TNA ADM 234 360

TUESDAY, 28TH MAY
CHAP. V
had all come under fire from the shore guns at Calais and Gravelines. At
0415 on the 28th May the Queen of the Channel, loaded with 904. troops, was attacked by one aircraft; 3 or 4 bombs were dropped, which straddled the ship abaft the mainmast and broke her back, the starboard propeller shaft and the rudder. By good fortune the Dorrien Rose, en route for Dunkirk, was in the vicinity and rescued the troops: the Queen of the Channel sank about 1/2 hour later. The St. Seiriol, which left Dunkirk at about 0415 with 494 troops, reached Folkestone in safety.
Civilian crews feel the strain
Some 45 personnel vessels were used during operation "Dynamo"
Of these eight were sunk, at least six were so damaged by bombing or gunfire as to render them unfit for further use during the operation, and two were damaged in collision. Nine of the largest of these personnel vessels had been engaged prior to "Dynamo" in operations at Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne, and their Captains and crews were beginning to feel the strain when Operation
"Dynamo" started.
Thus it was that the Master of the Canterbury, which had already completed
2 round trips to Dunkirk in operation "Dynamo", reported, on the 28th May, that he was too worn out to make a third trip. The P.S.T.O. went on board and explained the gravity of the situation to the Master, and the Canterbury sailed at 0930 the next day. On her return voyage from Dunkirk she was bombed and damaged, and after landing her 1960 troops went into dock for repairs. In the 3 trips she made the Canterbury brought back 4,416 troops;
her Master, Captain C. A. Hancock, was awarded the D.S.C.
Personnel vessels not to be employed during full daylight
On the 28th May, however, it had become apparent that development of the German air threat over the evacuation area, and the increasing artillery fire from shore batteries covering the sea approaches to Dunkirk, prohibited the employment of personnel and similar vessels during daylight, until the position was restored, and that evacuation from Dunkirk by day must for the moment be confined to warships and small vessels².
It was not, therefore, until later in the day, that the P/V Royal Daffodil sailed for Dunkirk, and eight other personnel vessels and a hospital carrier³
received their sailing orders during the afternoon and evening.
The northern Route Y was by this time in general use⁴, but ships proceeding from Dover to Dunkirk were ordered to use the southern and shorter Route Z, if the passage from Calais Bell buoy to Dunkirk could be made in darkness.
N.O.I.C. Ramsgate responsible for servicing skoots
In these circumstances some 20 skoots reached Dunkirk, or arrived off the beaches during the day and evening of the 28th May; others were on the way.
Their speed varied, but most of them were very slow. Eight of them went into Dunkirk harbour⁵, and four to Bray beach⁶. The Abel Tasman, loaded with ammunition, the Alice and Kaap Falga, loaded with food, and three
I This number includes 3 store ships, 3 motor vessels and a few freighters, coasters and tramps.
2 D.R. p. 4, para. 13.
3 The Scotia, Malines, Prague, Manxman, Royal Sovereign, Tynwald, Lochgarry, Killarney and the H.C. Paris.
4 Appendix K.1.
5 The Caribia, Fredanja, Friso, Jutland, Tilly, Patria, Sursum-Corda, and Twente.
6 The Amazone, Doggersbank, Hilda, and Oranje.
29

WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
Gallant put out of action
The destroyers Jaguar, Gallant and Grenade, en route for Dunkirk by the new middle Route x with instructions to test it for opposition by shore batteries, were attacked at 1155 off. Snouw Bank by about 17 dive bombers. The attack was concentrated on the Gallant which was damaged by a near miss and had to retire; she was unable to take any further part in Operation "Dynamo".
"One dive-bomber, was seen to be hit by pom-pom, and while losing height observes the Jaguar, was despatched by a fighter". This attack appears to have taken place just when one of our main [fighter] patrols had turned for home."¹
On arrival at Dunkirk, the Grenade reported that there had been no interference from shore batteries. Shipping was thus able to make use of the route directly it had been swept. The minesweepers completed this work late on the same afternoon, and the route was taken into use within a few hours of both the other routes, Y and Z, being rendered unsafe for use by day owing to the German shore gunfire.
Bombing of Dunkirk and beaches commences
At 1358 the S.N.O., Dunkirk reported to V.A. Dover that the bombing of the beaches and of Dunkirk pier had commenced without fighter opposition.
This attack occurred while Hurricanes were sweeping inland to Cassel.¹
At 1250 the Grenade berthed alongside the east pier in Dunkirk outer harbour (the Nouvel Avant-Port), the Jaguar securing alongside her. The
Grenade was ordered by S.N.O., Dunkirk, to remain at his disposal and not to embark troops. Between 1400 and 1525, the Jaguar embarked about 1,000;
level bombers were being held off by fighters and A/A fire during this period, and two patterns of heavy bombs which were dropped close to the pier did no damage to ships.²
Fourteen ships lying at Dunkirk
In the meantime, at 1330, six Oropesa trawlers of the Dover M/S Command, viz.: the Fyldea (Lieut. R. Bill, R.N., S.O.), the Arley, Brock, Calvi, John
Cattling and Polly Johnson, arrived off Dunkirk harbour and the Fyldea and
Arley were ordered inside to pull the personnel vessel Lochgarry, which had embarked over 1,000 troops, away from the east pier³. By 1420 when they had done this, the six trawlers, triple-banked, occupied the Lochgarry's berth.
Ahead of the six trawlers were the Grenade and Jaguar; astern of the trawlers was the personnel vessel Canterbury, and astern of her, at the Quai Félix Faure in Dunkirk inner harbour (the Avant-Port), was the French destroyer Cyclone.
On the opposite side of the outer harbour, at the west Quay, lay the French destroyers Mistral and Siroco. Outside the harbour, on the seaward side of the east pier opposite the Grenade, was the P/V Fenella, and at 1430 the Special
Service Vessel Crested Eagle berthed astern of her (see Diagram p.40). Off Malo,
Bray and La Panne beaches were numbers of destroyers, minesweepers, skoots, personnel vessels, trawlers, tugs and small craft.
I R.A.F. Narrative, p.326.
2 Jaguar's report.
3 See Fyldea's report.
39

WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
Mistral damaged
At 1555 a bomb struck the west quay and damaged the Mistral, killing 3 and seriously wounding 4, including her captain.
Jaguar severely damaged
Meanwhile, at 1550, the Jaguar was ordered out of Dunkirk harbour, to act as escort to the Lochgarry then waiting outside. While taking station ahead of the Lochgarry at about 1630 the second air attack over Dunkirk took place¹.
Dive-bombers attacked with salvoes of 4 bombs. About 14 salvoes were aimed at the Jaguar and one at the Lochgarry. A near miss severely damaged the Jaguar, holing her near the waterline and putting her engines and steering gear out of action; a list to port developed. The destroyer drifted helplessly until, at 1645, she was in danger of drifting on to a wreck 50 yards away. The destroyer Express then sighted her and taking her in tow alongside transferred some of her troops. The skoot Rika, en route for La Panne beach, although she had been severely shaken by bombs off Middelkerke buoy, closed the
Jaguar and took off 295 troops. The Jaguar eventually reached Dover at
2350 (in spite of further high level bombing attacks at 2014 and 2026), making the last part of the passage under her own power. She was unable to take any further part in ' Dynamo."
Clan Macalister sunk
In the attack which damaged the Jaguar, the Lochgarry was also damaged by a near miss; she was, however, able to proceed, and did so unescorted.
Near 6 W buoy, she passed the S.S. Clan Macalister which, after having hoisted out 6 motor landing craft earlier in the day and subsequently embarked troops, had just been bombed and was on fire and sinking. The destroyer Malcolm had already taken off, the wounded members of the Clan Macalister's crew and some of her troops, and the minesweeper Pangbourne had embarked the remainder. The Clan Macalister settled on the sea bed on an even keel with her upper works above water, and remained on fire for days. For days also, she acted as a target for enemy airmen, who thought she was still afloat.
Gracie Fields abandoned
Continuing on her way near Kwint Bank buoy, the Lochgarry saw the paddleminesweeper Gracie Fields (which was carrying about 750 troops from La
Panne beach) hit amidships by a bomb. The Gracie Fields, unable to stop her engines, and with her upper deck enveloped in clouds of steam, continued underway at 6 knots with her helm jammed with 15° starboard wheel on.
Nevertheless, the skoot Twente, which was on her way to La Panne beach, secured alongside the circling Gracie Fields and transferred as many injured and others as she could. The skoot Jutland, returning from La Panne beach with 275 French troops, also secured alongside the Gracie Fields' disengaged side and took off some more of her troops.
Later, at about 1830, the minesweeper Pangbourne (which had just been holed on both sides above and below the waterline and had had 13 killed and
11 wounded by near misses off Bray beach) went alongside the Gracie Fields, transferred about 80 British troops, and took her in tow. The M/S Kellett, carrying 550 troops from Bray beach, led the Pangbourne, whose compasses had been put out of action by bomb blast. At 0130 next morning the Gracie
I At 1630 hours, a renewed spell of Luftwaffe activity began, fighters was on the line.
when none of our
(R.A.F. Narrative, p.327).
41

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