TNA ADM 199 xxx

101
especially as I was patially incapacitated by a wound on my left foot.
As we were a long way from the French coast I decided that there was very little chance of HAIG falling into enemy hands and that no doubt help would soon be forthcoming in reply to the wireless message I had asked X440 to send.
I hauled down HAIG's ensign and took it aboard LADY CABLE and we tried to make towards the English coast. Unfortunately the engine kept stopping and we made very slow progress and finally nothing would make our engine start again. We drifted helplessly for several hours and then sighted a Bell
Buoy which I believe may have been the N.W. Goodwin Bell
Buoy, but we did not get close enough to make sure. At last we sighted a warship and waved HAIG's White Ensign to try to attractattention. We were seen and the ship altered course towards us and came up close to LADY CABLE. She was the French transport ROUEN of Dieppe and was packed with troops from Dunkirk. An officer asked what I wanted and I
told him that we were broken down and asked to be taken abcard. To my surprise my appeal was met with a blunt
"No" with no explanation, and the ROUEN steamed away.
My crew and I felt angry at this in view of the fact that we had rescued over 200 French soldiers during the night.
No doubt the ROUEN had good reasons for not taking us aboard but no explanation was given and I would like if possible to discover why she was unable to help us.
Luckily another ship some considerable distance away had noticed the ROUEN and observed that she had not picked us up. This ship was the CITY OF CHRISTCHURCH and she came up and took us in tow to the Downs where she was bound for in ballast. On arrival in the Downs where CITY OF
CHRISTCHURCH dropped anchor, we were able to start up the engine of LADY CABLE and I decided once again to try to make for Dover. However, we broke down after a run of about
15 minutes and were picked up by a tug (Operational - I
don't know her name). She had orders to proceed to Ramsgate with H.M. Drifter VIKING in tow and was about to do this when we broke down near her. She towed us to the VIKING
and I boarded the VIKING to have my injured foot attended to and get some rest. VIKING and LADY CABLE were towed round to Ramsgate where we arrived about 2100. I was landed and taken to "Merrie England" and then to Ramsgate General
Hospital.
The Commanding Officer of VIKING at my request reported the return of LADY CABLE and that one member of my crew,
Cadet Rating Price was missing but might be aboard French warship X440. He also reported direct to C. in C., Dover, about HAIG. A little later, while I was still at "Merrie
England", the Commanding Officer of VIKING arrived to tell me that he had been informed from Dover that HAIG was safe.
Unfortunately he had no news for me of Cadet Rating Price.
The behaviour of my crew throughout the operation had been magnificent. The taking off or over 200 French troops and 6 British from the Mole was conducted quickly and calmly under difficult and hazardous conditions. Later,
Cadet Rating Price's work in helping to get the HAIG alongside LADY CABLE cannot be too highly praised. Without the great initiative and efficiency he displayed the operation would not have been successful and the HAIG would have drifted ashore to the S.W. of Dunkirk.
After/

102
After I had transferred French troops to X440 and the disappearance of Cadet Rating Price, both Stoker Worsall and Smith displayed great determination and efficiency when we were trying to take HAIG in tow. When I was knocked overboard they both acted with great speed and yet showed great coolness in their difficult job of trying to get me out of the water. I knew that a great physical effort from me would defeat its object and that my one hope was to be pulled out of the water slowly. Worsall and Smith carried out my orders perfectly and I owe my life to their efforts.
When I went overboard I was wearing an Army Captain's British
Warm - a considerable weight - and this fact, coupled with the knowledge that my heart is not good, made me realise at once that to save my life I must not make a great physical effort myself. The realisation of this and the way in which
Worsall and Smith carried out my instructions enabled me to escape from a very nasty predicament.
The fine but unsuccessful efforts of Worsall and Smith in trying to get the engine of LADY CABLE going again after we had abandoned HAIG, deserve the highest praise. Their cheerfulness during the hours we drifted helplessly in the
Channel before being taken in tow by the CITY OF CHRISTCHURCH
was magnificent.
It will be realised from this report that I cannot speak too highly of the courage, coolness and efficiency shown by my crew.
(Signed) G.A. Cadell
Acting Sub-Lieutenant, R.N. (Retired)
Report completed 8/6/40,
Ramagate General Hospita.

Dynam 286.
193
SECRET.
Use of Landing Craft during the
Evacuation of the B.R.F.
APPENDIX "A"
PART III
Report by Sub. Lieut. E.R. Ponsonby R.N.V.R.
The City of Christchurch with A.L.C. 10
and M.L.C. Nos. 12, 17, 21, and 22 anboard arrived off
Dover at midnight 31st May 1940,
At 0900 an 1st June orders were received to place A.L.C. 10 and M.L.C. 31 and 82 in the water and to embark sufficient fuel and water for 48 hrs running over and above that which was already in them,
(sufficient for 130 miles), using the utmost despatch,
This was completed by 1130,
2.
At 1430 orders were received for the City of Christchurch to drop all the Landing Craft off Buoy
The These were then to proceed to the beach, and to return to Dover, under their own power, the following morning. M.C.C. 17 was unfit for service owing to a hole in her water pump, and was therefore left behind,
3.
The craft left Buoy W at 2130 and proceeded in line ahead I, myself being in A.L.C. 10.
On arrival at the beach I found it impossible to keep all the craft under my personal control owing to the number of boats that were there, and I therefore gave orders for each coxswain to carry on independantly.

1/304
SECRET
USE OF LANDING CRAFT DURING THE
EVACUATION OF THE B.S.P.
APPENDIX "A"
PART III
REFORT BY DJ/X125435 P.O. V. PARSONS
While M.L.C. 21 was being lowered at Dover, two destroyers passed the City of Christchurch at high spend. This caused her to roll and M.L.C. 31 was dashed against the ship's side. The only visible damage at the time was at broken binneols, but later it was discovered that there was & bad leak starboard side forward below the water line, and that the petrol pump on the starboard engine VALUE broken. This necessitated rigging a jury patrol tank on deck, and keeping the bilge pump working continuously.
2.
On arrival at Dunkirk the craft under Sub.
Lieut. Ponsonby parted company, and M.L.C. 31 embarked troops from the inner end of a wooden plar as it was not considered wise to work from the beach, owing to the damage ahe had sustained. During the embarkation Sub.
Lieut. Towers, RaN. came on board.
3.
After loaving Dunkirk, the troops were placed on board the sloop Locust, and on the orders of her
Captain, H.L.C. al ment to a small tus which was grounded on a sand bank. About 100 troops were taken off and an attempt WELD made to refloat the tug which was unsuccessful.

1/304.
SECRET
USE OF LANDING CRAFT DURING THE
EVACUATION OF THE B.E.F.
APPENDIX "A"
PART III
REPORT BY DJ/X125435 P.O. V. PARSONS
Thile N.L.C. 21 was being lowered at Dover, two destroyers passed the City of Christchurch at high speed. This caused her to roll and H.L.C. 31 was dashed against the ship's side. The only visible damage at the time was at broken binneols, but later it vas discovered that there was a bad leak starboard side forward below the water line, and that the petrol pump on the starboard engine WELD broken. This necessitated rigging a jury petrol tank on drok, and keeping the bilge pump working continuously.
2.
On arrival at Dunkirk the craft under Sub.
Lieut. Ponsonby parted company, and M.L.C. 21 embarked troops from the inner end of at wooden plar as it was not considered wise to work from the beach, owing to the damage she had sustained. During the embarkation Sub.
Lieut. Towers, R.N. came on board.
3.
After loaving Dunkirk, the troops were placed on board the sloop Locust, and on the orders of her
Captain, H.L.C. 31 went to a amall tus which was grounded on a sand bank. About 100 troops were taken off and an attempt was made to refloat the tug which was unsuccessful.

137
182
M.L.C. 17's crew remained in the drifter, going to Dunkirk and returning to Dover on Tuesday (4th. June)
morning.
REPORT BY C/J93893 C.P.O. H. MITTEN
M.L.C. 22 in company with M.L.C. 21 and Asb.C. 10
was towed to within about 13 miles of Dunkirk by S.S. City of Christchurch, and slipped at 2130 and proceeded towards
Dunkirk.
On arrival at Dunkink, the landin craft became separated and when M.L.C. 22 came alongside the jetty she was commandeered by at naval embarkation party.
136-
131/1
Copy of instructions given to abandor L.L.C. 22 given to 0.7. C.J.
93983. Chief Petty Officer H. Litten by Connander J.C. Clounton.
(original kept at Inter-Service Training and Development Centro.)
Questions reforring to the loan by casting away of
Motor Landing Craft No. 22 in the North Sea on Sunday 2nd June should be addressed to Commander J.C. Clouston, Rall. H...S. Isis on whone order it was done.
(agd) J.O. Clouston.
Commander.
2/6/40.

-71%2
M.L.C. 17's crew remained in the drifter, going to Dunkirk and returning to Dover on Tuesday (4th. June)
morning.
REPORT BY C/J93893 C.P.O. H. MITTEN
M.L.C. 22 in company with M.L.C. 21 and A.b.C. 10
was towed to within about 12 miles of Dunkirk by S.S. City of Christchurch, and slipped at 2130 and proceeded towards
Dunkirk.
On arrival at Dunkink, the landin craft became separated and when M.L.C. 22 came alongside the jetty she was commandeered by at naval embarkation party.
..fter leaving the jetty we followed H.ll.S. Harebell, but lost sight of her about 8 miles off Dunkirk, we hailed a passing paddle steamer.
N.L.C. 22 was abandoned about 8 miles Name of
Dunkirk at 0420 2nd. June, by the order of Commander Clouston,
R.N. of II.M.S. Iris.
Commander Clouston's written authority for the casting away of M.L.C. 22 is attached to this report.