TNA ADM 234 360

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SATURDAY, 1ST JUNE
CHAP. IX
The second series of attacks, which began at about 0906 and caused the loss
of the Havant, coincided with the arrival of the third main R.A.F. patrol of the
day. Coastal Command patrols were also over the ships, and at about 1015
one drove off a He. 111 which was about to attack two destroyers.
The third, a particularly heavy and prolonged enemy air attack, took place
from about 1009 to 1120, at which latter time a patrol of 28 Hurricanes appeared
and within ten minutes was engaged with an enemy force of 50 or 60 M. 109s
and 110s. The presence of enemy bombers was also reported, but they were
not engaged. They were responsible for sinking the French destroyer
Foudroyant, the minesweeper Brighton Queen, personnel vessel Scotia, and
damaging a second personnel vessel the Prague. A fourth air attack developed,
at about 1230, during the Hurricanes' patrol. In this raid the corvette King-
fisher received damage from a near miss which rendered her unseaworthy in
heavy weather, and the gunboat Mosquito was sunk.
There was a lull after this and the next air attacks fortunately occurred at
a time when the fifth R.A.F. patrol was operating, at 1500 and 1530, and a
Coastal Command patrol was also on the spot; and no ship was damaged.
Renewed attacks occurred at 1600-1630 in the very short interval before the
sixth R.A.F. patrol came up, and it was in this raid that the paddle minesweeper
Westward-Ho, sailing from Dunkirk with 900 French troops, and the destroyer
Worcester were damaged, over 100 bombs being dropped near the latter ship
When this was over, visibility had so far declined that at 1750 the paddle
minesweeper Princess Elizabeth, trying to approach Bray beach, ran into
fog and was compelled to return to Dover. The seventh R.A.F. patrol was
troubled by poor visibility, and the eighth and last encountered no enemy
at all. No bombing attacks were reported after 1840.
Five destroyers, a gunboat, two minesweepers, two personnel vessels, and
two tugs were sunk or put out of action by the German bombers on this 1st
June.
The weight of the enemy attacks may be gauged from the fact that over
1000 German bombing sorties were reported over the Dunkirk area during the
day. Forty-three enemy aircraft were destroyed.
The first heavy air attack, 0730. Keith, Skipjack and St. Abbs sunk
The Keith and Salamander moved westward from the deserted eastern
beaches. At 0737, off Bray, a large number of enemy bombers accompanied
by fighters was seen approaching, and a dive-bombing attack was made on the
Keith. The latter's manoeuvrability was restricted by shoals, magnetic mines
and wrecks, but she was not hit. But a delay action bomb from a dive bomber
exploded just astern of the ship and caused the steering wheel on the bridge
to jam. Tiller flat steering was connected up and the ship was conned by
telephone from the bridge. By this time all the Keith's 3-inch ammunition
had been expended, and the only defence which the ship could put up was the
passive one of continuing to turn in small circles at high speed in the restricted
waters.
At about 0800 numerous dive-bombing attacks took place, and the Keith was
hit or near missed on the starboard side. A large hole was blown in the side at
the forward end of the starboard engine room below the water line, and the bulk-
head between the engine room and the after boiler room was ruptured, flooding
both spaces and killing Lieut. (E) W. H. Kenward, R.N. and several men. The
boiler room shortly afterwards caught fire, possibly as the result of a further
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