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

4 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 97–225 of this collection

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OCR tags

FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
Later on 2nd June, on instructions from the N.O.I.C., the original crew took charge of the Marsayru, but she did not, apparently, make a second trip to Dunkirk. Her skipper (G. D. Olivier) received the D.S.M. for his services, and her engineer (C. Coggins) a mention in despatches.
The Cockle Bawley boats
Of the small craft that went over on this day, Admiral Ramsay speaks in the following terms of the Cockle Bawley boats²:
"The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all volunteers who were rushed over to Dunkirk in one day, probably none of them had been under gunfire before and certainly none of them under Naval discipline.
These boats were Thames estuary fishing boats which never left the estuary, and only one of their crews had been further afield than Ramsgate before. In spite of this fact perfect formation was maintained throughout the day and night under the control of a Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.³ in command of the Unit, and all orders were carried out with great diligence even under actual shell fire and aircraft attack."
One of these cockle boats, the Renown, was blown up by a mine while returning to England disabled and in tow of the drifter Ben and Lucy. Her skipper,
W. H. Noakes, and his crew⁴ were killed. The Ben and Lucy had been towing the drifter Feasible (disabled by a shell hit), 3 life-boats and the cockle boat
Letitia. At 0115 on the 1st June the Renown, by then disabled, attached herself to this tow, but an hour later she was blown to pieces and a hail of wood and splinters came down on the Letitia's deck. The Letitia's skipper (A. J.
Dench) says, In the pitch dark we could see nothing, and after the explosion we hard nothing and we could do nothing, except pull in the tow rope, which was just as we passed it to the Renown about 3 hour before.
French and Belgian ships arrive
Early on the 31st it became known that the Belgian Government were anxious that several small Belgian fishing craft lying at Brixham should take part in the evacuation and steps were taken to arrange this.
At 1335 the French destroyer Léopard routed from the Downs to Dunkirk two French trawlers5, three French motor fishing vessels⁶, and ten Belgian trawlers⁷.
The Belgian trawlers were under the orders of Pilote Malet; the remainder of the ships under Lieutenant de vaisseau Drogou.
Other Allied ships that sailed for Dunkirk on this day were the French cargo ships Ingénieur Cachin and Margaux, the trawlers Pierre et Marie, Emma and
Duperre, and the patrol vessel Diligente; the Belgian trawlers Lydie Suzanne and Yvonne, and the drifters Gerard-Léon (H.64), Anne Marie and Thérèse
Compas. On her return journey the Pierre et Marie picked up 3 English sailors from a drifting motor boat.
I The Marsayru's skipper says that throughout 31st May, and the days and nights that followed (its all a complete jumble in my mind) we were under constant fire but the ship was not hit by anything." It seems, however, that Mr. Olivier was only in the evacuation for 5 hours, i.e. from 1600 to 2100, 31st May.
2 Defender, Endeavour, Letitia, Reliance, Renown and Resolute.
3 S/Lt. M. H. B. Solomon, R.N.V.R.
4 L. V. Osborne, Mate, and F. W. Osborne, Engineer.
5 Chasse-Marée and Angèle Marie.
6 Margaux (D.692), Jeune France (Di.1213) and Du Guesclin (D.G.910).
7 Indépendence (0.308), Victor-Erna (H.63), Louise-Irène (H.80), Pharailde (H.42)
Raphael-Raymonde (H.43), O.L.V. Van Vlaandeven (N.49), John (O.210) Anna Marguerite
(Z.2), Buffalo Bill (Z.4) and the M.41.
73

Angèle Marie Anne Anne Marie Boat Defender Diligente Drifter Duperre Endeavour England Feasible Jeune France Letitia Margaux Marie Marsayru Pierre Pierre et Marie Reliance Renown Resolute Thames Yvonne Bill Coggins COGGINS C Crews Day De Dench Drogou English Malet May Noakes Olivier Osborne Solomon

173

OCR table 1 from document page 173
	TROOPS TRANSPORTED
MOTOR BOATS, LAUNCHES AND VESSELS (contd.)
Idaho	I
Inlanthe	35
Tote (S/Lt. R. H.C. Amos, R.N.V.R.)	1
Island Queen'	1
Johanna	10
(S/LL A. Carew-Hunt, R.N.)
	1
Jong (S/LL I. F.S. Smith, R.N.V.R.)
Josephine I 1	-
Kayell	70
(J. H. Crook, Skipper)
Kestrel	50
(W. W. Cribbens, Skipper)
Kingsgale	910
Kit Cat	I
(S/Lt. D. C. Williams, R.N.V.R.)	-
Lady Cable (Lieut. B. S. Fidler, R.N.V.R.) (Actg. S/Lt. G.A. Cadell, R.N. (Retd.))	40
Lady Haig
Lansdowner
(S/Lt. E. A.E. Cornish, R.N.V.R.)
Letitia (Bawley boat)
(A. J. Dench, Skipper)
Letitia' (M/B)
(S/Lt. B.D. O. MacIntyre, R.N.)
Little Ann'
(Mr. Л. D. Divine)
Luisiane	20
Madame Sans Gone' (S/Lt. K. Adderley, R.N.V.R.)
Madame Pompadous (Lt. Cdr. Faulkner, R.N.V.R. (Retd.)) (Mr. Morley Lawson, Engr.)
Maid of Honour'
Ma Joie'
(G. Harvey, Skpr.)
Maldon Annic IV' (S/Lt. T. Lawrie, R.N.V.R.)	[ ]
Margherita	19
Marsayru
(Mr. G. D. Olivier, Skipper, 31st May) (S/Lt. T.E. Godman, R.N.V.R., 1st-2nd June)
Mary Rose' (S/Lt. H. McClelland, R.N.V.R.)	[ ]
Mary Spearing' (S/Lt. W. G. M. Christian, R.N.V.R.)	15
Mary Spearing II (S/Lt. W. G. M. Spearing, R.N.V.R.)	106
Massey Shaw (fire float)
(Sub. Officer A. J. May)	Not known
Matilda	15
Mayspoar	-
Moander
(Skipper G. W. Halliday, R.N.R.)	26
Mermaiden
(Actg. S/Lt C.E. S. Beale, R.N.) (P/O F. J. Norton, R.F.R.)	50
Meusea

Boat Haig Idaho Johanna Jong Josephine I Kayell Kestrel Lady Cable Lady Haig Letitia Little Ann Ma Joie Maid of Honour Margherita Marsayru Mary Mary Rose Mary Spearing Mary Spearing II Massey Shaw Matilda Mermaiden Queen Rose Adderley Amos Beale Christian Cornish Cribbens Crook Dench Divine Faulkner Fidler Godman Haig Halliday Harvey Hunt Lawrie Lawson Little MacIntyre May McClelland Norton Olivier Rose Shaw Smith SMITH S Williams

183

OCR table 1 from document page 183
MINESWEEPER	TRAWLERS	DRIFTERS
Brighton Belle (28/5)	Comfort (29/5)	Eileen Emma (1/6)
	Thomas Bartlett	Fair Breeze (1/6)
	(28/5) (1)	Gervais Rentoul (1/6)
		Girl Pamela (night 28/29 May)
SKOOTS	YACHT	ExN. SERV. V.
Alice (28/5)	Amulree (1/6)	Ocean Reward (28/5)
Lena (4/6)	Pellag II (1/6)
Sursum-Corda (31/5)
BLOCKSHIP	TUG	SEAPLANE TENDERS
Holland (3/6)	Fossa (2/6)	S.T.243 (31/5) S.T. 254 (31/5) A.M.C. 3 (31/5)

OCR table 2 from document page 183
Albatross²	Hanora³ 4	Rocinantes 6
Aljanor2	Iote (1/6)	Rosabelle³
Aloa-Oe²	Island Queen2	St. Patrick (31/5)
Ambleve (30/5)	Josephine Iº	Santosy (3/6)³
Aura (2/6)³	Lansdowne (1/6)³	Scene Shifter (29/6)
Black Arrow (29/30 May)	Letitia (M/B) (4/6)	Sea Falcon (31/5)
Bobeli (2/6)	Little Ann2	Seamew²
Bonnibell (2/6)	Madame Sans Gêne (4/6)	Semois
Bullpup4	Maid of Honour®	Shamrock (30/5)
Canvey Queen (30/5)	Ma Foie (30/5)	Silver Queen (30/5)¹
Court Belle2	Maldon Annie IV (31/5)	Skylark III
Cyb2	Margherita2	(S.M.281. II) ᵃ
Dreadnought II²	Mary Rose (31/5)	Skylark L.L.III²
Frightened Lady³ 4	Mary Spearing4	Stonehaven
Golden Spray II (31/5)	Minikoi (29/5)	Sunshine (31/5)³
Good Hope 2	Minoru II®	Thetis (2/6)³
Grace Darling IV²	Pioneer2	Triton (31/5)³
Gwen Eagle	Queen of England (29/5)	Two Rivers (31/5)*
Handy Billy2	Roberta²	Vanitee

A.M.C. 3 Alice Ambleve Amulree Aura Black Arrow Boat Bobeli Bonnibell Canvey Queen Comfort Drifter Eileen Eileen Emma England Fair Breeze Falcon Fossa Gallant Gallant's Motor Boat Gervais Rentoul Girl Pamela Golden Spray Golden Spray II Good Hope Gourko Grace Grace Darling Grive Gwen Eagle Holland Horst Iote Lansdowne Lena Letitia Lord Cavan Maid of Honour Maldon Annie IV Mary Mary Rose Minikoi Minoru II New Prince of Wales Pellag II Prince Prince of Wales Queen Renown Rose Santosy Sea Falcon Semois Sequacity Shamrock Silver Queen Skylark Skylark III St. Patrick Stonehaven Sunshine Thetis Triton Two Rivers Vanitee Black Little May Patrick Prince Rose Spray Thomas Wales

225

INDEX
Johanna,54, 60.
John, and Norah, 71n.
39, 43-4. D.
G., 76.
G. de S. (P.S.T.O. 60. Dover), 48.
Jutland, 47n, 54,
Keith, at Boulogne, 9-10; In Dynamo, 55, 64, 66, 67 (flag of R.A. Dover), 71, 74, 76, 86,
Kaap Falga, 20, 29.
88-90 (sunk).
Kellett, 28n, 32, 41, 46, 97, 107n, 89. 109, 114n, 116-7, 119.
Kenward, Lt. (E) W. H., killed,
Kestrel, 72n.
Kingfisher, 60, 87, 89 (damaged), 114n, 116 (rammed), 117.
Killarney, 29n, 54n.
King George V, 54n, 94, 107n, 108-9, 114n, 116, 119.
King Orry, 16, 19, 28, 45 (sunk), 97 (damages Dunkirk pier).
Kingston Alalite, 34n, 110.
Kingston Andalusite, 34n.
Kingston Galena, 34n.
Kingston Olivine, 110.
Koeltz, General, 19.
Kuno, 20n, 24n.
Lady Brassey, 28n, 36, 91, 104.
Lady Haig, 72n.
Lady of Mann, 48n, 87, 107n, 109 (sent back empty), 114n, 118.
Lady Philomena, 34n, 91.
Lady Robinson, 94 (sunk).
Lady Rosebery, 71n.
Lady Sheila, 60.
Lady Southborough, 72n.
La Flore, 107n, 109.
Lahloo, 66, 71n.
Laidsell, Lt. Gen. W. G. (Q.M.G.), 8, 26, 59, 90.
Lambart, Capt. Hon. L. J. O., R.N. (ret.), lost, 93.
Lansdowne, 72n.
La Panne. See Beaches.
Lark, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Laroc, 60.
Leda, 28n, 32, 54n, 97, 114n, 116 (sinks Maréchal Foch), 118.
Lena, 20, 24, 27-8, 100, 116 (lost), 117.
Léopard, 73, 99, 107n.
Letitia, 73.
Lewes, Lt. Cdr. J. H., 45.
Lewis, Cdr. E. R., 106.
L.H.W.D., 114n.
L'Impétueuse, 62.
Llanthony, 71n.
Lloyd, General, 84.
Lochgarry, 29n, 39, 41.
Locust, 46, 58, 87, 107n, 108, 114, 116, 119.
Lord Barham, 71n.
Lord Cavan, 32n, 98 (sunk).
Lord Collingwood, 32n, 47n.
Lord Grey, 45.
Lord Hood, 71n.
Lord Howard, 23n, 107n.
Lord Howe, 13, 23n.
Lord Keith, 32n, 47n.
Lord Melchett, 85.
Lord Rodney, 47n.
Lord St. Vincent, 32n, 47n.
201

Haig Johanna Jutland Kestrel Killarney King George King George V Kingston Alalite Kingston Andalusite Kingston Galena Kingston Olivine L.H.W.D. Lady Brassey Lady Haig Lady of Mann Lady Philomena Lady Robinson Lady Rosebery Lady Sheila Lady Southborough Lahloo Lansdowne Lark Laroc Lena Letitia Llanthony Lochgarry Lord Barham Lord Cavan Lord Collingwood Lord Grey Lord Hood Lord Howard Lord Howe Lord Keith Lord Melchett Lord Rodney Lord St. Vincent Sheila TS King George V De Dover George Haig King Lambart Lewes Lewis Lloyd Mann Robinson