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.

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3 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 71–223 of this collection

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WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
No contact with S.N.O. Dunkirk
At 2057 the Vice-Admiral, Dover, asked the Verity and the S.N.O., Dunkirk, whether the harbour was blocked¹. At 2120 the Verity replied that the eastern half of the channel was blocked, and that on leaving the harbour she had grounded slightly on a sunken drifter in the entrance. S.N.O. Dunkirk replied at 2150 that the harbour was not blocked, but that it was doubtful whether much more could be done during daylight hours². It is not known if or when this reply was received, because as late as 2357 V.A. Dover signalled Admiral
Abrial, "I cannot get in touch with Captain Tennant. Can you inform me whether it is still possible for transports to enter harbour and berth alongside."
It is noteworthy that reception on the Naval W/T set at Dunkirk was not established until 2300 on the 30th May, and full communication with Dover was not established on the set until daylight on the 31st May.³
Vice-Admiral, Dover, diverts all ships to the beaches
Indeed, already at 2128, the situation, as it could be seen by the staff at
Dover, was confused, and it seemed probable that the use of Dunkirk harbour would be denied to us except possibly for small ships⁴. Consequently, the
Vice-Admiral, Dover, ordered all ships approaching Dunkirk not to close the harbour, but to remain off the eastern beach and collect troops from the shore5;
drifters and minesweepers which were about to be despatched to Dunkirk harbour were also diverted to the beach⁶.
A good opportunity at Dunkirk missed
In the event, only 4 drifters and a yacht⁷ entered Dunkirk during the hours of darkness, and as only 2 bombing attacks were made a good opportunity was missed. It is probable that about 10,000 troops could have been lifted from the harbour during the night with little reduction of the numbers embarked from the beaches⁸. Nevertheless, it was only by good fortune that the vital
Dunkirk channel was not blocked by sinking ships at this early date⁹.
Admiralty's urgent call for small craft
Meanwhile, during the forenoon of the 29th May, in response to the insistent call for beaching craft, the Admiralty called on the C's in C. Portsmouth and the Nore "to investigate as a matter of urgency the provision of additional small motor craft and X and other self-propelled lighters, which could be made available within 48 hours from all ports in their Commands¹⁰. Thereafter, the supply of beaching craft increased rapidly.
The A.L.C.'s arrive off the beaches
On this day, however, only the first trickle of the anxiously awaited small motor craft began to arrive off the beaches. The most important arrivals
I S.N.O. Dunkirk's report. (R.O.III, p.350).
2 Appendix O.12.
3 See p. 67.
4 D.R. p.10, para. 34.
5 D.R. p.10, para. 34.
6 D.R. p.10, para. 34.
7 The 4 drifters of the 1st M/R Flotilla - the Fidget, Fisher Boy, Jacketa and Silver Dawn and the yacht Bystander.
8 D.R. p.10, para. 35.
V.A. Dover's letter No. A 14/0/876/40 of 10th June 1940 (covering his report on Operation Dynamo), para. 7(b).
10 Appendix G.14.
51

Bystander Dawn Drifter Fidget Fisher Boy Jacketa Silver Dawn Verity Day Dover Fisher Little May Tennant

158

OCR table 1 from document page 158
TRAWLERS (contd.)	TROOPS TRANSPORTED
Stella Dorado (Skipper W. H. Burgess, R.N.R.)³	55
Stella Rigel (Unit Officer S/Lt. J. W. Wykeham, R.N.V.R.) (Skipper L. P. Keable, R.N.R.)
Strathelliot (S/Lt. W.E. Mercer, R.N.V.R.)	339
Tankerton Towers (Skipper J. Hannaford)	50
Thomas Bartlett (Skipper J.J. Tomlinson, R.N.R.)	/
Thuringia (Ch. Skipper D. W. L. Simpson, D.S.C., D.S.M., R.N.R.)	/
Topaze (Lt. Cdr. J.N. Hambly, M.B.E., R.N., S.O. 40th A/S Group)	118
Velia	/
(Skipper J. Clarkson)
Viviana	-
(Skipper G.L. Olesen)
Westella
(Chief Skipper A. Gove, R.N.R.)	I
Wolves (Skipper J.D. Fowler, R.N.R. Skipper W. S. Flowers, R.N.R.)³	50
Total	5,396

OCR table 2 from document page 158
Alcmaria (Skipper A.C. Offord, R.N.R.)3	32
Ben & Lucy (Captain W.A. Watling, R.N.R., Skipper) (Actg. Lt. F.G. M. Iles, R.N.V.R. Unit Officer)	100
Boy Roy' (Ty. Skipper E.F. Dettman, R.N.R.)	-
Dorienta (Skipper W.F. Reynolds, R.N.R.)	65
Eileen Emma (Tempy. Skipper B. E.S. Smith, R.N.R.)³	114
Fair Breeze (Lt. Cdr. A. R. W. Sayle, R.N.R.)	316
Feasible (Skipper C.C. Findlay, R.N.R.)³	-
Fidget	568
Fisher Boy (Ty. Skipper G. W. Brown, R.N.R.)	777
Forecast (Lt. T.P. Graham, R.N.R., Unit	353
Genius Officer) (Skipper G.H. Green, R.N.R.):	100
Gervais Rentoul (Tempy.-Skipper J.H.	57
Girl Gladys Burgess, R.N.R.³ (Tempy.-Skipper F.L.	249
Girl Pamelar Strowger, R.N.R.3 (Ty. Skipper G. Sanson,	51
Golden Gift R.N.R.) (Ty. Skipper G.S.	273
Golden Sunbeam Sampson) (Skipper W. C.F. Chaney)	397

Alcmaria Boy Roy Dorienta Eileen Eileen Emma Fair Breeze Feasible Fidget Fisher Boy Forecast Genius Gervais Rentoul Girl Gladys Golden Gift Golden Sunbeam Stella Rigel Strathelliot Sunbeam Tankerton Towers Topaze Velia Wolves Brown BROWN R. Ch. Chaney Clarkson Dettman Fisher Flowers Gove Graham Green Hambly Hannaford Iles Keable Offord Olesen Reynolds Sampson Sanson Sayle Smith SMITH S Thomas Tomlinson Towers Watling

223

INDEX
Fighter Command. 36-7. See Royal Air Force.
Fisher, Cdr. R. L., 51n.
Fisher Boy, 32n,
Fletcher, Lt., 81.
Fitzroy, 31, 54n.
Fog, 115, 118-9.
38.
Ford, Ch. F. A., saves Whippingham, 87.
Ford R.N.A. Station, 71n
Forecast, 23n, 107n, 114n.
Foremost 87, 71n, 111.
Foremost IOI, 72n.
Foremost 102, 71n.
Foudroyant, 62n, 91-2 (sunk).
Fouque, Capt. de Freg. R., 62.
Franklyn, Maj.-Gen. H. E., 6.
Frazer, Capt. Hon. G., 97.
Fredanja, 29n.
French Navy. Failure to supply pier parties, 109.
French ships arrive, 35, 62.
French troops evacuation begins, 35; rush boats, 45, 51, 53; organised evacuation not begun, 54; to embark equally with British, 56, 68; lack of information from, 84
uncertainty as to numbers, 105; pause in embarkation, 108; slow to embark, 128;
12,000 left, 120; discipline, 128.
Friso, 29n, 31n.
Fyldea, 13n, 39, 40n, 44.
Gallant, 23, 24n, 27, 32, 39 (damaged), 55n her motor boat, 110.
Gallion's Reach, 72n.
Gallon, Ch. Stkr. M., 91.
Gandell, Cdre., W. P., P.S.T.O. French Ports, 13.
Gara, 92.
Genius, 71n.
Georges, General, 1.
Gerard Léon, 73.
Gervais Rentoul, 83n (damaged), 95 (sunk).
Getuigt vor Christus, lost, 110.
Gipsy King, 72n.
Girl Gladys, 23n, 62.
Girl Pamela, 23n, 55 (sunk).
Glagla, 71n, 74.
Glen Avon, 60n, 100-1.
Glen Gower, 60n, 100-1.
Glenway, 71n, 107n.
Glitter II, 31n, 53 (towed to England).
Godman, S/Lt., T. E., R.N.V.R., 72.
Golden Eagle, 42, 107n.
Golden Gift, 23n.
Golden Lily, 54, 60n.
Golden Spray II, 72n, 75n.
Golden Sunbeam, 23n, 47n, 62, 107n.
Goliath, 114.
Gort, Lord faces possibility of evacuation, 4; proposal to counter attack, 5, 11, 14, 27
directed to execute Weygand Plan, 10; delays enemy, 26; moves H.Q. to La Panne,
26; refuses to be evacuated, 47; orders piers to be built, 47; plans for final phase,
56; hands over command and embarks, 66, 76; staff embarking, 67.
Gorton, Cdr. H. G., 49, 80n.
Gossamer, 28n, 33, 36, 75, 77, 81, 107n, 109.
Gould, Lieut. P. F. S., 113.
Gourko, 119-20.
Gracie Fields, 23n, 27, 41-2 (abandoned), 47n.
Grafton, 13 (bombards Calais); in Dynamo, 23, 27, 31, 37-8 (sunk), 55n, 85.
Gravelines, evacuated, 18.
Gravesend, sends small craft, 61.
Greater London, 117.
199

Boat England Fisher Boy Fitzroy Forecast Foremost 102 Foremost 87 Fredanja Friso Fyldea Gallant Gara Genius Gervais Rentoul Gipsy King Girl Gladys Girl Pamela Glen Avon Glenway Glitter II Golden Eagle Golden Gift Golden Lily Golden Spray Golden Spray II Golden Sunbeam Goliath Gourko Gravelines Lily London PS Whippingham Sunbeam Whippingham Ch. De Fisher Fletcher Ford Fouque Gallon Godman Gort Gould King Spray