TNA ADM 234 360

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WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
No contact with S.N.O. Dunkirk
At 2057 the Vice-Admiral, Dover, asked the Verity and the S.N.O., Dunkirk,
whether the harbour was blocked¹. At 2120 the Verity replied that the eastern
half of the channel was blocked, and that on leaving the harbour she had
grounded slightly on a sunken drifter in the entrance. S.N.O. Dunkirk replied
at 2150 that the harbour was not blocked, but that it was doubtful whether
much more could be done during daylight hours². It is not known if or when
this reply was received, because as late as 2357 V.A. Dover signalled Admiral
Abrial, "I cannot get in touch with Captain Tennant. Can you inform me
whether it is still possible for transports to enter harbour and berth alongside."
It is noteworthy that reception on the Naval W/T set at Dunkirk was not
established until 2300 on the 30th May, and full communication with Dover
was not established on the set until daylight on the 31st May.³
Vice-Admiral, Dover, diverts all ships to the beaches
Indeed, already at 2128, the situation, as it could be seen by the staff at
Dover, was confused, and it seemed probable that the use of Dunkirk harbour
would be denied to us except possibly for small ships⁴. Consequently, the
Vice-Admiral, Dover, ordered all ships approaching Dunkirk not to close the
harbour, but to remain off the eastern beach and collect troops from the shore5;
drifters and minesweepers which were about to be despatched to Dunkirk
harbour were also diverted to the beach⁶.
A good opportunity at Dunkirk missed
In the event, only 4 drifters and a yacht⁷ entered Dunkirk during the hours
of darkness, and as only 2 bombing attacks were made a good opportunity was
missed. It is probable that about 10,000 troops could have been lifted from
the harbour during the night with little reduction of the numbers embarked
from the beaches⁸. Nevertheless, it was only by good fortune that the vital
Dunkirk channel was not blocked by sinking ships at this early date⁹.
Admiralty's urgent call for small craft
Meanwhile, during the forenoon of the 29th May, in response to the insistent
call for beaching craft, the Admiralty called on the C's in C. Portsmouth and
the Nore "to investigate as a matter of urgency the provision of additional
small motor craft and X and other self-propelled lighters, which could be made
available within 48 hours from all ports in their Commands¹⁰. Thereafter, the
supply of beaching craft increased rapidly.
The A.L.C.'s arrive off the beaches
On this day, however, only the first trickle of the anxiously awaited small
motor craft began to arrive off the beaches. The most important arrivals
I S.N.O. Dunkirk's report. (R.O.III, p.350).
2 Appendix O.12.
3 See p. 67.
4 D.R. p.10, para. 34.
5 D.R. p.10, para. 34.
6 D.R. p.10, para. 34.
7 The 4 drifters of the 1st M/R Flotilla - the Fidget, Fisher Boy, Jacketa and Silver Dawn
and the yacht Bystander.
8 D.R. p.10, para. 35.
V.A. Dover's letter No. A 14/0/876/40 of 10th June 1940 (covering his report on Opera-
tion Dynamo), para. 7(b).
10 Appendix G.14.
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