TNA / ADM 234 360

TNA ADM 234 360

Collection details

TNA ADM 234 360

Naval Staff History No. 41, the official historical study of the evacuation from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo, 26 May–4 June 1940, dated 1949.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: ADM 234 360

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 234/360. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing only pages tagged with the vessel name COMMANDANT DELAGE. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

3 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 53–221 of this collection

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CHAPTER VI
WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
FIRST HEAVY ENEMY AIR EFFORT
German bridgehead in Nieuport
Throughout the 29th May, the enemy attempted to cross the canal between the Frenco-Belgian frontier and Nieuport - and, indeed, succeeded in establishing a bridgehead in the town of Nieuport, although everywhere else he was driven back. Some of the enemy attempted to cross in rubber boats; others, disguised as civilians, with the refugees, horses and cattle. The few vital hours gained made it possible, against all expectation, to embark practically the whole British force¹.
Two-day traffic block in perimeter
Large numbers of French troops arriving in the perimeter brought a mass of transport which caused such traffic congestion that for two days the main road between La Panne and Dunkirk became totally blocked with vehicles three deep².
French evacuation not yet ordered
Admiral Abrial (whose headquarters were at Bastion No. 32, near Dunkirk
Mole) had apparently received no orders from his Government that the whole of the British troops were to be embarked, and he professed great surprise when he heard of Lord Gort's intentions. He imagined that British troops would stay and defend the perimeter to the last, side by side with the French².
Meanwhile, the French troops were expecting to embark along with their
British comrades, notwithstanding that only two French ships had so far been provided³; the beaches were becoming crowded with French soldiers, and difficulties might have occurred at any time.² Later in the day, however, three French torpedo boats and one minesweeper sailed to Dunkirk harbour to evacuate troops.4
Dunkirk perimeter established
On the evening of the 29th May the organisation of the perimeter was complete, and General Sir Ronald Adam, his task accomplished, embarked for
England that night.5
Mackay and Montrose out of action
The story of the 29th May is largely one of ships sunk or damaged. Our losses were very heavy and began very early. At 0005, the destroyer Mackay
(en route to Bray beach with the destroyer Harvester) ran aground at the western
I Lord Gort's Second Despatch para. 53.
2 Lord Gort's Second Despatch, para. 55.
3 So far, the French torpedo boat Cyclone had brought back 460 troops, and the minesweeper Commandant Delage 520 - both on 29th May, from Dunkirk harbour.
4 The torpedo boats Cyclone, Mistral and Sirocco and the minesweeper Commandant
Delage.
5 Lord Gort's Second Despatch, para. 57.
35

Boat Commandant Delage England Evening Mackay Montrose Adam Day Few Gort Last May

177

OCR table 1 from document page 177
	TROOPS TRANSPORTED
TORPEDO BOATS AND DESTROYERS.
Total 14, of which 3 were sunk. Bouclier	1,725
(Capt. de frégate de la Fournière, Commanding 14th Div. Torpedo boats)
Bourrasque (Capt. de frégate R. Fouque, Commanding 4th Div. Torpedo boats)
Branlebas	1,120
(Capt. de corvette de Cacqueray)	460
Cyclone² , (Capt. de vaisseau U. de Portzamparc, Capt. (D) 2nd Flotilla) Epervier (light cruiser)
Foudroyant 2 (Capt. de corvette Fontaine)	1,250 761
La Flore
(Capt. de corvette Roussel de Courcy)	19
Léopard² (Capt. de frégate C. Loisel)
L'Incomprise (Capt. de corvette Gras)	4
Mistralz
(Capt. de corvette Lavene) (Lieut. de vaisseau Guillanton)
Siroco 2	509
(Capt. de corvette de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa)
T.112³	117
T.113³	275
T.143³	406
	Total 6,646
DESPATCH VESSELS (Avisos). Total 5.
Amiens
(Capt. de corvette Monick)
Amiral Mouchez	600
Arras
Belfort (aircraft tender)	400
(Capt. de corvette L. Viel)
Savorgnan de Brazza (A/A ship)
	Total 1,000
MINESWEEPERS (Avisos-draguers). Total 2.
Commandant Delage	807
(Capt. de corvette Froget)
L'Impétueuse	1,231
(Capt. de corvette Bachy)	Total 2,038
SUBMARINE CHASERS (chasseurs). Total 5.
Chasseur 5	20
(Lieut. de vaisseau Detroyat)
Chasseur 6	50
(Enseigne de vaisseau Desmoutis)
Chasseur 7	39
Chasseur 11	88
(Enseigne de vaisseau Montillier)
Chasseur 42	6
(Premier Maître Timonier Y. Jule)	Total 203

Amiens Chasseur 11 Chasseur 42 Chasseur 5 Chasseur 6 Chasseur 7 Commandant Delage Cruiser Incomprise L'Incomprise Savorgnan de Brazza Épervier Bachy Cacqueray De Desmoutis Detroyat Fontaine Fouque Froget Gras Guillanton Jule Lavene Light Loisel Monick Montillier Portzamparc Roussel Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa Viel

221

INDEX
cut off, 8; to be held, by 13; E-boat), falls, 17.
27 (attacked 32, 46, 47, 54, 88 (shoots down Heinkel), 99'
104, 126.
71n.
Caleta, Calvi, 13n, 39, 43 (sunk), 44.
Canterbury, 16, 22n, 24, 29, 39, 42-3 (damaged), 48n, 54, 114n.
Cameron, Lieut., 79.
Canvey Queen, lost, 53.
Cap d' Antifer, 102.
Carama, 60.
Caribia, 29n.
Cassidi, Cdr. R. A., 51.
Caryandra, 71n, 74.
Casualties: Embarkation, 17, 32, 36, 64, 87 (final), 115.
Cecil and Lilian Philpot, 107n.
Cayton Wyke, 34n, 107n.
Cervia, 71n.
Chamois, 72n.
Chantecler, 54.
Chasse-Marée, 62n, 73n, 102.
Chico, 13n, 60n.
Christabel II, 71n.
Civilians, crews feel strain, 29, 48; supplemented by R.N., 48, 99.
Clan Macalister, sunk 41.
Claude, 59.
Clouston, Cdr., J. C., 44, 105, 110 (drowned).
Coastal Command, XIIIn, 38, 64, 83, 88-9, 93, 99-100, 115.
Coats, Lt. Cdr. E. C., 112.
Cockburn, Lt. Cdr., 49.
Cockle Bawley boats, 73.
Codrington, 28, 54n, 55, 61, 64n, 75, 77, 97, 101, 107n, 108-9 (sent back empty), 112n.
Coggins, Mr. C., 73.
Comfort, 36, 37 (sunk).
Commandant Delage, 35n.
Communications. Difficulties and delays, 57, 60, 122; on beaches, 67; established between Dunkirk and Dover, 67-8; closed down, 76-7.
Commodore, abandoned, 74.
Conidaw, 13, 60n.
Constant Nymph, 60n.
Corap, General 1.
Cordelia, 60n.
Côte d'Argent, 54n, 94, 102, 107n, 109, 112n, 114n, 118.
Coulthard, J. W., 110.
Coxyde. See Beaches.
Crested Cock, 71n.
Crested Eagle, 32n, 39, 43, 44 (beached), 46, 58 (burnt out),
Croswell, S/Lt., E. C., 36, 47 (lands at La Panne), 76n, 77.
Cyclone, 39, 42, 68-9 (damaged).
Dangerfield, Capt., 111, 119-20.
Daylight evacuation abandoned, 97-8; French Admiralty wish resumption, 105.
Decoster, F., 116.
Defender, 73n.
Dench, Mr. A. J., 73.
Denis Papin, sunk, 93.
Denny, Capt. M. M., 94.
Destroyers bombard Calais, 13; brought from W. A. and Portsmouth Commands, 20,
61, and from patrol and escort, 28, 34 not to stop to aid ships, 38; brought off most troops 55; H, 1, J classes withdrawn, 55, and ordered back, 61; G class all out of action,
55; not sent to Dunkirk harbour, 61; exhaustion of crews, 64, 113; heavy losses, 94
sent back empty, 108.
Devonia, beached to form pier, 83.
Diana Mary, 117.
Diligente, 73.
Dill, General Sir John, 10, 12 (becomes C.I.G.S.).
Dinard, 64.
197

Aid Boat Caleta Calvi Canterbury Canvey Queen Caribia Cayton Wyke Cervia Chamois Chantecler Chico Christabel II Clan Macalister Claude Comfort Commandant Delage Commodore Conidaw Constant Nymph Cordelia Crested Cock Crested Eagle Defender Devonia Diana Diana Mary Diligente Dinard Mary Queen Cassidi Clouston Coats Coggins Coulthard Crews Dangerfield Dench Denny Dover