TNA ADM 234 360

DUSK TO DUSK, IST-2ND JUNE
CHAP. X
Dunkirk and entered harbour at 1530 on 1st June. Whilst there, she was twice hit by shore batteries, though damage was slight and there was only one and troops and finally proceeded at 2230.
light casualty. The ship lay alongside for 7 hours, embarking stretcher cases
Amongst the various classes of ships none had suffered proportionately heavier losses than the personnel vessels to which Vice-Admiral Dover referred in his message to the Admiralty. Their crews had been doing magnificent work in the face of nerve-racking experiences. Up to date 8 of these ships had been sunk and 4 disabled. It was arranged that during this night's evacuation personnel ships in addition to destroyers were to berth at the East Pier in Dunkirk where they were to be given priority.
The danger of sending these valuable ships in to Dunkirk in daylight was too great, and after the 1st of June they were sent in only under cover of darkness, with a naval Ljeutenant-Commander or Commander on board each ship as adviser to the Master and with crews stiffened by 10 seamen for handling the wires and going alongside under fire. It was hoped by these means not only to get the ships to sail to time but also to ensure that they would enter Dunkirk harbour and not linger outside awaiting a quiet interval, or return empty.
To their credit it must be recorded that not all the personnel ships needed the moral support of naval ratings.
Air Operations, morning of 2nd June
The batteries which had brought Route X under fire were between Le
Clipont, near Pointe de Gravelines (see Plan 3), and Les Huttes, about a mile north east of Gravelines; they were attacked by the R.A.F. in 24 Blenheim sorties between first light and 0745 on the 2nd, the object of spreading the attack in this manner being to neutralise the batteries during the period of daylight evacuation. The Blenheims encountered much anti-aircraft fire, and though no aircraft were lost some were damaged and afterwards crash-landed on their airfields.
The Air Ministry were asked to provide strong continuous patrols over
Dunkirk and the beaches from 0430 to 0830 on the 2nd June, with night fighter patrols during the hours of darkness. It was arranged that the fighter patrols should go out over the routes in use by our ships, and on the return journey fly low on the routes to give maximum protection to ships against low flying bomb and machine gun attacks. The concentration of fighter patrols in the dawn and dusk periods resulted in a great decrease in the total number of flying hours on the 2nd June (See Appendix C.)
The early morning was hazy, and the first two main R.A.F. patrols, both at four squadron strength, encountered no enemy aircraft and no ships reported being attacked during this period. The third patrol, the strongest yet flown, consisting of five full squadrons, which was over the Dunkirk area from 0745-
0845, encountered very considerable enemy forces, and claimed to have shot down 18 enemy bombers and 10 fighters, themselves losing 7 Spitfires. Again, no reports of attacks came from the ships; and as far as can be ascertained no attacks occurred until the Calcutta, patrolling near W buoy with the Mallard and Shearwater, was attacked at 1035 by 3 Ju. 88 which dived out of the sun and bombed her, causing slight damage from near misses. A Coastal patrol witnessed the incident and drove off the enemy. The French light cruiser
Epérvier and destroyer Léopard were also on the patrol line, but they apparently left the patrol when bombing began at 1035 and up to 1442 when the Calcutta returned to Sheerness by orders of Vice-Admiral Dover, nothing more was seen
99

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. X
clearly marked as hospital ships. Neither of the two ever reached Dunkirk.
were despatched from Dover, the Worthing at 1255 and the Paris at 1648, both we should scrupulously observe the Two hospital carriers part en clair asking for hospital ships to be Geneva sent across Convention. and stating that for our
At 1433 the A/S trawler Grimsby Town, on patrol on Route X, reported that had bombed a hospital ship. This was Worthing. Visibility was good.
12 aircraft bearing 90° South Foreland 27 the miles (between V and W buoys)
Nine bombs were dropped and the the Calcutta ship was sent machine the gunned, she was slightly damaged by near misses and corvette Mallard to stand by her. The Worthing returned to harbour.
near W buoy, when two aircraft attacked her, near misses putting out of action
The Paris, after running into thick fog, was in clear visibility at about 1900, her engines and extinguishing all lights. About an hour later the ship was attacked again by 3 aircraft, and received further damage. She was abandoned by all but the Captain and some of the officers, who were shortly afterwards taken off by a fast motor boat which also rescued men from some of the Paris's lifeboats that had been wrecked by bombing. Three tugs, the Sun XV, Sun IV
and Lady Brassey attempted to tow the ship; but at 0400 on 3rd June, after a further air attack, the Paris sank 1 mile east of W. buoy.
Evacuation figures, 2nd June
A total of 26,256 men were landed in England on 2nd June, 19,561 from
Dunkirk harbour and 6,695 from the beaches. Of these totals, French ships working only from the harbour carried 1634, and Belgian trawlers carried 313.
The accumulated total of men evacuated to this date was 285,305.
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INDEX
Lord Southborough, 60, 69, 83.
Lorina, sunk, 45.
Louise-Irene, 73n.
Louise Marie, 62n.
Lucian Gougy, 107n.
Lusyne, Capt. P., 116.
Lutteur, 62.
Lydd, 28n, 36-7, 44, 52, 100-1, 103.
Lydie-Susanne, 73.
M.41, 73n.
McClelland, Lt. Cdr. J. W., 59n, 75-7 (work at La Panne).
McCullough, Lt. Cdr., 59n.
Mackay, 20n, 27, 35-6 (put out of action).
MacKewn, Lt. A. R., R.N.R., takes over St. Seriol, 48.
McRea, Lt. H. C. J., 37.
Maid of Orleans, 16-17, 22n, 24, 31n, 54n, 87 (damaged), 127.
Mainwaring, Lt. A. H., killed, 93.
Ma Joie, 60n.
Malabar, 85.
Malcolm, 28n, 54n, 55, 62 (makes two trips on 30th May), 83 (collides with Dunkirk pier),
109 (sent back empty), 112n, 114n, 116, 118.
Malden Annie IV, abandoned, 72.
Malet, Pilote, 73.
Malines, 29n, 37.
Mallard, 34, 99, 104.
Mallow, 88.
Malo, see Beaches.
Manxman, 29n, 54n, 102, 114n.
March, Mr. F. J., 47.
Maréchal Foch, sunk, 116.
Maretta, damaged, 13.
Margaux, 73.
Marie, 74.
Marlborough, 72n.
Marmion, 28n, 54n, 100-1, 107n, 109.
Marrack, Capt. H. R., 74.
Marsayru, adventures of, 72-3.
Mary Rose, sunk, 72.
Mary Scott, 100.
M.A./S.B.6, 52 (sinks Minikoi), 66-7 (takes Lord Gort to Dover), 75.
M.A./S.B.7, 111-112 (in operation CK.).
LA./S.B,10, 101-2, 108, 119.
Massey Shaw, 119.
Maund, Cdr. G. O., speeds up embarkation, 63-64; leads ships into Dunkirk, 101.
Medical Parties, sent across, 49.
Medway Queen, 23n, 27, 31, 100-1, 105, 107n, 109, 114n.
Merchant Navy, see Civilians.
Mermaiden, 72n.
Meuse, 114n.
M.F.H., 72n.
Michael Stevens, 107n.
Midas, 23n, 107n.
Mines and mining, British, 34; German, 38, 93, 110; French, 62-3.
Minikoi, sunk 52.
Ministry of Sea Transport, 21.
Ministry of Shipping, 5.
Minotaur, 72n.
Mirasol, 53.
Mistral, 39, 40n, 41 (damaged), 43.
Monarda, 71n.
Mona's Isle, 16, 19.
Mona's Queen, 16, 28, 31n, 38 (sunk).
Montgomery, Maj.-Gen. B. L., 2, 75, 77 (embarks).
Morrison, P. O., 72.
Montrose, 20n, 27, 32n, 36 (put out of action).
202