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TNA / ADM 234 360

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 Emile. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

5 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 12–222 of this collection
Page ImageOCR textOCR tags
12 Page 12 Log in to enlarge
OCR table 1 from document page 12
Decision to terminate evacuation after night 3rd-4th June Page
... Plan for the night 113
Air protection 114
... The scene at Dunkirk, 2200/4rd June 115
... Casualties from collision and grounding 115
Embarkations at the West Pier ... ... 116
Embarkations at the East Pier ... ... 117 118
Mining of the Emile Deschamps ... ... 119
Blocking operation repeated night 3rd-4th June ... 119
Disemarkation figures, 4th June ... ... 120
Operation "Dynamo" completed, 1423/4th June 120
OCR table 2 from document page 12
Inadequate planning 122
Lack of signal communications 122
Air co-operation ... 123
Evacuation figures analysed 123
Tables: Landings in England by British Ships 124
Lift per Ship 125
Figures for Large Ships 125
Discipline 127
OCR table 3 from document page 12
APPENDICES Page
A. List of ships which took part in Operation "Dynamo" and numbers of troops transported 129
B. Part I. British "Dynamo". ships and vessels lost during Operation 158
Part II. H.M. "Dynamo". ships and vessels damaged during Operation Part 160
III. French ships sunk during Operation "Dynamo" ... Part IV. 161
C. No. 11 Belgian ships sunk during Operation "Dynamo" ... 161
D. Group Fighter Patrols-Dunkirk Signals area 161
E. 1st June re the build-up of destroyers between 27th May and Signals re the 162
build-up of minesweepers 163
Emile England May Page West
143 Page 143 Log in to enlarge

THE FINAL NIGHT, 3RD-4TH JUNE
CHAP. XII
The Locust also, after embarking troops ferried out to her from 2300, came alongside the East Pier at 0225, and when she sailed ten minutes later had on board 196 troops.
Mining of the Emile Deschamps
The personnel vessel King George V which left the East Pier about 0300 with
817 troops, ran into thick fog off the English coast. About 0615, near the
Elbow Buoy 21/2 miles east of the North Foreland, she passed a "small French naval vessel." Suddenly there was a heavy explosion astern of her, and within a minute the vessel had sunk.
The small French ship was the Fleet Auxiliary Emile Deschamps which had sailed from Dunkirk for England at about 2100 on 3rd June, crowded with troops and refugees. About 0558 the minesweeper Albury, 5 cables ahead of her, gave her a course for the North Goodwin Light Vessel, which the French ship had missed. A quarter of an hour later the Emile Deschamps struck the magnetic mine which sank her.
Several vessels were near and hastened to rescue the survivors. The firefloat Massey Shaw, on passage from Ramsgate to London, was only 200 yards away at the time and picked up 40, reported to be all sailors, which she transferred to the Albury. The King George V lowered four boats and picked up
67. The minesweeper Kellett, called up by signal from the Albury, rescued some very badly injured people as did also H.M.S. Nelson's motor boat, whose log contains the apparently, but no doubt unintentionally, casual entry
' 2400. L/Sea. Eggington lost overboard with candle-lantern." Fog came down again as the rescue operations were completed. Among the survivors landed at Margate were 7 French women and a boy.
Blocking Operation repeated night 3rd-4th June
Owing to the failure of the blocking operation of the previous night to close the port, the Admiralty, during the forenoon of the 3rd June, ordered it to be repeated on this night with Admiral Abrial's concurrence. Captain E. Dangerfield, R.N. was again in charge. The ships employed were as follows:-
destroyer:
Shikari;
coastal craft: M. A./S. B. 10,
M.T.B. 107
blockships
Gourko, 1975 tons, built 1911,
Moyle, 1761 tons, built 1907,
Pacifico, 687 tons, built 1905.
The force sailed from the Downs at 2030 on the 3rd by Route Z, M.T.B. 107
being in tow of the Shikari, and anchored at 0130 on the 4th between No. 14 W
and 16 W buoys, near the entrance to Dunkirk harbour.
At 0230 Captain Dangerfield, who had transferred to M. A/S. B. 10 ordered the ships to weigh and the Shikari proceeded to lead them to the entrance.
The Gourko's anchor was barely aweigh when a violent explosion occurred aft, caused, it is reported, by a magnetic mine, although the ship was degaussed and had been wiped in Chatham Dockyard as recently as the 31st May. The
Gourko began to sink rapidly and was ordered to be abandoned. She sank stern first in 3 minutes. M. A/S. B. 10 took off 9 survivors and transferred them to the Shikari. M.T.B. 107 rescued 7 others, some of them from the water. One of the crew was missing, and 8 were wounded.
Meanwhile, the other two blockships carried on with the operation. The
119
Albury Boat Emile England Gourko King George King George V London Massey Shaw Moyle Pacifico The King TS King George V Dangerfield English George King Light May Miles Shaw
179 Page 179 Log in to enlarge
OCR table 1 from document page 179
TROOPS TRANSPORTED
TRAWLERS AND M.F.Vs. Total 59 of which at least 3 were sunk.
(Reg. No., if any, in brackets)
Alfred Paul 50
André Marcel 50
Angelus de la Mer 17
(B. 1339)
Antoinette Michel (C. 1376) 93
Ave Maria Gratia Plena 111
(C. 1298)
Barbe Auguste 65
(D. 812)
Blei Mov (2)
(L. 3126)
Caporal Peugcot 105
(Maître Josselin)
Ciel de France 108
(C. 5598)
Credo 53
(DG. 924)
Du Guesclin 18
(DG. 910)
Duperre 307
Edmond René 210
Emile Deschamps
Etoile Polaire (2)
(L. 4125)
Gabrielle Georges (2)
(Not known)
Gaston Rivier 100
(Officier des equipages H. Wallyn)
Henriette (2)
Jean Bart 208
(Doublecourt, Skipper)
Jean Ribault 100
(Premier-Maître Dupiénois)
Jeanne Antoine (2)
(Not known)
Jésus Flagelle (B. 1853) 98
Jeune France (Di. 1213) 186
Jolie Mascotte (C. 1347) (2)
Joseph Marcel 150
La Colombe 111
(C. 1322)
La Mouette (C. 1441) 53
Lauritz (2)
(DG. 574)
Les Trois Cousins (DG. 350) 48
Lutteur (tug) 308
Marcel Paul (²)
(C. 5530)
Margaux (D. 692) (4)
Maria Elena 120
(Enseigne de vaisseau Fatout)
Marie 100
(Enseigne de vaisseau J. Aguttes, Patron Leprêtre)
Alfred Paul Antoinette Bart Credo Duperre Emile Etoile Polaire Gabrielle Georges Gaston Rivier Henriette Jean Ribault Jeanne Antoine Jeune France Joseph Marcel Lutteur Margaux Maria Eléna Marie Mouette Aguttes De Doublecourt Fatout Josselin Wallyn
185 Page 185 Log in to enlarge
OCR table 1 from document page 185
TYPE How SUNK DATE
NAME Torpedo boat Shell fire 30/5
Bourrasque Destroyer Air attack 1/6
Foudroyant Destroyer E.-Boat 31/5
Siroco Denis Papin M/S trawler Air attack 1/6
Joseph Marie M/S trawler Air attack 29/5
La Majo M/S trawler Air attack 29/5
Moussaillon M/S trawler Air attack 1/6
Vénus M/S trawler Air attack 1/6
Douaisien Cargo ship Not known Not known
St. Camille Cargo ship Not known Not known
Emile Deschamps Fleet auxiliary Mine 4/6
Pierve Trawler Shell fire 31/5
Yvonne St. Moabe Not known Air attack 1/6
OCR table 2 from document page 185
Belgian Ships etc.
Getuigt Vor Christus Trawler Not known 2/6
Maréchal Foch Trawler Collision 4/6
O.L. V. Van Vlaandaren Trawler Not known 2/6
Sunny Isle Trawler Not known 2/6
OCR table 3 from document page 185
DATE 26/5 PATROLS 22 TOTAL FLYING HOURS DAILY 480 ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED 30 ENEMY AIRCRAFT DRIVEN DOWN 20
27/5 23 536 48 32
28/5 11 576 20 6
29/5 9 674 78 8
30/5 9 704 I I
31/5 8 490 36 4
1/6 8 558 69 I
2/6 4 231 16 6
3/6 4 339 I I
4/6 3 234 I I
Total flying hours 4,822
Ben-my-Chree Boat Douaisien Emile Isle of Thanet Joseph Marie La Majo Mackay Maid of Orleans Marie Montrose Moussaillon Roebuck Sharpshooter Wolsey Yvonne
222 Page 222 Log in to enlarge

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
Doggersbank Dolphin Dorienta Doris Dorrien Rose Dove Duchess Duchess of Fife Dundalk Duperre Dwarf Eastbourne Queen Edvard Nissen Eileen Eileen Emma Elizabeth Green Emerald Emerald Wings Emile Emperor of India Empire Henchman Endeavour Enterprise Escaut Ethel Everard Excellent's Fair Breeze Fairplay I Feasible Fenella Fidget Queen Rose Épervier Bridge Crews De Dove Dover Drogou Evans Green Head Rose Tennant