TNA ADM 234 360

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CHAP. XI
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
quarter of an hour later they all three proceeded, with the Holland last in the
line, to carry out their part in blocking the port. As they neared Dunkirk a
"long line of destroyers came out of the harbour. " Astern of them", stated
the Holland, there was a gap of over a mile and then a large and fast trans-
port". M.A/S.B. 7 led the Holland through the gap between the destroyer
line and the transport. When the latter was 6 cables away, and steaming very
fast with the first streaks of dawn behind her, the danger of collision became
apparent, SO the Holland sounded one blast and put her wheel hard astarboard.
Lieutenant-Commander E. C. Coats, R.N., captain of the blockship, reported
that the transport had then only to alter course 5° to starboard to pass well
clear. However, she appeared to alter to port", with the result that she struck
the Holland hard on the bridge and just before the boiler room bulkhead. The
transport, which did not appear to have sustained much damage, backed out
and carried on her way. The Holland had no buoyancy in hand, and, a few
seconds before she was struck, her captain ordered abandon ship", seeing
that it was inevitable she would be rammed. The bows sunk at once and rested
on the bottom, there being apparently only 8 feet of water under her keel;
the stern remained above water. Two seamen were crushed and seriously
injured in the collision. M.A/S.B.7 took off the crew and transferred them to
the Vivacious. The wreck of the Holland came within an ace of being rammed
a second time, for two more ships, reported to be destroyers, passed and missed
the Holland's stern by no more than a few feet.
At 0300 the blockship Westcove entered Dunkirk, followed ten minutes later
by the Edvard Nissen. Both ships proceeded into the channel leading to the
inner harbour. When in her allotted position the Westcove put her wheel hard
astarboard to ram the Inner Western Jetty, but her bows struck mud about
50 feet from the pier, with the ship at an angle of about 30° across the channel.
By going full speed ahead on the engines, the athwartship's angle was increased
to 50°.
As the Edvard Nissen came in with the intention of ramming the East Pier
she endeavoured to strike the Westcove's stern a glancing blow in order to in-
crease her angle to the channel before scuttling herself; but underestimating
the strength of the ebb stream she passed close under the Westcove's stern, and
rammed the East Pier abreast of the latter. Letting go an anchor, she applied
full port helm with all engine power to increase the blocking angle. The
Westcove now fired her scuttling charges, which probably owing to coal gas in
the bunkers, caused a large column of flame and smoke to envelop the ship's
stern. When this had dissipated, the crew, who had pulled clear in their boat,
saw that the Westcove had slid off the sloping bank of the channel and was
lying on an even keel in the line of the piers, almost in mid stream, thus causing
a minimum of obstruction. Between the sterns of the two ships there was
now a gap of 80 feet which was reduced to 50 feet by heaving on a hawser run
by the Edvard Nissen's motor boat from the ship's stern to the Westcove. No
more could be done and the Edvard Nissen abandoned ship and fired her
scuttling charges from the boat. M.A/S.B. 7 took out both ship's crews to
the Vivacious.
1 No transport reported being in collision at this time and it has not been possible to
identify any of the vessels concerned. The following destroyers and transports sailed from
Dunkirk at the times given destroyers - Vanquisher 0230, Whitshed 2045, Malcolm 0248,
Codrington 0250 and Express 0250; transports Newhaven (French 1,888 tons) 0245,
Tynwald (British 2,376 tons) 0300, Rouen (French, 1,882 tons time not known but ship
was in Dunkirk in the early hours of 3rd June), and Côte Argent (French 3,047 tons, time
not known but ship landed troops at Dover on 3rd June.)
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