TNA ADM 234 360

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SATURDAY, 1ST JUNE
CHAP. IX
boiler and engine rooms badly holed, the steering gear jammed with the rudder
hard over, the ship took a heavy list to port. The crew of the pom-pom were
all killed or knocked out except Acting Leading Seaman Ronald Thirlwall, who,
although shockingly badly wounded in at least four places, kept the one un-
damaged barrel firing until ammunition was exhausted. The 0.5" gun aft was
also kept in action by Able Seaman C. A. L. Hirschfield, who went aft and
brought the gun into action single handed after all the crew were wounded.
With water pouring into the ship, the Mosquito was abandoned, the survivors
being picked up by the Rapid and two drifters. Among the killed was the
executive officer Lieutenant A. H. Mainwaring, R.N.
Fifth and sixth air attacks, 1500 and 1610
Between 1230 and about 1500 there was a lull in the air attacks on shipping,
and when attacks were renewed at the latter hour R.A.F. and Coastal Command
patrols were operating and no damage occurred.
About 1600 the French minesweeping trawlers Président Briand, Denis
Papin, Moussaillon and Vénus, were approaching Dunk'rk after landing troops
in England, when gunfire from a shore battery opposite 6 W buoy caused the
two former, who were ahead, to turn back. Ten minutes later, a formation of
9 enemy aircraft dived cn them, directing their bombs on the Vénus and the
Denis Papin. The latter apparently sank immediately with total loss of her
crew, and the Vénus in four minutes, after a direct hit. Whilst the other two
trawlers were engaged in rescuing the survivors of the Vénus, the Moussaillon
was hit and sank within a minute.
Losses from mines
On this black day mines were also taking their toll of shipping. Enemy
aircraft had been mining the inshore channels during the night 31st May-1st
June, and at 0313 Vice-Admiral Dover informed the Admiralty that he was
allowing ships evacuating troops to use Route Y as well as Route X. In the
early hours the corvette Sheldrake after a night spent in dodging M.T.B.
torpedoes", was skilfully directed by aircraft to a position between the West
Hinder and Kwint buoys, where she found wreckage with men clinging to it.
This was the remains of the trawler St. Achilleus which had been mined on
patrol. The Sheldrake rescued 11 men, but 4 of them died before they could
be got to harbour. About the same time, i.e. at 0330, the little Thames Estuary
cockle bawley boat Renown was blown to pieces with her crew of 3, on the way
back from Dunkirk.
The third ship to be sunk on this day was the F.A.A. training yacht Grive a
vessel which, on account of her untiring activity, could ill be spared. Having
disembarked 374 troops at Dover at 0100 on the 1st June the Grive sailed again
two hours later for Dunkirk without waiting to replenish ammunition, of which
she had only 5 rounds per gun remaining. On the way in to the harbour she
lent assistance to the Ivanhoe after the latter was bombed and damaged, went
alongside the jetty and embarked troops under heavy bombing. At 0800 she
left again. On the way out, she passed the sinking destroyer Havant with the
Ivanhoe's troops and survivors of the crew on board; these she transferred,
and arrived at Dover with 785 persons about 1300. Three hours later, her
indefatigable Captain (Capt. the Hon. L. J. O. Lambart, D.S.O., R.N. (Retired)
sailed once more for Dunkirk. But he never arrived, for at about 2230, when
a mile or so outside the harbour, the Grive was blown to pieces by a mine.
Nineteen survivors were picked up, but her Captain was not among them.
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