TNA ADM 234 360

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. XI
The Admiralty had already continued (2312/2) for the undertaken evacuation that ships would be night the evacuation 3rd to 4th on June, this and night. they To this the French agreed. complete on the vided and air protection now urged the French of Admiralty trops pro-
Plan for the night embarkation, the hours of 2230/3 and with such ships for
For this last and night the maximum it was decided effort to was cut to down be made, by one hour the time mained available, between to be made by personnel 0230/4. From the as re-
Pier, liftings were to be sent to the entire vessels, destroyers, and East minesweepers; be ships received, were and it was estimated that length of the pier as paddle as they could Drifters and fast thus be provided and for docks 14,000 of men. the inner harbour. small craft were to go would up to the quays be French ships, for which right latter pier the remaining would also lift ships (minesweepers the other than paddle, the beach, the Quai Félix Faure, British Avant Port (West Pier); from numbers could be estimated, were and the to New responsible for evacuation from Malo no boats. Locust was to remain loads ferried out to her by small vettes and skoots) outside and troops, receive to number of 5,000. The gunboat cor-
It was intended to employ on the work a force of 9 personnel vessels, 9
destroyers (all that were available), 4 paddle minesweepers, 7 fleet minesweepers,
9 drifters, the Locust, 2 corvettes, 4 French torpedo boats, and a number of organised motor boats flotillas including lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover, together with a large number of French and Belgian fishing vessels. Eleven small French ships and 3 small tugs left Cherbourg for Dover on the night
2nd-3rd June; Le Havre was scheduled to send 8 trawlers, 2 minesweepers,
1 tug, and 20 small dinghies; and Fécamp sent 14 trawlers.
During the afternoon of the 3rd the French authorities transmitted the figure of French troops still remaining in Dunkirk. This was about 30,000, a proportion of whom belonged to other than combatant units. The total capacity of the lifting force, if used to the full, was 30,000, but this was about 5,000 more than the facilities within the port would permit of being embarked in 4 hours, even if the French troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all points of embarkation. On previous occasions there had been some instances of difficulty in persuading French troops to embark otherwise than as complete units.
Vice-Admiral Ramsay consequently impressed on the French liaison officers the necessity of speed, and he added a number of French officers and ratings to the augmented pier parties which were despatched to Dunkirk at 2200, in
I The following ships landed troops in England on 4th June (numbers landed in brackets)
British - destroyers Express (611), Malcolm (736), Sabre (592), Shikari (383), Vanquisher
Minesweepers Albury (400), Halcyon (501), Kellett (30), Leda (500), Medway Queen (266), ferred to trawler off Dunkirk on account of collision damage) Gunboat Locust (196)
(414), Venomous (1200), Whitshed (444); Corvettes Guillemot (460), Kingfisher (200, trans-
Princess Elizabeth (329), Queen of Thanet (150), Speedwell (396) Trawler Saturn (418)
Drifters Forecast (123), "L.H.W.D." (90) Skoots Bornrif (96), Hondsrug (308), Pascholl
(255), Ruja (300); Yacht Gulzar (140); Personnel vessels Autocarrier (712), Canterbury
Princess (659), Côte d'Argent (1349), King George V (817), Lady of Mann (1244), Newhaven (729),
(1350), Tynwald (3000); Tugs Racia (123), Sun XV (37) War Dept. M.Ls.
Maud (1270), Royal Sovereign (took the place of Manxman which refused to sail)
Pigeon (23), Swallow (23); Sailing Barge Beatrice Maud (31), Tanga not reach England until 5th and June) launches (260); R.N.L.I. lifeboats Edward Z. Dresden (50), Greater (did London (48); Motor boats
Nayland Bonny Heather (210), Diana Mary (28), Elizabeth Green (10), Meuse (50),
Coliath trawlers (355), 3 patrol vessels (836), 13 trawlers and M.F.Vs. (1416), 1104. Belgian Tug
3 M/S (55), Walker II (76). French 5 Torpedo boats 2 S/M chasers (127),
(183), 5 trawlers (554).
114

THE FINAL NIGHT, 3RD-4TH JUNE
CHAP. XII
on motor boats, sailed the Thark with the motor boats, the 3rd the tugs Sun from IV, Tanga, Ramsgate Sun to XV, Dunkirk. and Racia, Two towing of between them were on account of water trouble petrol; the Diana Mary was
14 abandoned on the way across: in the while foul propeller and rudder, mouth, to piled up 28 Dunkirk troops), on some with and submerged engine the barge masonry of the (though Admiral in Dunkirk she Superintendent, eventually harbour and returned Ports- was abandoned. After waiting off Dunkirk since 2300 on the 3rd, the four tugs ordered at about 0200 on the 4th to go alongside the (East) Pier and embark were as many troops as possible, and by the time they were ordered to out they had collected 203 between them. Of the 14 motor boats which started clear from Ramsgate with the tugs only 5 or 6 found their way back; all the remainder were abandoned for one reason or another.
Embarkations at the West Pier (see Plan 4)
Owing to confusion of nomenclature it is impossible in every case to specify definitely at which of the west piers or jetties the ships (other than destroyers and personnel vessels which berthed at the east pier) embarked their troops.
In the western part of the port, reading from west to east, were (1) the West
Pier (termed western jetty in the Sailing Directions), (2) the West Quay or
Guiding Jetty, and (3) the Inner Western Pier (the inner or old western jetty of the Sailing Directions). Of the other three skoots that came over with the
Lena, the Bornrif stated that she embarked 96 troops at the West Mole"
between 2230 on the 3rd and 0100 on the 4th, and the Hondsrug 308 at the
"West Pier' between 2245 and 0000; while the Pascholl, which had been commanded by four different captains in 8 days, does not specify from which part of the port she lifted the 255 troops with which she sailed at 0030. Another skoot, the Rina, which had spent 24 hours at Dunkirk, sailed about this time with 300 troops.
The corvette Guillemot, which had come over with the Kingfisher, went to the Western mole" and secured ahead of the minesweeper Speedwell at 2355, leaving again at 0154 with French troops embarked to capacity" (460).
This was her first and only trip, her previous service having been as base ship at Margate. The Speedwell which had berthed nearly an hour earlier than the
Guillemot, took off 396 French troops, and the Halcyon, which had sailed from
Dover in her company, 501.
The minesweeper Kellett grounded forward against the western breakwater on a falling tide when she attempted to go alongside at 0100. It was an anxious moment, for almost simultaneously there same a report that 6 enemy
T.B.Ds. were proceeding south-westward from off Ostend; but the motor lifeboat Greater London towed the Kellett's stern away from the wall and enabled her to back away. She embarked a few troops from motor boats and sailed for Margate at 0220 by orders of Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker, for the West
Pier was occupied and it would be some time before she could be loaded, and the Rear-Admiral feared that so slow a ship might not be able to reach England while our fighter patrols were operating. Two of the personnel ships were sent by Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker to the West Pier instead of to the East Pier, since the former was continuously crowded with French troops, whereas at the East Pier there were gaps in the flow of men. One of the two, the Royal
Sovereign, embarked 1,350 men and sailed overladen half an hour after she should have been clear.
Among the many ships and craft of which few or no details are recorded
117

APPENDIX A
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
TROOPS
MOTOR BOATS, LAUNCHES AND VESSELS (contd.)
TRANSPORTED
Constant Nymph
(Dr. B. A. Smith, Owner/Skipper)
Cordelia (S/Lt. C. A. Thompson, R.N.V.R.)
Couyt Bello IP
Cyb'
Dab II
(Lieut. R. W. Thomson, R.N.V.R.)
Defender
(Skpr. E. A. Turnnidge)
00
Diana Mary
Dreadnought II'
28
Dreadnought III'
Eastbourne Bello
Elizabeth Green
1
(S/Lt. E. T. Garside, R.N.V.R.)
10
Eastbourne Quoon'
Empross
(S/Lt. T. W. Betts, R.N.V.R.)
Enchantrass'
Encore
I
(Lt. Cdr. Wilson,)
44
Endcavour
(Skpr. F.C. Halls)
Enterprise
Escaul' 2
1
Eskburn
Eve'
27
(L/Sea. N. Furse, R.N.R.)
Ferry Nymph
Fervent
44
-
(Lt. Cdr. W.R. T. Clements, R.N.R.)
Fishbourne (I.O.W. Ferry)
Forty Two
I
(Lieut. R. Nimmo, R.N.R.)
Frightened Lady'
1
(S/Lt. S.C. Allen, R.N.V.R.)
Gavines
-
Goy Crusader
-
(S/Lt. T. H. Rodgers, R.N.V.R.)
Gipsy King
-
Glitter11 (A. Botts) (H. Brown) (F. Hook, Deal boatman)
-
(Actg. S/Lt. J. W. S. Culham, R.N.)
Goldon Lily
I
Golden Spray II'
(J. O'Neill and N. Cohen, Deal boatmen)
(A. C, Crowthall, a Lloyd's official)
Gondolier King
Godolior Queen
-
Good
-
Grace Darling 11"
Guen Eagle 1
-
Halfway
Handy nilly
140
Honora' (S/Lt. M. Phipps, R.N.)
-
Hound (S/Lt. C, Minchin, R.N.)
(H. W. Knight, Capt.)
98
1 Lost,
, 4 Ex-Belgian canal boat.
Recorded ns sunk in Home Waters apparently subsequent to Operation " Dynamo."
148

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