
French, who asked if they could be sent off.
I informed these that French ships might be expected in due course.
Half way to Bray were sighted some ships at anchor off the beach but heard nothing in reply to our hail.
Later we passed the CRESTED EAGLE high and dry and still burning. A little further another ship was sighted to seaward and a boat just observed. On hailing her, she also, proved to be from MEDWAY QUESN lying off. Later & second boat and a power boat also came in. Te sent off 700 to
750 troops in these boats to MEDWAY QUEEN. As we approached
Bray in the lightening dawn, a number of destroyers, sloops and scoots were seen to be lying off and embarkation was proceeding in such boats as were available. Several boats were aground, others were hold, and some had no cars.
At about 0500 (?) I reached Bray and made contact
If had cleared for England and there were no further ships with Headquarters. By about 0600 all destroyers, sloops, etc., available. At Bray I also met some Naval Officers who and had apparently been working on the beaches for some time had some Naval Lieutenants and Naval ratings who apparently later arrived from EXCELLENT and VERNON. The lamps. latter were leaving Dover I had understood that there be few in number and a a certain amount of signal would with 24 Aldis lamps, but these I never saw, and so was
Before Signal Ratings along the beaches adequately their supplied need certainly felt. In any case, communication along if not many with so many troops on the shore, with passing also miles of flat beaches was very difficult and I
sorely ships anchored off beaches. Similarly between La Panne was impossible felt the need of communication there ship communication or until Thursday afternoon Dunkirk.
and no Bray and never any between Bray and
About 0800 I proceeded on a motor bicyle in to at La very with whom I discussed the position. La Panne and some were
Panne fatigued where and ineffective condition. There to
I met Commander Dover who I felt He was took me see Q.M.G. French troops between Bray and British ships, but very many had been allowed to embark in had been before I move westward to Malo. Off Le embarkation were of these took steps to stop this, the French Panne there ordered three to destroyers and sloops, and Not appeared were to in evidence on the beaches, but to Bray an two or be proceeding satisfactoriny. possibly many British they were inshore the sky was then overcast and a the troops among the dunes. On the return Scotch mist hour later which was a Godsend, for throughout British forenoon vast masses were proceeding along the beaches, and aircraft prevailed of French troops quite apart from had attacked, troops the carnage would have been dreadful.
No/

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/th.38/5
No further ships arrived during the forenoon off Bray or
La Panne and a great opportunity was missed for embarking troops undisturbed. During the forenoon the Sappers in conjunction with the First Division, built a long pier of lorries off Bray into the sea, with plank decking. This was an excellent piece of work and proved invaluable later as a pedestrian pier, but it was insufficiently stable for such craft as paddle steamers to go alongside. Nor was it desirable for smaller pier craft to go alongside in safety especially in a lop. It was, nevertheless, later invaluable for embarking troops into small boats.
During the forenoon I proceeded to Dunkirk and met S.N.O. He informed me that embarkation had proceeded very satisfactorily during the night and estimated that
12,000 to 13,000 troops had been embarked. I told him that I estimated 6,000 to 7,000 troops had embarked during the night from the beaches, and I stressed the urgency for more ships to arrive and more and more boats, but few if any ships arrived during the forenoon.
On my way to Dunkirk, I found the water Lighter
CLAUDE high and dry, but ample supplies of water, and on my return to Bray arranged with the Military Authorities for lorries and/gune to collect and déstribute this sorely needed requirement.
Acting on S.N.O's instructions, I sent officers on board the CRESTED EAGLE to destroy any secret equipment still in her, but fire had already done all that was necessary. In the afternoon (Thursday) one or two scoots and 2 or 3 motor yachts and paddlers arrived and anchored to the westward of Bray, where no doubt they first observed large bodies of troops waiting embarkation. None, unfortunately, proceeded East of the Bray Pier where the
First Division had waited many hours patiently and most orderly. Eventually some of the First Division proceeded to Dunkirk where they hoped embarkation facilities were better. One or two destroyers or sloops passed en route from the westward, to La Panne, and I tried without success with at very ineffective improvised lamp to tell them to anchor off the Pier. Eventually I managed to get at signal to Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker in a passing ship asking him to arrange for this. I sent an officer with a representative of the First Division staff to Dunkirk to represent the urgent need for destroyers to anchor off Bray. (Not until two days later did I learn that all the destroyers, etc., had been given specific instructions as to which beaches they were to anchor off). Later a certain number of destroyers sloops and scoots had anchored off Bray and the embarkation proceeded satisfactorily. Unfortunately however, owing to at lack of Naval Officers, time after time did one see the a projected procession of boats going off loaders with troops, only to be cast adrift empty floating to seaward.
About 1700(?) I paid a further visit to G.H.Q.
to calar up a point about the allocation of troops to the several beaches, and returned to Bray.
About 2000 I decided that I must go and interview
Admiral Wake-Walker who I believed to be embarked in at ship off
Bray. Before leaving I gave instructions that in the falling tide/

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411
managed to guide her into a pocket to the westward of the main channel. She burned fiercely for some hours and eventually blew up with a loud explosion.
A Traw ler was also bombed and sank in the channel about 100
yards from the east pier, about three cables in from the East light house.
The transport FENELLA was sunk while loading at the ouside extremity of the Eastern Arm. She was practically fully loaded, but the troops were transferred to another ship with very little loss.
The troop transport CRESTED EAGLE was bonbed and rendered impotent. She drifted down towards Bray,where she ran aground.
A "J" Class destroyer was bombed off the beaches and was taken in tow by another destroyer.
Earlier in the day the transport PRINX MONA'S JISSI had been mined and had sunk about 2 miles Bast of Dunkirk.
The enemy air attacks and bombardment had been particularly ferocious today, but despite the losses we had sustained the rate of embarkation of troops had been extremely good.
It was decided by the S.N.O. that on the following day only one ship at a time should enter Dunkirk and noor alongside the arm, as four or five ships being alongside at one time offered too large and tempting target for the Heinkels.
We had hoped that ships would enter by night, but nothing did so - a matter of some disappointment to us.
We got a hospital ship in after dark today. She was ordered to Monitor Wharf - & considerable risk, as the wharf was being unceasingly shelled. I supervised the transport of some 270
walking wounded, and a full load of stretcher cases. Unfortunately set which had taken place an hour or so before had ship a an tanker air raid opposite Monitor Wharf on fire and the hospital back illuminated. This brought the bombers was and thus two attacks brightly were made on her from the air i the bombs hit the wharf ship got safely away.
A but number the of Naval Officers arrived this evening to reinforce the beach
The only parties, vessels to arrive this tonight were two drifters

SECRET
Dyram 148.
5537
487
39
FROM.
The Extended Defences Officer, Sheerness.
DATE
7th June 1940.
TO
The Commodore in Charge, Sheerness.
SUBJECT. Thames Local Defence Flotilla operation Dynamo.
Reports and Recommendations,
The undermentioned reports are forwarded:-
SCHEDULE.
Defence of report dated 1st June covering the period 27th - 31st May)
Flotilla, May 31st - - 3rd June 1940 (in continuation
Report of Proceedings of A/A ships of Thames Local
Report of Proceedings H.M.S. ROYAL EAGLE.
ditto.
H.M.S. GOLDEN EAGLE
(The 1940 has been submitted by
Report of Proceedings and Loss of H.M.S.CRESTED the
EAGLE Commanding dated Officer 31st May direct to Commodore, R.N.Barracks, Chatham.)
Narative of Events H.M.S. CHRISTOBEL II
Report of Proceedings H.M.S. CALETA
H.M.S. GLALA
ditto.
H.M.S. AMULREE
ditto.
RECOMMENDATIONS. Senior Officer, Thames Local Defence Flotilla
For H.M.Ships ROYAL RAGLE, GOLDEN RAGLE,
CRESTED EAGLE.
For H.M.Yachts CHRISTOBEL KRinake II, CALETA, GLALA
and AMULREE.
EXTENDED DEFENCES OFFICER.
CAPTAIN, he nen
1th June 1940 COMMODORE-IN-CHARGE,
SHEERNESS.
for that me son have happened. I do sincerely hist, hope when names under in for your fot is officer consideration Command will are not that sent be this overlooked. said night at

ENCLOSURE NOIPAL SEA TRANSPORT OFFICER, to LETTER DATED 27th JUNE, SOUTHAMPTON 1940 FROM
bes
535
LIEUTENANT ALLEN RAYMOND MACKEWN,R.N.R
the sent Lieutenant Mackewn to take Command and 6
Master On of the "ST SERIOL" had refused to also
29th May, 1940, it was reported to me sail. that
I an armed party consisting of 1 P.O. and
Ratings sent together with 1 Sto.P.O. and 6 Stokers onboard to help in the engine room.
endeavoured to get alongside. As this manned was
Lieutenant Mackewn took the ship to Dunkirk and impossible, the two remaining boats were by
Naval Ratings.
The and survivors of H.M.S. "GRENADE" which had been of of the "CRESTED EAGLE" which sunk, was were whom were picked badly wounded were brought off the on fire, up. About 200 soldiers, many from beach.
Lieutenant Mackewn successfully brought the ship back.
This Officer has been untiring in his devotion to duty.
when I
He had the was
Norwegian he was for some time in had occasion to call confidence on him for in special Whenever effort, I have he has fully repaid my him.
Southampton
PRINCIPAL OFFICER.
SEMILTRANSPORT
27th June, 1940
509