TNA ADM 234 360

TUESDAY, 28TH MAY
CHAP. VI
return to Dover at 15 knots, and could take no further part in "Dynamo."
The personnel vessel Lorina was bombed and sunk at about this period, but no details are forthcoming.
Icarus damaged
The destroyer Icarus, which had been embarking troops off Zuydcoote, and in addition had embarked about 470 from the skoot Doggersbank, was attacked by 10 dive bombers at 1830. She received only slight damage from near misses but had 1 killed and 25 wounded.
King Orry sunk
The armed boarding vessel King Orry arrived at Dunkirk harbour at about
1900, to find it apparently occupied only by burning and sinking ships. She herself was immediately subjected to a bombing attack which put her steering gear out of action and shattered all her instruments. Further air attacks, and damage by near misses ensued. Realising the risk of the ship blocking the channel, S.N.O. Dunkirk instructed her Captain, shortly after midnight, to take her out of harbour. She struggled out at 0230/30, but when clear of the harbour entrance the King Orry foundered. Several ships, including the drifter
Vivacious, the trawler Lord Grey, and a D.C./M.B., picked up survivors.
Isle of Guernsey deliberately bombed
At about the same time that the King Orry was being bombed, the M/S
Halcyon witnessed the deliberate bombing of the hospital carrier Isle of
Guernsey. She was bombed by 10 planes off Dunkirk harbour while attempting to pick up an airman. The airman was subsequently picked up by the Halcyon.
Although damaged by near misses, the Isle of Guernsey entered the harbour after dark and embarked 490 wounded in the early hours of 30th May. She then proceeded to Newhaven, but was not repaired in time to make another trip to Dunkirk.
Bideford's stern blown off
The air onslaught had not yet, however, come to an end. The sloop Bideford had arrived off Bray beach at 1730. At 1750 the first boat loads of troops
(mostly French) came alongside. 'The boats," says her Captain, Lt. Cdr.
J. H. Lewes, R.N., were dangerously overcrowded and several swamped on the way off from the shore. On arrival alongside, the men would all jump on board and let their boats drift off on the tide. Paddles were lost overboard, rendering the boats useless. Bideford's M/B was lowered and ordered to collect and tow inshore any empty boats. The whaler was lowered and 2
officers and a signalman were sent in to endeavour to take charge on the beach this was next to impossible. The men rushed the boats and capsized them in shallow water, and then left the boats without making any attempt to right them and use them again. There were only 2 motor landing craft in the vicinity. One [A.L.C.17] had one engine out of action; the other
[A.L.C.16] was blown up subsequently when lying alongside the ship."
Dive-bombing attacks commenced on the Bideford at about 1915. She was then machine-gunned by low flying aircraft. At 2007 four bombs were dropped; one landed 30 yards away one hit the quarter deck; and one hit or near missed the stern, detonating a depth charge. About 40 feet of the
Bideford's stern was blown away completely; a further 40 feet was reduced to a tangled mass of metal; the mainmast fell in 3 pieces on the searchlight
45

CHAPTER VIII
FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
EVACUATION REACHES ITS ZENITH
Lord Gort hands over his Command to Major-General Alexander
(2nd Corps) to withdraw to the The 50th 5th Divisions
Orders had been issued on the the beaches 30th May and for Dunkirk. the 3rd, 4th and began to take place on the morning of 31st May.
the British Base staff at Dunkirk, to come the 1st Corps. These moves with to fall back to the French defences on Belgian under frontier and, together
This meant that the remnant of the B.E.F., on being withdrawn inside the area of the French defences, came under the orders of Admiral Abrial; the ance with the instructions he had received.² He selected Major-Generalthe selected Major-Generl the time had therefore arrived for Lord Gort to hand over
Hon. H. R.L. G. Alexander to remain in France in command of the 1st Corps, now numbering less than 20,000 men in all; and, on taking over command of the Ist Corps, Major-General Alexander handed over command of the Ist
Division to Brigadier M. B. Beckwith-Smith.
Lord Gort agreed with Major-General Alexander that a provisional date for evacuating his force was to be the night of 2nd/3rd June.
On the 31st May therefore, Lord Gort's headquarters closed at 1800, and, after handing over command to Major-General Alexander, Lord Gort embarked with his A.D.C. in the Hebe's whaler, which had been towed in by the motor yacht Lahloo to a point a little west of La Panne beach. He proceeded to the
Lahloo and thence to the Hebe. During the embarkation an enemy attack was made by about 40 aircraft and considerable shelling was directed on to
La Panne beach itself. With Lord Gort on board, the Hebe proceeded to La
Panne beach and continued to embark troops.
It was not, however, till about midnight, that the motor yacht Bounty with
Cdre. Stephenson on board proceeded to transfer Lord Gort from the Hebe to the Keith. At about the same time, however, the M.A/S.B.6, having embarked Lord Gort's chief staff officer General Leese from the Keith, was sent to the Hebe with orders from Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker to embark Lord Gort.
On finding that he had left the Hebe, the M.A/S.B.6 returned to the Keith, embarked Lord Gort, and sailed at 0304 on the 1st of June for Dover which she reached at 0547 the same evening.
It had been the intention of the Admiralty that Lord Gort and his staff should be embarked in M.T.B.'s and at 1522 V.A. Dover had informed Rear-
Admiral Wake-Walker by signal that 4 of these vessels would be available for this V.A. Dover's did not reach R.A. Dover4, and other and signal all four back at Dover by Speaking of the non-receipt uses; of indeed Dover's were signal, Rear-Admiral
Wake-Walker reached says, The signal informing V.A. of this, like many others, never me At 1543/30 Rear-Admiral me Wake-Walker had asked that he
I 2 Lord Lord Gort's Second Despatch, a M.T.B's. Gort's Second Despatch, para.57.
R.A. 67, 107, 68 and 102. para. (See 58.
M.017978/41, Dover-Report p.18. of Proceedings (R.O. Appendix III. para. G.30). 19).
66

SIGNALS
APPENDIX G
7. It is a matter of great importance that these ships should be got ready as.
soon as possible.
Brabant1
Bart
8. Twente
Tilly
Antje
Hondsrug
Brandaris
Reiger
Delta
Lena
Princess Juliana
Borneo¹
Caribia
Oranje
Liberty
Vrede
Gorecht
Bernina
Fiducia'
Rika
Limburg'
Patria
Junior
Bornrif
Amstelroom
Deneb
Martha
Express
Mercurius¹
Aegiv
Jutland
1704/22
F.3. ADMIRALTY to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER, C.-IN-C. NORE, C.-IN-C. PORTSMOUTH, (R)
F.O.I.C. London, F.O.I.C. Southampton, F.O.I.C. Portland
Admiralty 1703/22 and 1704/22 to certain addressees only. The operation for which these ships are being prepared will be known as Dynamo.
1944/22
APPENDIX G
SIGNALS RE LACK OF SMALL CRAFT
Sunday, 26th May
1. ADMIRALTY to A/S CHATHAM, A/S PORTSMOUTH, (R) C.-IN-C. Nore, C.-in-C. Portsmouth,
V.A. Dover
Investigate and report how many cutters and whalers can be made available for immediate service under V.A. Dover.
2028/26
2. ADMIRALTY to C.-IN-C. PORTSMOUTH, VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER (R) Combrax Portsmouth,
Commandant 1st D.C. Fort Cumberland
8 A.L.C's. with crews complete are available and will be embarked in S.S. Clan
Macalister at Southampton a.m. 27th May.
2337/26
Monday, 27th May
3. (ADMIRALTY) D.S.V.P. to COMMODORE, SHEERNESS (R) C.-in-C. Nore V.A. Dover
About 40 motor launches have been ordered to Sheerness of which 30 should arrive at daylight tomorrow Tuesday. The rest during the day. These will be manned on arrival at Sheerness
Request you will inform V.A. Dover when boats are ready for service.
2035/27
Tuesday, 28th May
Note: [At 0436. S.N.O. Dunkirk asked for all vessels to be sent alongside east pier.]
4. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to S.N.O. DUNKIRK (R) Fighter Command
Further destroyers and small craft are being sent now to Dunkirk.
0630/28
SIGNALS RE BUILD-UP OF SMALL CRAFT
5. N.O.I.C. RAMSGATE to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
1st Mine Recovery Flotilla vessels Lord Cavan, Fidget, Jacketa, Silver Dawn and Fisher Buoy. Tug Java. Drifters Lord Collingwood, Lord Rodney, Lord Keith,
Lord St. Vincent. Motor boats New Britannic, Walker I, Walker II, Angler, Nayland, sailed Ramsgate for Dunkirk.
1550/28
I Was not available.
165