TNA ADM 234 360

WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
Calcutta contacts Lord Gort
On receipt of this signal at 0345 the Calcutta, which had already been embarking troops from La Panne beach, sent her boats in again, in charge of Mr. F.J.
March, Gunner. Mr. March made personal contact with Lord Gort about
8 miles inland, and placed the Calcutta at his disposal for his or his staff's evacuation. Lord Gort, however, courteously refused to be evacuated at this stage¹.
La Panne beach cleared of troops
Meanwhile the Calcutta was proceeding with the embarkation, having enlisted the assistance of the minesweepers Sutton and Salamander, the tug Java, five drifters2, and three motor launches³. By 1357 the Calcutta had embarked
1200 troops, with whom she proceeded to Sheerness.
In addition to the ships assisting the Calcutta, 7 minesweepers4, 4 skoots5, and 5 destroyers⁶ also embarked troops from La Panne beach. Of the destroyers, the Greyhound was bombed and severely damaged (see p.42).
The minesweepers embarked, in all, 3415 troops, the skoots 1137 and the destroyers 2100. The tramp Yewdale and the motor vessels Beal and Bullfinch between them brought off 1,854. The assault landing craft A.L.C.15 ferried about 750 troops from the beaches to off-lying ships, and finally transported
25 to Dover; the A.L.C.5 also ferried troops throughout the day.
The paddle-minesweeper Oriole had beached herself at La Panne at about
0600, thus permitting about 2,500 troops to pass over her decks to be embarked by other ships before she refloated at about 1800. In this connection, Sub-
Lieut. Croswell, who had been landed at La Panne at about 0600 with a small beach party in the Harvester's motor skiff, says: " On the beach we found
14 boats which we launched. A line ferry was established from a paddlesteamer [the Oriole] which was aground close inshore, and this steamer served as a pier alongside which other boats were able to come.
Throughout the day embarkation continued."
Later in his report, Sub-Lieut. Croswell says " About 1400
bombing commenced - there were no casualties though 8 heavy bombs fell within 100
yards of the place of embarkation. A supply ship [the danlayer Nautilus]
to the right of the beach was fired and destroyed by a near miss, and a destroyer
[the Greyhound] was hit by an incendiary bomb [in fact she was severely damaged by a near miss] but continued in action. I joined up with the Army
Staff controlling evacuation - there were no other naval officers at La Panne.⁷
About 2300
I requested that piers should be built but was told nothing could be done that night.
Lord Gort arrived on the beach on Thursday morning [30th May] and asked what could be done to assist. I again suggested erection of piers, and under Colonel Porter's direction this was begun, the pier at La Panne being ready and in use by 1400".
I Calcutta's report.
2 The Golden Sunbeam, Lord Rodney, Lord Keith, Lord St. Vincent, and Lord Collingwood.
3 The Angler II, Nayland and New Britannic.
4 The Emperor of India, Gracie Fields, Halcyon, Hebe, Oriole, Princess Elizabeth and
Waverley.
5 The Reiger, Doggersbank, Jutland and Oranje.
6 The Shikari, Harvester, Anthony, Sabre and Greyhound.
7 Sub. Lt. Croswell was not given orders by his commanding officer to remain ashore.
He says as at La Panne there was no liaison between Army and Navy, I realised I could do a much more useful job by remaining there," and he stayed there until 1st June. Commenting on this, Lt. Cdr. M. Thornton, R.N., Captain of the Harvester says: " This young officer wisely accepted responsibility of missing his ship and then took charge of the beaches and embarkation.
(C.W.23187/40.)
47

INDEX
References are to pages.
A.5, (Belgian), 107n. 29.
Abrial, Abel Admiral, 12, 51, 61, 68, 85, 96, 105-7, 113, 115, 116, 120.
Tasman, 20,
Abukir, Adam, Lt. sunk, Gen. 28. Sir R., 18 (organises Dunkirk bridgehead), 26, 35.
Advance, 53.
Adventuress, 60n.
Aegir, 91.
Aidie, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Ahola, 71n.
Air, (see Royal Air Force): cover for evacuation ships, 5; co-operation with B.E.F., 7;
co-operation with Navy, 123; German ordered to concentrate attacks on shipping, 83.
Aircraft, Naval operating under Coastal Command, XIII.
Albury, 28n, 44, 53-4, 86, 97, 107n, 109, 114n, 116, 119.
A.L.C.3, 52.
A.L.C.5, 47, 52 (rushed by French troops).
A.L.C.4, 51, damaged.
A.L.C.8, 52, 75n.
A.L.C.15, 47, 51, 75n.
A.L.C.16, 45 (sunk), 52.
A.L.C.17, 45, 52 (breaks down).
A.L.C.18, 52 (damaged).
Alcmaria, 71n.
Aldis, Capt. T., 108.
Alexander, Maj.-Gen. Hon. H.R.L.G., 66 (assumes command), 68, 84, 85, 96 (to decide when evacuation must end), 98, 103, 105, 108 (embarks),
Alice, 20, 29, 30 (abandoned).
Alphacca, 101.
Amazone, 29n.
Ambleve, 60.
A.M.C.3, 71n, 75n.
Amiral du Nord, see Abrial, Adm.
Amulree, 71n, 74 (sunk).
Anderson, Lieut. C. C., 67.
Andora, 71n.
Angèle Marie, 62n, 73n.
Angler II, 32n, 47n.
Ankh, 71n, 74 damaged.
Anna Marguerite, 73n.
Anna Marie, 73.
Anthony, 20n, 23, 24n, 27, 30, 42, 47n, 53, 54n, 55, 64 (damaged), 80.
Archangel, 19, 28.
Argyllshive, sunk, 85.
Arley, 13n, 39, 44.
Aronia, 71n.
Arras, 62, 69.
Arras, lost, 6.
Aura, lost, 100.
Autocarrier, 114n, 118.
Balloons, 75, 84.
Balquhain, 72n.
Barbara Jean, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Barker, Lt.-Gen. M. G. H., 2.
Base Party, British Naval, embarks, 102.
Basilisk, 61, 86, 90-91 (sunk).
Bat, 63.
Bathelemy General, 120.
Beach parties, 21, 49, 65, 70, 77, 79-83.
Beaches embarkation begins, 17, 22 allotted to troops, 18; organised, 23, 31n, 75n all ships diverted to, 23, 24; first supplies reach, 26; weather affects embarkation, difficulties, 57, 81; crowded with troops, 58; difficulties of control, 58; marked by
36, 48, 69-70; development of evacuation from, 54, 60; changing situation causes lights, 58-9; no ships off, 59-60; strewn with motor transport, 69; 30,000 troops
195