TNA ADM 234 360

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CHAPTER XIII
ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATION
Inadequate planning
those taking part largely and place that planning. Events on the of
Operation "Dynamo" took was the an improvisation, of in which the initiative
most developed so swiftly unexpectedly for what lack of time prevented any Continent but
than was meagre anticipated. preparation proved to be a far more extensive operation the
was and not that date it 19th May, seven days before the operation commenced;
The problem mooted of until evacuating the large numbers of British troops from the Continent
undertaken. even at was considered unlikely that it would actually be
Expeditionary Force would be evacuated.
As late as the 24th May it was still uncertain whether the British
Two days later, when the Admiralty ordered the operation to commence, the
military situation was thought to have deteriorated so rapidly that a lift of no
more than 45,000 troops within a period of 48 hours was considered possible,
after action. which the evacuation would have to be terminated on account of enemy
In the event, seven times as many men were evacuated, and the operation
continued for 9 days.
The organisation was built up as the evacuation proceeded. A Maintenance
Officer to take charge of the small craft was appointed on the 27th May, the
day after the beginning of the operation. S.N.O. Dunkirk assumed duty at
1900 on the same day, and S.N.O. Afloat off the beaches two days later. It
was not, however, until the 30th May that an S.N.O. arrived to take charge
off the French-Belgian coast, together with an N.O.I.C. Beaches and two
Commodores to take charge off shore. How great was the effect of these
appointments, figures. will be shown in due course in the analysis of the evacuation
The arrival of beaching craft at the beaches was unnecessarily delayed on
the 28th and 29th May, owing to the Admiralty (and the majority of the Naval
Authorities who provided craft), directing them to Dover instead of the Downs,
as had been requested by Vice-Admiral Ramsay.
Lack of Signal Communications
Difficulties and confusion were caused throughout the operation owing to
and the the absence signal the beaches of efficient and between signalling Dunkirk arrangements, and Dover. both The locally equipment between taken Dunkirk was in- by
adequate beaches to The naval to either party Dunkirk. beach which for parties, inter-communication proceeded as might from have England been between expected, to the Dunkirk beaches used on their 27th or ingenuity from the
the improvise local inter-communication but it was not until
30th May that a naval wireless set arrangements capable of communicating with
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