TNA ADM 199 xxx

Dynams 247
49
- 59
H.M.S. IMPULSIVE
June 5th,1940
Sir,
I have the honour to submit the following report in accordance with your memorandum No.B14/0/1101/40 of 4th
June 1940.
H.M.S.Impulsive arrived at Dover from Immingham at 0840 on May 27th 1940, and sailed at 1140
with H.M.Ships Skipjack and Halcyon and Trinity House Vessel
Patricia to establish and buoy the searched channel from the
North Goodwin Light Vessel to Dunkirk, afterwards known as
Route I. This operation was completed by 1919 and Impulsive anchored in the Downs at 2200.
2.
At 2228 on May 27th orders were received by signal to proceed with all despatch to the beaches east of Dunkirk and enbark troops. Inpulsive weighed and proceeding by route Y arrived off La Panne at 0345 on May 28th and anchored as close inshore as possible. Both power boats being broken down the two whalers were sent inshore to enbark troops. These boats were employed ferrying troops from the beach to large motor boats which were lying further off the shore.
3.
At 0520 Impulsive was ordered by
Calcutta, anchored off La Panne, to proceed to Dunkirk and go alongside the Eastern Pier to embark troops. Ship secured alongside the outer end of the pier at 0620 and after embarking approximately 750 troops sailed for Dover. Route Y
was used and after an uneventful passage ship arrived at Dover at 1110. Troops were disembarked and, when several ratings who had missed the ship at Imminghen, had rejoined ship, sailed for Dunkirk at 1235 using route Y.
4.
It was during this passage, off
Kwinte Bank buoy, that the ship was attacked and heavily bombed by six Heinkels. By proceeding at full speed and making frequent and violent alterations of course, the bombs, which could be seen falling, were successfully avoided and no hits were scored. Aircraft were bombing from approximately
1000 feet. On completion of the bombing three aircraft remained behind and attacked with machine guns. A northerly course was steered during these attacks in order to avoid the narrow channels, and it was during these attacks that the ship was damaged and the casualties occurred --- 6 ratings being wounded, 2 seriously. B gun was put out of action by an armour pieroing bullet which penetrated the gun shield, wounded the trainer and lodged in the air pipe to the run out cylinder, causing the gun to remain in the recoil position. The D/G
goil was punctured by bullots and caught fire: this was quickly extinguished. On the first attack developing 1 cleared the bridge of lookouts and signalmen remaining up there by myself.

CONFIDENTIAL Dyreams 332, 239
244.
Royal Naval Barracks,
Chatham.
15th June 1940.
Sir,
I have the honour to report the loss of H.M.Tug "St Abbs"
at Dunkirk at 0930 on 1st June 1940, Lieutenant Brooker in command.
2. H.M.Tug "St Abbs" sailed from Dover at 10 a.m. on Friday,
31st May with three barges in tow, the "Duchess", the "H.A.C." and the "Doris", bound for Dunkirk.
3. At 2100, 31st May the last barge of the tow, the "Doris"
broke adrift and was taken in tow by a sloop, name not known.
N. At 0030, 1st June, H.M.Tug "St Abbs" anchored approximately six miles from Dunkirk, Lieutenant T.E. Brooker considering it unadvisable and dangerous to proceed further before daylight.
5. At 0330 anchor was weighed and ship proceeded towards
Dunkirk.
6. At 0600, H.M.Tug"st Abbs" passed the piers and proceeded towards the beaches. Enemy aircraft commenced bombing the piers and shipping.
inshore to At the beaches, the "Duchess" towing the "H.A.C.".
Y. 0630 the barges were slipped and ordered to proceed
H.M. Tug" St Abbs" anchored and waited for soldiers to embark.
8. attackes by enemy aircraft intensified beach and anchor to was weighed, At 0730 it being intended to proceed closer to the facilitate embarking of soldiers.
and 9. At Abbs" proceeded Nineteenth
"Keith" was struck alongside by a bomb
Flotilla, "Keith" and Lieutenant of H.M.S. "Keith" and the
H.M.S. settled took off survivors. Captain(D) other of ratings remained of on board towed back to England. and from the
First to estimate the damage and consider H.M.Tug"St possibility Abbs"
proceeded H.M.S. "Keith" to pick being up survivors from ship's boats water.
"Skipjack" was struck by a bomb survivors and sank quickly. H.M.S. of the harbour. "Keith" and took very off heavy. the
10. At 0830 H.M.S. "Salamander" who was also The rescuing bombing was
H.M. Tug"St Abbs" returned then continued to pick up the ship at full Bombing speed sailed for the entrance alongside H.M.S. survivors.
remainder became of the that crew, it was necessary to the keep entrance.
and at 0900 so heavy H.M.Tug "St Abbs" sailed for
'St Abbs" was blown up by The four bottom delay-action and
". At 0930 H.M.Tug water ahead of the ship. sank in approximately bombs stern were dropped completely into the shattered and the ship
45 seconds.
H.M. Tug 12. "St About Abbs" thirty sank. Approximately thirty ratings men were swimming one in hundred the water and after and soldiers were on the ship.
June, I reached a two wreck soldiers, believed two to ratings be the
13 company with "Salamander's" whaler's
S.S. one from H.M.S. Nineteenth Flotilla, from the wreck were Captain(D), eight other survivors the crew. First Also: Lieutenant on of H.M.S. "Keith" and

247
M
242
CONFIDENTIAL
4.m. Ing St asss arounded alongside HMS "Lute"
and 802 off summirs Captain 0' of 19th
Tirst of HMS. cutt and other wakings remaining on soard to istimate to damage and consider the bossibility of HMS. kive being Ford ouck to England. Hm zug stable ovocuded is pick up survivers from ships ooals and from a water at 0830 Hims. skipjack was stawn any a sams and same quickly. HMS. 'Salamander' which was also reserving susvious sailed for a entance as e harbour. The among was very heavy
H m Tug 'Stabs' actioned alongside H.MS. 'Lutt'
and 1002 off the temounder of a crew the continued in sick us survious someing decame
So reasy that it was necessary 8 eup to ship at full speed and at 0900 am sug 'stable saind for the entrance.
at 0930 H.M. sing cable was diawn 100 by four away. action bomes dispect into the water ahead of te ship. The ootom and seen in were completely shatered and the Ship same approximately 45 secands about king men were suseraming in a water after HM. zug "stable" same. approximately one hundred and tisty ratings and soldies were on the ship.
at 400 June I reached - week, selewed is a ce SS. clan in company win two soldiers, two satings from mms. seep act and one wreek from tims. "Salamander's whaless casw. aso on a were Captain 0 to Jusi wwenkent steward an Hrs Keith and atter survivers including reading so howsence eight and Able Seaman Randall from nm. Ing albs

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Page 5.
OPERATION "DYNAMO" - PRELIMINARY REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS FOR
PERIOD 30TH MAY - 1ST JUNE, 1940.
(Commanding Officer, H.M.S. "Keith's" No.4/32 of 15th June '40)
51. As the ship was getting lower the order to abandon ship was given and the majority of nen, who were able to find some timber to hold on to or to find & place in the floats, left the ship. At this moment the enemy launched a further dive bombing attack and a bomb struck our exposed starboard side in the engine room, making a large hole. Several bonks fell very close to and one fell among the nen who had abandoned ship. The aircraft were engaged by pom poms and lewis guns.
52. Some twnety minutes later the tug "St. Abbs" was sighted and eventually came alongside to take men off the ship.
This she did with the exception of volunteers who remained or.
board. She was ordered to go and pick up "Keith's" men in the water.
In this she was assisted by the tug "Vincia" which took back to Margate: Lieutenant Beauchamp, 88 ratings from
"Keith" and about ten of the General Headquarters Staff, together with six seriously injured ratings.
A grey accor also assisted and recovered Lieutenant
Verney, Pay. Sub. Lieutenant Craig-Waller, R.N.V.R., and about four of "Keith's" men. Having a full load of soldiers, she returned to England.
53. "Keith" was again bombed by dive bombers at this time.
54. After an interval, in which a search was made for wounded and any confidential matter remaining, the tug "St.
Abbs" returned and, the ship now being not only immoveable but without H.A. ammunition and sinking slowly, the remaining men left the ship in her at about 0840.
55. Signals were made to "Salamander" and to "Basilisk"
asking of control and required tug assistance. "Keith" minesweep them to sink "Keith" finally but both replied The that they were or however out proceeded westwardsand ed shelled in vicinity of Asdic cabirat
56. "gt. Abbs" proceed/to the recovery of a number of men which the had been sunk during, it 18 believed, the last attack on in water and on thewreck of the "Skipjack"
"Keith".
57. After from a ship's lifeboat, the aircraft but was without attacked recovering all these men "St. and Abbe" a number of by soldiers part of a large formation of enemy result.
58. sighted consisting but proceeded to bombers.
However, somewhat later, mainly another of extremely high level large formation not was attack the "St. Aboa" some miles to the destroy East.
These did and attacked "Basilisk" bomba at about 0915.
"Keith" the "Keith" sank in a heavy salvo of
59. A from Dunkirk. Again bomb hit her as single, high flying twin-engined the "St. bomber Abba" was circled then fast as she and she sank very rapidly about 1000. seconds and seen returning could but this time a single in about 30
with amidships her many wounded survivors at