Naval Staff History No. 41, the official historical study of the evacuation from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo, 26 May–4 June 1940, dated 1949.
Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 234/360. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.
| Page | Image | OCR text | OCR tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96 |
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THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK |
Balquhain
Boat
Britannic
Broke
Chamois
Dinghy
Doggersbank
Dolphin
England
Enterprise
Evening
Grouse
Haig
Hilda
Hound
Hythe
Kestrel
Lady Haig
Lansdowne
Llanthony
M.F.H.
Malden
Marie
Marlborough
Marsayru
Mary
Mary Rose
Minotaur
Moss Rose
Nanette II
Naval Steam Pinnace
Pigeon
Queen
Rapid I
Rose
Rose Marie
Sherfield
Skylark
Strathelliot
Swallow
Vulture
Wave Queen
White Heather
Wolfe
Barge
Day
Godman
Haig
King
May
Morrison
Pool
Rose
Spray
White
|
Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 96.
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK CHAP. VIII Typical of the urge which characterised sailed from Ramsgate this movement at 0205 of small craft was escorting the trawler motor Strathelliot, boats, 8 which of which were disabled and in tow of on various the 31st May the M/B Skylark, disabled, was in tow of Strathelliot. At 0640 the Skylark's vessels towing bollard tore away and she was taken the in tow stern first. Then the M/B embarked the Skylark in also the in became Strathelliot. tow-and damaged, later Shortly taken after in tow this stern the first-and M/B Malden crew Annie Lad ber, IV crew were transferred to the Strathelliot and she and was Mary sunk after Rose was her sunk. Her Mary Rose, which had been in tow of M/B the Rapid I, was damaged. had to be taken she arrived water fast, and dritting on to the was She Dunkirk beaches with her pumps beach choked, she bilge abandoned. full of rubbish fund making off useful purpose, however, by being used as a pier. It is impossible to give the story of every ship, although each ship has its which went over on the 31st May in company with the lighters X. 217 (S/Lt. story. Here, for instance, is the unvarnished history of the M/B Marsayru R.A. W. Pool, R.N.) X. 213 and X. 149. They arrived off Malo beach at about 1600. During an air attack X. 213 and X. 149 were sunk. The Z. 217 was beached and, assisted by the dinghy, embarked 95 troops which were transferred to the yacht Llanthony. The X. 217 continued to embark troops using the Marsayru and a cutter. At about 2100 that evening, with the Marsayru's skipper and crew and about 200 British and French troops on board, the X. 217 left for home towing the Marsayru and a cutter. Shortly after sailing the Marsayru broke adrift, and in darkness could not be found. Next day, the 1st June, however, at 1400, S/Lt. T.E. Godman, R.N.V.R. in a Naval steam pinnace, off La Panne, sighted the Marsayru drifting with the tide and unoccupied. She was found to be in working order; the engine was started up and Sub-Lieut. Godman took an A.B. and a soldier as crew. He left Petty Officer Morrison in charge of the steam pinnace with orders to lay off and wait for the return of the Marsayru. With the dinghy in tow the Marsayru proceeded to the western end of the beach capacity. and anchored; the dinghy ferried 19 troops to her, which filled her to In the meantime the crew of the steam pinnace had embarked in the skoot Doggersbank and had left the steam pinnace anchored near Dunkirk harbour. Sub-Lieut. Godman decided to leave her there and sailed in the Marsayru for England; from her. he overtook the Doggersbank on the way and obtained some fuel and in tow waited for daylight. At 0430 on the 2nd June a trawler a took the Marsayru At 2330 on the Ist June the Marsayru made fast to conical flashing buoy embarked. to Ramsgate, which was reached at 0800, and the 19 troops were dis- the Queen's pleasure launches Enterprise and Wave Queen), the Foremost Southborough, White Heather,Westeriey,A Lansdowne, hopper barge .26. The M/B's. Marsayru, and the 101, Lady Minotaur, The motor coaster Hythe. M/B, the Dolphin's Balquhain, power Tigris boat, I, Rapid the Nelson's I, picket the motor X lighters launch 95, 149, 209 (towing a boat), 213, Sherfield, motor launches Grouse, Nanette II the lighter Y.C.63. The and War 217. The motor barge seven 30 knot eighth, The skoot the Pigeon, Hilda went Haig, over on Kestrel, 1st June. Marlborough, Swallow, Department's Wolfe and Vulture an Gipsy Three King, more Golden of towed Spray over II the and motor two life-boats. boats Moss Rose, Rose Marie, Lady Haig, Britannic and the M.F.H. Pickford & Co. Ltd.'s motor vessels went over, viz the Chamois, Hound 72