TNA ADM 234 360

MONDAY, 27TH MAY
CHAP. IV
meantime at 2025, the Vice-Admiral, Dover, received another signal sent only a few minutes later:
" Port continuously bombed all day and on fire. Embarkation possible only from beaches east of harbour A.B.C.D.¹ Send all ships and passenger ships there to anchor. Am ordering Wolfhound to load there and sail. T.O.O.2005."
To the Vice-Admiral, Dover, the situation must have appeared critical when, later that evening, he received a report from two military officers from
G.H.Q., that the plight of the B.E.F. was precarious and that the enemy might, indeed, succeed in cutting it off from Dunkirk.²
All ships diverted to the beaches
Such was the grim picture presenting itself to the Vice-Admiral, Dover, that night - the B.E.F. in grave and very real danger of being cut off altogether from
Dunkirk, and possibly only a bare 24 hours available for its evacuation. Admiral
Ramsay reacted to these dire tidings with characteristic drive and energy, and a period of intense activity ensued. Every effort was concentrated on sending as many craft as possible to the beaches without delay². Order followed order in rapid succession. Personnel ships were diverted to the beach, code letters A, B, C and D (i.e. Malo beach). Four paddle minesweepers³
were sailed from the Downs to La Panne beach. Destroyers were rushed to the beaches and urged to embark as many British troops as possible, as this was the last chance of saving them "; the Gallant, and Vivacious, then on patrol, the Windsor, Vimy, Anthony, Impulsive, Sabre and the cruiser Calcutta, were all ordered to proceed with the utmost despatch to the beach at Malo-les-Bains and the beach at Zuydcoote, just east of it; the Grafton and Greyhound, on patrol between Fairy Bank and Kwint Bank buoys, and the Wakeful, just arrived at Dover from Plymouth, were hurried to the beach at La Panne.
The wording of some of the signals4 conveying these orders reflects the desperation felt that night, a desperation which, in spite of the course of subsequent events, was at the time only too well-founded. " Had the situation appeared less critical," observes Admiral Ramsay, an organised flow of large and small craft, working in reliefs, would have been arranged."⁵
Yet a further batch of vessels arrived off the beaches that evening; the
17 available flare-burning drifters of the Dover Auxiliary Patrol⁶ had sailed for Dunkirk during the afternoon, and on arriving were diverted to the beaches by the Wolfhound, in accordance with a signal from the Vice-Admiral, Dover⁷, and anchored close inshore. The boats from the Wolfhound and Wolsey, and
I These letters refer to an arrangement, whereby at the commencement of Dynamo'
the Dunkirk beaches were described by a letter code referring to Map G.S.G.S. 4040,
Sheet 29, 1/50,000. The lengths of beach lying in each 1000 metre map square were lettered, west to east, commencing with "A" at square 2686 in sequence to "0" at square 3990. (Appx. N. 10). Under this arrangement, A.B.C.D. actually refers to the beach at Malo-les-Bains.
This arrangement appears to have fallen into disuse on and after 29th May, when the stretch of beach, one mile east of Dunkirk to one mile east of La Panne, was divided into
3 equal parts, referred to as La Panne, Bray and Malo, from east to west, with a mile gap between each part. (Appendix O. 11).
2 D.R. page 3, para. 8.
3
The Sandown, Medway Queen, Brighton Belle and Gracie Fields.
4 See Appendices D. 3, D. 4, D. 5, D. 7, and D. 8.
5 D.R., p.3, para. 38.
6 They were the Netsukis, Lord Howard, Lord Howe, Golden Sunbeam, Midas, Golden
Gift, Girl Pamela, Paxton, Boy Roy, Eileen Emma, Girl Gladys, Forecast, Ut Prosim, Yorkshire Lass, Young Mun, Shipmates and Torbay II.
7 Appendix D.6.
23

FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
After about an hour the Margate life-boat, the Lord Southborough, appeared.
All destroyers were now under way, and as the life-boat was returning to Margate the party went back in her¹. She reached Margate at 1450 on May 31st.
Thus, by about 0830 on the 31st May all the beach parties of which there are any records had returned or were on their way to England.
Devonia is beached
At 1035 Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker had informed V.A. Dover that he would beach a ship in the hope of improving conditions for boat work, which was then being made difficult by a lop and he instructed Cdre. Stephenson accordingly.
Cdre. Stephenson, then in the yacht Bounty off. La Panne, boarded the minesweeper Devonia at 1600 and gave orders to beach the ship. The
Devonia, already much damaged by near misses at 1230, was beached at full speed off La Panne, and at 1930, on account of the shelling and bombing, she was abandoned. Fortunately by 1700 the weather off the beaches had much improved.
Casualties to H.M. Ships
With the exception of the Devonia none of H.M. ships was lost on this day, but the following were slightly damaged: the Vivacious was damaged by a shell hit and had 3 dead and 12 wounded; the Hebe received slight damage from a near miss; the Wolsey was in collision with the P/V Roebuck; the
Impulsive damaged a propeller on uncharted wreckage; the Malcolm was in collision with Dunkirk pier; and the Scimitar was in collision with the Icarus and later with a drifter².
Air patrols
During the 31st May Fighter Command carried out patrols, as on the 30th
May, at an average strength of three to four squadrons. Eight patrols in all were flown, involving 289 sorties. The periods in the day when the Dunkirk area was not covered were 0620-0800, 0830-1110, 1510-1615, and 1745-1915³.
Coastal Command patrolled the line North Goodwins-Gravelines-Ostend throughout the day, patrols being of one section strength, involving in all
37 sorties⁴.
Shortly before 0930 the Air Ministry intercepted a meassage indicating that the enemy air force had been ordered not to attack the town or harbour of
Dunkirk but to concentrate attacks on shipping at sea, or leaving the coast³.
It was at about 1230 that, off La Panne, the Devonia received extensive damage to her hull from 4 near misses, but the first major attack on our ships occurred about 1415-1430 when one of our squadrons estimated the enemy strength as about 100 aircraft (bombers and fighters). Rear-Admiral Wake-
Walker says, "a terrific air battle took place overhead and it seemed to go against us". Actually, we lost 9 aircraft and claimed 7 enemy shot down.6
Air attacks then followed at half-hourly intervals between 1530 and 1730, and at about 1717 the Ivanhoe, Whitehall and Express off Dunkirk harbour were attacked by about 50 bombers. The Whitehall received some damage and the Express slight damage from near misses. At this time also the Hebe was attacked off La Panne by 4 bombers and was damaged by near misses;
I Cdr. Richardson's report (R.O.III, p.370).
2 Probably either the Gervais Rentoul or the Eileen Emma which both returned damaged as the result of collisions.
3 R.A.F. Narrative, p.334.
4 R.A.F. Narrative, p.336.
5 M.017978/41, p.17.
6 R.A.F. Narrative, p.335.
83

SATURDAY, 1ST JUNE
CHAP. IX
SUNK BY E-BOAT TORPEDOES.
Trawlers Argyllshire, Stella Dorado.
SUNK BY MINES.
Trawler St. Achilleus, small craft Renown.
SUNK BY GUNFIRE.
Drifter Lord Cavan.
SUNK BY COLLISION OR OTHER MISADVENTURE.
Drifters Eileen Emma, Fair Breeze, Gervais Rentoul.
Yachts Amulree, Pellag II.
Barges Aidie, Barbara Jean, Duchess, Ethel Everard, Lark, Royalty.
Small craft, number unknown.
DAMAGED BY AIR ATTACK.
Destroyers Ivanhoe, Worcester.
Minesweepers Ross, Salamander, Westward-Ho.
Corvette Kingfisher.
Personnel vessel Prague.
DAMAGED BY MINE.
Hospital carrier St. David.
DAMAGED BY GUNFIRE.
One trawler, name uncertain.
DAMAGED BY COLLISION OR GROUNDING
Destroyer Vimy.
Personnel vessel Maid of Orleans.
The evacuation figures for the day
Little ships added their quotas to those of the big ships, though not without casualties they suffered heavy losses from collision or other misadventure, although in the circumstances it was not always possible to obtain details
(See App. B.I.)
On this day there were lifted from the beaches and from Dunkirk harbour:
by motor boats and the like 2334 persons, by hopper barges 1470, by tugs 736, by yachts 1,831, by skoots 3,170, of which almost all were from the beaches, by special service vessels 1,250, by drifters 2,968, and by trawlers 1,876 practically all of whom were lifted from Dunkirk harbour. French ships lifted
3,967, Belgian trawlers 402, and a Dutch yacht 114; all troops evacuated by foreign ships were embarked in Dunkirk harbour, none coming from the beaches.
Though losses of ships had been highest this day the total of troops lifted was the second highest of the operation, no less than 64,429 being landed in England.
Of these, 47,081 had been embarked in Dunkirk harbour and 17,348 from the beaches.
95

INDEX
Discipline. See British Expeditionary Force and French troops.
Disembarkation ports, 25.
Docksey, Capt. T. E., 21.
Doggersbank, 20, 29n, 32, 45, 47n, 64, 72, 107n.
Dolphin's power boats, 72n.
Donald, Lt. Cdr. C. G. W. Died of wounds, 10.
Dorienta, 71n.
Doris, 71n, 94 (sunk).
Dorrien Rose, 24, 29, 62.
Dove, Cdr. J. S., 50n (reports Dunkirk blocked), 59.
Dover, mined, 38.
Dowling, Lt. Cdr. D. B., 82.
Drifters, 23, 24 (flare burning).
Drogou, Lt. de V., 73.
Duchess, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Duchess of Fife, 28n, 54n, 101, 107n, 109.
Du Guesclin, 62n, 73n.
Dundalk, 86, 107я, 109.
Dunkirk, S.N.O. See Tennant, Capt. W. G.
Dunkirk: water supply destroyed, 8; demolitions, 8, 19, 106; inundations, 12; bridgeeasier, munications 27, 30; limitations, 48; reported blocked, 50; ships not to close, 51; comhead, 15, 18, 35; damaged, 15, 18; out of action, 23; reported fallen, 24; conditions established with Dover, 51; reduced number of ships sent, 61-2 bombarded, 70; harbour deserted, 87; harbour full of ships, 88; growing number of wrecks described, off, 117. 94; pier damaged, 97; blocking of inner harbour, 111-112, 119-20 piers
Duperre, 73.
Dwarf, 60.
Eastbourne Queen, 74.
E-boats, activity). 27-8, 36, 37n, 49 (fail to discover change of route), 68-9, 85 (recrudescence of
Edmond René, rams Kingfisher, 116.
Edvard Nissen, 111-12.
Edward Z. Dresden, 114n.
Eggington, Ldg. Sea., 119.
Eileen Emma, 23n, 83n (damaged), 95 (sunk).
Eilla II, 71n, 74.
Elizabeth Green, 53, 114n.
Ellwood, Cdr. M. 0. D. (i/c Communications), 67.
Emerald Wings, breaks down, 111.
Emile Deschamps, sunk, 119.
Emma, 73.
Emperor of India, 28n, 47n, 54n, 100.
Empire Henchman, 7In.
Endeavour, 73n.
Enterprise, 72n, 75n.
Epervier, 99.
Escaut, 60.
Esk, 28n, 49, 79 (takes across R.A. Dover and Beach parties), 54n, 55, 58, 64n, 92, 97,
102, 107n.
Ethel Everard, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Evans, W. L., 110.
Excellent's A/A M.B., 72n, 75n.
Excellent's 35 ft. M.B., 71n, 75n.
Exhaustion of ships' crews, 29, 113.
Express, back 28n, 41-2, 54n, 55, 59 (flag of R.A. Dover), 62n, 83 (slightly damaged), 109 (sent empty), 112n, 114n, 118.
Fagalde, General, 12, 68, 85.
Fairplay I, 71n.
Fair Breeze, 60, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Feasible, 71n, 73 (disabled).
Fenella, 34, 43 (sunk), 46.
Fidget, 32n, 51n.
"Fifth Column", 24, 100.
198