TNA ADM 199 795

Dyram. 122.
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FROM.... SUB. LT. T.K. EDGE-PARTINGTON. R.N.
DATE
****
6th June, 1940.
TO.... THE COMMODORE-IN-CHARGE, SHEERNESS.
Tuesday, 28th May, 1940,
1830. Left Sheerness in Motor Boat "Vera" which broke down twice during the night, and was eventually towed into Ramsgate on the afternoon of Wednesday, 29th May, 1940.
I was then given command of the converted Dutch Eel boat "CHANTECLER" of 13 tons.
I left Ramsgate at 2200 that evening, in convoy with
"GOLDEN LILY" and "JOHANNA", after about a quarter of an hour we left the convoy as we were only making good 4 knots.
I carried on alone endeavouring to navigate by a compass which So was situated over the engine and which revolved slowly round and round.
arrived off Dunitirk at approx. 0900 on the side 30th, having had We a drifting mine scraping past our Starboard during the night.
We passed before grounding. The soldiers off
Dunkirk wide and proceeded into the waded 3. beach out as far as possible hauled about 30 of them aboard, before shoving of any to us and we course back home. We saw no cloud signs and mist.
and enemy setting aircraft our during the day due to very low
Dunkirk at 1030 and sighted what I to thought find it to be the N. Goodwin Light, so rather than go on up soldiers. I
We left Light at 1800, and steamed on only to Ramagate, was went the into S. Dover Goodwin at 2200 and landed the 30 British
We spent the night at Dover and returned to Ramagate at
1300 on the 31st May.
Ramsgate that evening and returned Hunt. to Sheerness in the Motor I left boat "LIEBESTRAUM" with S/Lt. Carew following afternoon June 1st, 12. I took Te the arrived Notor Yacht at
"ALHENA" round The to Ramagate in a convoy of
1900 and spent the night there.
day, June 2nd, we were informed to that go only in fast craft would "MARLBOROUGH", navigator. Lewis gunners. Captain,
The following be wanted that night, ao I volunteered S/Lt. Don was
S/Lt. the W.O.M/L Pool Cocewain and engineers S/Lt. as Carew and Hunt one N.T.B. one of stoker, the two A.B.'s
We and took two civilians the two R.A.P. from the Treasury!
One civilian, Pollock by name, was invaluable as he spoke fluent French.
at 1930 in company with V.D. the M/L harbour "HAIG"
and arrived We at left Dunkirk Ramagate one at of approx. the inner 2230. piers. We entered Enemy opened aircraft fire with were our flying Lewis gun with tracer and secured over, alongside and, as many other ammunition. ships did, we were shelling the harbour at vicinity. intervals and shells were The exploding Germans at reqular intervals in the

30.
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in 280
We took 36 French soldiers aboard and left Dunkirk at
0000 approx.
We had a quiet journey back and arrived at Ramsgate at 0400
The following evening June 3rd, we again went out in the
"MARLBOROUGH" with special orders to Rendezvous with Admiral Taylor, who had left at 1600.
We contacted him at about 2100 in mid channel and took him aboard, then proceeding on our way to Dunkirk.
We arrived at 2230
and entered, going right up as far as we could past the wooden pier into the inner basin, under Admiral Taylor's directions.
Here we secured alongside the wall and the Admiral went ashore to find the French Naval Attache.
We remained alongside for about an hour with shells bursting all around us, one actually bursting the other side of the jetty, and a rainstorm of shrapnel came dropping around us!
The Admiral then sent us out again to find the small craft, and show them where to come in and take off the troops.
A few of them followed us in and we secured alongside the
The shells were still dropping around us and by this wall time we again. could hear the German machine gunners in the streets back not 400 and yards away.
We were very relieved when the Admiral came told us to shove off.
left at about 0130.
On our way out we were hammed in the We jetty by a destroyer and went straight over a part the of boat the nearly capsized, but fortunately righted herself.
close jetty which had been shelled and fallen into the fairway,
We found she was making no water, but we had lost both screw and rudder.
M.A.S.B. offered to give us a tow but she could Pool not astern A and fast consequently rammed the jetty herself. her. S/Lt.
go jumped aboard her to bear her off and got stranded
Three French trawlers refused to give us a tow back, and eventually the Motor Yacht "GULZAR" took us in tow.
aground, for It had was, we gone over we would in all probability hit by after all, possibly fortunate that we did been run a shell which burst 30 yards ahead of us.
once during the night but we managed Pool to get who in tow again The and tow arrived broke back in Dover at 0700, less S/Lt.
was in M.A.S.B.S07.
We left the "MARLBOROUGH" at Dover and returned to Ramagate by lorry.
(Sgd) T.K. KDGE- PARTINGTON.
SUB- LIEUTENANT, R.N.

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Sub-Lieutenant R.A.W. POOL. R.N. (CONTINUED)
Page 2.
To then spent about two hours showing the small motor boats in and out of the harbour.
At about 0150, Admiral Taylor returned and we proceeded out of the herbour.
Half my out, a French trawler slewed round across the fairway between the moles and in making a drab for the gap we took the rudders and screws away. To then attempted to paddle out but could make no headway.
Te hailed a motor boat which turned out to be the M.A.S.B.
"307" which took us in tow, I went aboard to assist in the bearing off of her bows, the tow parted shortly aftermards, but a motor yacht took the "MARLBOROUGH" in tow.
I then became a member of the 8.07's crew and 10 went back the harbour to contact the French Admiral Abrial. The S,07's
Number up Cne,Idoutenant Richmond R.N.V.R. went ashore to try and find him, but as he was away for some time I went after him but could not find him. I then returned to find he me back also.
We then went out of the harbour and lay off waiting for the blockships which eventually arrived and TO then followed R.A. Dover in M.T.B. 102 out of harbour and arrived at Dover on Tuesday morning.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
(sa) R.A.V. POOL.
Sub-Listenant, Royal Navy.

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On Sunday Ramsgate was buzzing with rumours and it seemed probable that the small Motor boats would not go out so I
volunteered to go as Lewis Gunner in the War department Speed boat
"Marlborough".
At this juncture I would like to recommend very highly the
18
civilian coxswain of the "THARK" a man by the name of Ambler. This man who had only had River experience succeeded intaking the boat to to Dunkirk and back with no officer in the boat. He took the boat over again on Monday night and it was sunk but I believe that the crew was saved.
The "MARLBOROUGH" had & crew of four Subs, two solicitors from the treasury four Leading Stokers and two Sergeants of the
R.A.F. We put to sea on Sunday night in company with our sister
2/6
ship the "HAIG" and had a quiet voyage acress. We went alongside a jetty and took off about 40 "poilus". One of our solicitors were alongside there was slight enemy air activity and much against spoke French which assisted the operation considerably. While we the wishes of the rest of the crew who said I was merely attracting air, unfortunately with no success. We returned to Ramsgate without attention, I succeeded in firing several hundred rounds into the mishap.
and so we signed on an army officer who had been invalided shot
The next day, Monday, our solicitors had to return to the and Treasury a retired colonel who had a reputation for being a crack with a Lewis.
out at 1930 and picked Admiral Taylor up half way
We channel went from the Motor Boat "MERMAIDEN". When we the got canal to
Dunkirk we The Admiral went ashore accompanied by time acress the went inside the harbour and quite & long way two up of our and secured. the teeth. The test of us occupied our found a looting very and crew trying armed to to start up derelict cars. Sub.Lt.Poole nice motor cycle and rode it round the docks.
We went secured again. Shortly afterwards warehouse machine about off oneeto bring boats to the point of gunning started quite Fortunately our job was done blockage of embarkation and then near and a shell landed in so a we were able to
150 leave. yards On away. our way down too near the the canal shore we went came aground the on badluck a on some to lose rubble shipping, and going water by a shell. We had refused to tow us both off knocked into the rudder. Three French tugs out to the main but harbour our fortunately screws where and we our a secured Motor A/S to Vessel the Motor who Yacht took us "GULZA" who towed us back to Dover.
We returned to Ramagate on I Tuesday returned morning to Sheerness by lorry inthe to find
Schoot the operation "PATRIA" had which been broke cancelled. down on the way and we were towed in by a Drifter.
The times in the above are only approximate.
I have the honour to be,
OF
RAL
Sir,
17 JUN 1940
Your obedient servant
*
A
E
(SD.) A. CARSW HUNT.
Sub. Lieutenant, Royal Navy.
The Nore

Directa, S.V.P.
435
435
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
At 0300 hours on Friday, 31st May, 1940., I embarked in
SWALLOW (45' Scott Paine Power Boat) in RAMSGATE HARBOUR, and at
0340 proceeded in company with MARLBOROUGH
WOLFE and VULTURE to embark troops from the beaches one mile East to five miles East of Dunkirk, and to convey them to destroyers and other vessels lying off-shore.
On passage to Dunkirk, we struck wreckage of some description which damaged the starboard propellor; the revolution indicator of the considerable vibration from the shaft. This engine it starboard engine immediately showed excessive revolutions subsequently and there was at normal revolutions with only part of the normal throttle;
ran appeared likely that at least one blade was stripped.
arrival at Dunkirk, MARLBOROUGH entered harbour contrary with to plan, from which she took off as many as she could I closed MARLBOROUGH and to and On went alonside a paddle minesweeper, partly accommodate, loaded troops, two boats ahead of me did the same; informed by the
Commander ask why we that were he had damaged one propellor and proposed return the other deviating from the plan and was to direct to Ramsgate.
Observing take about seven THE effort in that the round a refuelling, the boats was would small, I considered embarked and it I & explained waste of this (on to the account Master of of transfer troops wished already to return with the other the water boats was full of
SWALLOW who had sustained and the fact that beaches alone.
damage wreckage already and flotsam) and we proceeded to the
The situation at 0600 hours was as follows:-
was under a pall of smoke from fires There which were appeared There numerous to be wrecks outside of troops the harbour on the shore was strewn as far with as it all was forms possible of of mainly Dunkirk to the South and West of and the along port. the beaches.
were to large to the numbers Eastward, and the the foreshore beach were a very and abandoned. large number There motor THE see THE Along or motor abandoned, damaged, the boats, Dunkirk and motor several Roads Launches were wrecks and but yachts close one vessels out in waiting to embark these troops, ships.
numerous inshore. destroyers boats were and running other between the shore unfortunately and scarcely any a light onshore and caused tide wind, at a which ground 0600 bombardment hours swell was which setting going made the THE The There except was heavy for occasional until late chelling on fairly on shore, hard but to the the bombing beaches which were quiet did not become heavy and afternoon. intermittent On arrival but at appeared the beach her capable I saw off. one of small being This her THE which was passed signalled aground, her for a towline further action. assistance her out assistance and resorted anchor. her alongside as small rudder coasting took out vessel There it of over was which for a Service was use at in on cutter embarking the beaches, lying the whom astern and troops. I in took of my this to At first H.M.S. first, coaster, to three man I or could and four I trips see no British troops borrowed only French 2, troops and later 2 more, hands /my
IMPULSIVE