TNA ADM 234 360

FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
Cyclone, was on her way to Dunkirk when, apparently between T buoy and the
West Hinder, the track of a torpedo was seen at 0121 crossing from port to starboard 10 yards ahead; a minute later another track was seen to port, and although avoiding action was taken the torpedo struck forward and considerably damaged her, but the Cyclone was still able to steam and she proceeded back to Dover at 4 knots escorted by an English vessel; later, the
French torpedo boat Bouclier and then the French minesweeper Arras took over the duty of escort. The Cyclone reached Dover at 1600, having transferred two serious casualties to an English M/B while on passage. She took no further part in "Dynamo".
Siroco sunk
At 0145, some 20 minutes after this attack, the French destroyer Siroco, on her way to Dover with 770 troops from Dunkirk, was hit near T buoy by 2
torpedoes fired by an E-boat which had stopped and was unseen in the darkness; the destroyer Vega, on patrol 4 miles to the south-east, saw a column of flame 200 feet high. The Siroco capsized shortly after. Survivors to the number of 252 were picked up, 50 by the trawler Wolves, 21 by the trawler
Stella Dorado, 166 by the corvette Widgeon and 15 by the Polish destroyer
Blyskawica.
At 0700, the Vega, which had been on patrol since noon 28th May, was relieved by the destroyer Jackal.
It was on this morning that clear evidence of the presence of enemy submarines was obtained, for the Vimy, en route to Dunkirk, sighted the periscope and conning tower of one between the North Goodwin buoy and the North-
West Goodwin buoy. A depth charge was dropped, and a hunt began in which the trawlers Westella and Spurs, the corvette Sheldrake, and the Jackal joined, but without success.
Conditions on the beaches
Meanwhile, conditions on the beaches were by no means favourable. Already at 0400 a lop had started. At about 0600 the R.N.L.I. life boat Lord Southborough was ferrying troops to the destroyer Icarus off Bray. 'There was a nasty surf," said the coxswain of the life boat. "Troops were rushing out to us from all directions and were being drowned close to us and we could not get to them it seemed to me we were doing more harm [than good] by drawing the men off the shore, as with their heavy clothing, the surf was knocking them over and they were unable to get up.
The whaler from the destroyer.
was swamped, so was the motor pinnace that was working with the whaler, and so it was all along the sands as far as I could see, both sides of us, and there was not a boat left afloat".
At 0600 also, Lt. Col. R. L. Hutchins, M.C., Grenadier Guards, in command of the War Department motor launch Swallow, arrived off Dunkirk, and described the situation as follows: Dunkirk was under a pall of smoke from fires which appeared to be mainly to the south and west of the port. There were numerous wrecks outside the harbour, and along the beaches. There were large numbers of troops on the shore as far as it was possible to see to the eastward, and the beach was strewn with all forms of motor transport. Along the foreshore were a very large number of pulling boats, aground, capsized or damaged, and abandoned. There were also a considerable number of motor
I Appendix J.2.
69

INDEX
Greatwood, Lt., 76.
Grenade, 28, 43-4 (damaged), 46, 50n (reported sinking), 55 (sunk).
Greyhound, 13 (bombards Calais); in Dynamo, 23, 27, 42 (damaged), 47 (remains in action), 54n, 55n.
Grey Mist, 13.
Grimsby Town, 104, 110.
Grive, 38, 93 (sunk), 60, 90-1.
Grouse, 72n.
Guillemot, 114n, 117.
Gula, 71n.
Gulzar, 17, 60n, 114n, 118.
H.A.C., 71s.
Haig, 72n, 90.
Halcyon, 20, 28n, 45, 47n, 54n, 82, 86 (attacked), 91, 107n, 109, 114n, 117.
Hallett, Vice-Admiral T. J., (act. Cdre.), 49 (takes charge off Bray), 58, 79; leaves, 80;
effect of his arrival, 126.
Hancock, Capt. C. A., 29.
Handy Billie, 81.
Hanora, abandoned, 53: sunk, 55.
Harris, Cdr. W. V. H., 13.
Harvester, 28n, 35-6, 47, 54n, 55n.
Harwich, F.O.I.C., 70; assistance to ships at, 94.
Havant, 46, 55n, 91 (sunk), 93.
Hawkinge, 5, 7.
Hebe, 44, 47n, 49, 50 (flag of R.A. Dover), 54n, 58 (hoists flag), 66, 67, 70, 76 (Whaler),
76n, 83 (slightly damaged), 84 (shoots down Heinkel).
Hebe II, 20, 24, 27, 28n.
Hemans, Lt. M. A., 81.
Henderson, Comdr. H. P., 22.
Hilda, 20, 29n, 32, 72n, 78, 90.
Hird, 37.
Hirschfield, A. B., C.A.L., 93.
Holford, Maj. C.F. L., R.M., 8.
Holkham, Capt. A., 38.
Holland, 111-2.
Holland, invaded, 1; surrenders, 2.
Holland-Martin, Lt. Cdr. D. E., 21.
Holmes, Maj.-Gen. W. G., 82.
Hondsrug, 20n, 24, 102, 114n, 116-7.
Hospital carriers, attacked, 16, 17, 43, 45, 104; space too valuable for them, 87.
Hound, 72n.
Howson, Capt. J. M.: S.N.O. Beaches, 49, 59; stops waste of boats, 60; returns to
Dover, 74; orders beach parties to embark, 79, 80; effect of his arrival, 126.
Hutchins, Lt. Col. R. L., 69-70.
Hythe, 32, 72n.
Icarus, 37-8 (damaged), 54 (makes two trips in 24 hours), 55n, 69, 83 (in collision), 87, 97
101 (in collision).
Impulsive, 20, 23, 27, 55n, 64n, 70, 83 (damages propeller).
Indépendence, 73n.
Ingénieur Cachin, 73.
Intrepid, 37, 38, 43 (damaged), 54n, 55n, 61n.
Inverforth, 34.
Ironside, General Sir Edmund (CIGS), 5.
Isle of Guernsey, 17, 45 (damaged).
Isle of Thanet, 19, 22n, 24, 28, 34 (sunk).
Ivanhoe, 37n-8, 54n, 55n, 77n, 83 (bombed), 86, 90-1 (damaged), 93.
Jackal, hunts submarine, 69.
Jacketa, 32n, 51n.
Jaguar, 28, 39, 41 (damaged), 42, 61n (in need of repair).
Java, 32, 42, 47.
Javelin, 28, 37-8, 54n, 55n, 61n, 105 (forbidden to sail).
Jeannie MacIntosh, 71n.
Jeune France, 62n, 73n.
200