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THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. VI
and abandoned her.
The Pangbourne slipped the tow, Fields' ship's company
Fields (in approx. position 51° 20' N., took 02° off 05' the E) Gracie reported that she was sinking.
Grenade damaged
the Express (with 500 troops she and embark picked more up Bray beach) entered
Meanwhile, at about the time that had the Jaguar from had left Dunkirk harbour,
so, to berth however, alongside near-missed the previously the Grenade ahead mentioned and astern. second Only air troops. splinters attack took Before place, she could and the do it
Express, but the Grenade was damaged harbour. some casualties. The Express
Express was and had came on board the
thereupon cleared out of the
Greyhound severely damaged, Nautilus sunk
Anthony, which left La Panne for Dover at 1525 with 550 troops, was bombed
The bombing between 1530 and 1600 was widespread¹. The destroyer
at 1555 (and 1645), but the bombs fell wide. Off La Panne, at about 1600,
high level bombing attack was made on the destroyer Greyhound, on the mine- a
sweepers Sutton and Salamander, and on the paddle-minesweeper Sandown.
The Sutton was straddled but no damage was done. In the dive-bomb attack
which followed, however, the Greyhound was severely damaged by 2 near
misses, and had 90 casualties, 20 of which were fatal. The Sp. S/V
Royal Eagle, which was assisting in rescue work, escaped damage, but the
trawler Nautilus, which had already ferried some 600 troops from the beach,
was straddled by bombs and had her engines and steering gear put out of action.
Making water rapidly, she managed to get alongside the Greyhound and transfer
to her the 150 troops she was carrying. The Nautilus, already 6 feet down in
the water and sinking, was then abandoned and set on fire.
The Greyhound limped back to Dover carrying 506 troops, but for 4 hours
of the passage she was in tow of the Polish destroyer Blyskawica which had
been on patrol with the destroyer Vega in the vicinity of the West Hinder buoy.
The Greyhound took no further part in "Dynamo."
Waverley sunk
Meanwhile, at about 1630, the Cyclone left the harbour with 500 troops on
board en route for Dover. Near Kwint Bank buoy she saw the minesweeper
through her bottom, leaving a hole about 6 feet in diameter. Four of the 600
Waverley sinking; a bomb had struck her on the port quarter and passed right
troops she had embarked from La Panne beach were killed and a number
wounded. When the Waverley sank, many of her troops were left swimming or
trying to keep afloat, but the numbers thinned out considerably within 15/20
minutes². Golden The Cyclone picked up 158. About hour later the Sp. S/V
picked up a few more.
Eagle picked up 285 and, guided by a plane, an the tug Java and 2 drifters
Canterbury damaged
1,960 While these air attacks had been going on the had embarked
troops from the east pier. During a brief lull Canterbury in the bombing, at about
hours, 1" From to the the effect vessels that off-shore there came a series of 1545 and 1555
attacks (R.A.F. 2 seem Narrative, to have p.327). begun the at anchorages about 1430 at Bray when and none La Panne of signals, our were aircraft between being were bombed. on the line. These
Report by the Captain of the Waverley.
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