TNA ADM 199 xxx

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would be able to assist us if necessary and realised that
we were the last English boat leaving harbour. Could not
get engine of LADY CABLE to start but after a short while
W.D. boat came nearly alongside - her engines were running
and making considerable noise. Their action then appeared
to me suspicious she appeared to be undamaged in the half
light.
By now dawn was nearly breaking. When W.D. boat came
close to us I ordered one of my crew - Cadet Rating Price -
to board her. He managed to jump aboard but the two boats
drifted apart. Price shouted that there was nobody aboard.
Yet her engines were going in neutral of course. Displaying
great initiative and resourcefulness, Price was able to make
HAIG go slow ahead and was able to steer her close enough
to LADY CABLE for me to jump aboard. Our first efforts
to get a line between the two boats were unsuccessful.
The operation was made difficult by the LADY CABLE being
full of French soldiers who did not or course appreciate what
was happening and were therefore unable to be of much
assistance however willing they might be. After some time
the two boats were secured but in order to pass a line it
had been necessary for Price to swim from the HAIG to the
LADY CABLE with it. Price did this on his own initiative
and displayed great courage and efficiency.
By the time the two boats were secure it was almost
broad daylight and we were still very close to Dunkirk
Harbour and appeared to have drifted inshore to the S.W. and
were very close to the pall of smoke which shrouded the coast
to the West of Dunkirk.
On inspecting condition of HAIG found that she had a fair
amount of water forward and was damaged extensively on the
port bow. However, I got French poilus to work the pump
in relays and towing LADY CABLE and going very slow ahead
were able to make progress and prevent the water forward
from rising.
For some time we did not discover that each engine had
a separate control lever and had been going ahead on one
engine only. For several hours we made slow progress.
Worsall was trying to get LADY CABLE's engine to start again
and Smith was steering her. I left most of the French in
LADY CABLE.
I saw a submarine half surface about half a mile ahead
on one occasion and also a number or German aircraft passed
close shead of us. Luckily we were either not seen or not
deemed or sufficient importance to attack. A French
destroyer came and had a look at us but I did not signal to
her as we were making fair progress. A flight of 3
Hurricanes flew low over us and later we saw Spitfires
and Defiants, but luckily no German planes approached us.
The starboard engine of HAIG packed up I think about
0730. I had not time to keep a detailed log of events.
By this time Stoker Worsall had got engine of LADY CABLE
to go again and I secured her alongside HAIG as towing her
astern with only our port engine going was too difficult.
For a considerable time we made very slow progress using engines
of both boats. LADY CABLE's engine kept stopping, which French
made our progress very slow and steering difficult. At last
4-funnelled light cruiser or large destroyer X 440 (I think)
with DOW wave painted on her, saw us and came up to help. I
had/