TNA ADM 234 360

THE NIGHT 2ND-3RD JUNE
CHAP. XI
to were seen and no ships Dunkirk of No. 604
2120 on the 2nd June, to clear reported the air being for the attacked. night's work. Blenheims No enemy aircraft Squadron then continued to patrol singly over throughout the night.
reported, and R.A.F. fighters intercepted successfully 3rd on three.
Only on three occasions during the 2nd June were enemy all aircraft formations evacuation effort. Eighteen Blenheims a level (1,000-3,000
series of attacks on the batteries near bombed Gravelines, from low to coincide with the
During the early morning hours of Pointe the de June the R.A.F. carried out a feet), but were unable to observe results.
By night, the policy was continued of directing a small proportion of our effort to targets near the battlefront and the main weight against Germany;
and air in conformity with this policy twelve Wellingtons attacked Bergues.
Blocking of Dunkirk Inner Harbour (Operation C.K.) (See Plan 4 and
Appendix Z)
The blocking of the inner harbour at Dunkirk was under the command of
Captain E. Dangerfield, R.N., and was carried out on two successive nights.
The operation was first timed to be carried out on the night 1st-2nd June, but at 1808 on the 31st the Admiralty ordered its postponement.
On each night three blockships, escorted by a destroyer, an MA/S.B. and an
M.T.B., were employed. The blockships assembled in the Downs, and (as usual) they were such crocks that one, the French built Emerald Wings (Government Yard, Cherbourg, 1920) broke down soon after leaving Portsmouth for the Downs and had to be towed back to harbour; a second could not keep up with the convoy; and a third, the Moyle, developed defects which, however, by dint of working on her all night, were remedied in time.
The ships finally employed on the night 2nd-3rd June were as follows:-
Vivacious (destroyer)
M.A/S.B. 7
M.T.B. 107
Blockships Westcove 2734 tons, built 1912
Edvard Nissen 2062 tons, built 1921.
Holland Dutch M.V. 895 tons, built 1923.
Early on the 2nd of June Admiral Nord asked that the blockships might be sent over to arrive at the entrance to Dunkirk harbour at 0300 on the 3rd, the latest hour at which they could enter on that night, by which time it was hoped the evacuation would have been completed. During the afternoon of the 2nd however, the Admiralty received a message from the Admiral postponing the operation because the evacuation would not be completed that night. However, the Admiralty still hoped to complete the evacuation and ordered the blockships to sail.
At 2030 on the 2nd the Vivacious, with Captain Dangerfield on board and with M.T.B. 107 in tow and M.A/S.B. 7 in company, sailed from the Downs, leading the three blockships, and proceeded to Dunkirk by Route Z. The
Holland, unable to maintain the 71 knots speed of the convoy, was soon lost to sight astern. Nearing Dunkirk a tug (either the Sun X, Sun XI or Foremost
87), towing a very long line of boats, crossed her bows and still further delayed her, but she eventually made contact with M.A/S.B. 7 and asked to be led into the harbour. The other two blockships had anchored at 0230, and a
1 This is her correct name
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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