TNA ADM 234 360

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. V
off Dunkirk at 1315. They had picked up that morning from arrived
The destroyers Codrington, Jaguar and Javelin, 33 survivors diverted from patrol,
S.S. Abukir, which had been torpedoed by United an E-boat while returning the about 200 evacuees from Ostend to Grenade the which Kingdom; these survivors with
Javelin Dunkirk. were transferred using The their Codrington to own the boats, destroyer went embarked into Dunkirk troops harbour, from subsequently Bray while beach. the went Jaguar At on 1730 and to the Grenade left Dunkirk with 1,000 troops on board.
skoot Lena. The Vimy also made a second
359 troops from Zuydcoote, assisted by ships' a the second.t.Bip,embarked
Between 1230 and 1815 the Vivacious, a her
Dunkirk harbour.
More ships were on the way. From 1230 onwards 19 minesweepers were sailed from Harwich, from Dover and the Downs, for Dunkirk and the beaches.
By 2130 five of them had arrived off Bray beach I, and four off La Panne²;
three reached Dunkirk by 2140³.
Four other minesweepers arrived off the beaches late on the night of
28th/29th May4, and two more reached the beaches at 0600/29⁵.
Early on the 28th May the eight ships of the 7th and 8th minesweeping flotillas had been ordered from Rosyth to Harwich, to work under the orders of the Vice-Admiral, Dover⁶; they could not, however, reach the beaches until about 72 hours later.
During the forenoon and afternoon of the 28th May the call went out for more and more destroyers, and seven reached the evacuation area next day⁷.
In the signals from the Admiralty and the Vice-Admiral, Dover, summoning them there sounds the same note of extreme urgency, traceable to S.N.O.
Dunkirk's message⁸ declaring that evacuation on the night of 28th/29th May was problematical. "If the older class destroyers and other vessels cannot compete with the situation signalled the Admiralty, destroyers of all classes are to be used for bringing men off'.9 Every available destroyer" in the
Western Approaches and Portsmouth Commands was to be sailed to Dover.
Destroyers on patrol or on escort duty were to be diverted to Dunkirk or the beaches.¹¹
Vulnerability of personnel vessels
The vulnerability of the personnel vessels, with their large troop-carrying capacity, was a cause of anxiety. On the 27th May the Biarritz and Archangel, the Mona's Queen, King Orry, Sequacity, Yewdale, and the Isle of Thanet12,
I The Albury, Gossamer, Leda, Kellett and Sutton.
2 The Salamander, Halcyon, Skipjack and Waverley.
3 The Ross, Pangbourne and Lydd.
4 The Hebe, Sharpshooter, Duchess of Fife snd Emperor of India.
5 The Oriole and Marmion.
6
A.M.0163/28.
7 The Verity, Harvester, Esk, Malcolm, Express, Shikari and Scimitar.
8 Appendix M.4.
9 A.M.0754/28.
10 A.M.1229/28.
11 Appendices D.4, D.5 and D.7.
collided with the Examination Service Vessel leaving Ocean Reward, which sank
12 At 0254, on 28th May, shortly after Dover for Newhaven, the Isle of Thanet
Assisted by the tug Lady Brassey, a search was made for survivors, but none was found.
28

TUESDAY, 28TH MAY
CHAP. VI
return to Dover at 15 knots, and could take no further part in "Dynamo."
The personnel vessel Lorina was bombed and sunk at about this period, but no details are forthcoming.
Icarus damaged
The destroyer Icarus, which had been embarking troops off Zuydcoote, and in addition had embarked about 470 from the skoot Doggersbank, was attacked by 10 dive bombers at 1830. She received only slight damage from near misses but had 1 killed and 25 wounded.
King Orry sunk
The armed boarding vessel King Orry arrived at Dunkirk harbour at about
1900, to find it apparently occupied only by burning and sinking ships. She herself was immediately subjected to a bombing attack which put her steering gear out of action and shattered all her instruments. Further air attacks, and damage by near misses ensued. Realising the risk of the ship blocking the channel, S.N.O. Dunkirk instructed her Captain, shortly after midnight, to take her out of harbour. She struggled out at 0230/30, but when clear of the harbour entrance the King Orry foundered. Several ships, including the drifter
Vivacious, the trawler Lord Grey, and a D.C./M.B., picked up survivors.
Isle of Guernsey deliberately bombed
At about the same time that the King Orry was being bombed, the M/S
Halcyon witnessed the deliberate bombing of the hospital carrier Isle of
Guernsey. She was bombed by 10 planes off Dunkirk harbour while attempting to pick up an airman. The airman was subsequently picked up by the Halcyon.
Although damaged by near misses, the Isle of Guernsey entered the harbour after dark and embarked 490 wounded in the early hours of 30th May. She then proceeded to Newhaven, but was not repaired in time to make another trip to Dunkirk.
Bideford's stern blown off
The air onslaught had not yet, however, come to an end. The sloop Bideford had arrived off Bray beach at 1730. At 1750 the first boat loads of troops
(mostly French) came alongside. 'The boats," says her Captain, Lt. Cdr.
J. H. Lewes, R.N., were dangerously overcrowded and several swamped on the way off from the shore. On arrival alongside, the men would all jump on board and let their boats drift off on the tide. Paddles were lost overboard, rendering the boats useless. Bideford's M/B was lowered and ordered to collect and tow inshore any empty boats. The whaler was lowered and 2
officers and a signalman were sent in to endeavour to take charge on the beach this was next to impossible. The men rushed the boats and capsized them in shallow water, and then left the boats without making any attempt to right them and use them again. There were only 2 motor landing craft in the vicinity. One [A.L.C.17] had one engine out of action; the other
[A.L.C.16] was blown up subsequently when lying alongside the ship."
Dive-bombing attacks commenced on the Bideford at about 1915. She was then machine-gunned by low flying aircraft. At 2007 four bombs were dropped; one landed 30 yards away one hit the quarter deck; and one hit or near missed the stern, detonating a depth charge. About 40 feet of the
Bideford's stern was blown away completely; a further 40 feet was reduced to a tangled mass of metal; the mainmast fell in 3 pieces on the searchlight
45

THURSDAY, 30TH MAY
CHAP. VII
reached the beaches, and by retrieving the abandoned and drifting pulling boats they were able to do much to increase the rate of lifting¹.
Many more were on the way. The destroyers Basilisk and Venomous from the Western Approaches Command were making for Dover, and the mine sweepers Niger and Dundalk were coming down from the Humber. The attempt to maintain an adequate rate of lift with only the older destroyers soon proved unavailing, and all the modern destroyers of the H, I and J classes which had been withdrawn on the 29th May were ordered back to Dunkirk on the 30th².
Small craft were hastening up from Portsmouth, Newhaven and Sheerness;
six tugs were plodding along from Tilbury (towing 23 motor and 46 rowing lifeboats), and five others had left Gravesend (towing barges). Yachts, drifters and trawlers; launches, lighters and steam hopper barges; car ferries, coasters and cockle boats; train ferries, speed boats and picket boats; seaplane tenders, fishing craft and pleasure craft; steam pinnaces, sailing craft and a
Thames fire float-a host of vessels-were heading in ever-increasing numbers³, for Dover, the Downs, or Dunkirk direct, while the cry more ships, more boats", still went up off. the French coast.⁴
Set-backs were inevitable, but this concourse of ships, big and little, fast and slow, manned by willing and eager crews fired by one purpose of saving the British Expeditionary Force, continued to grow until it assumed the proportions of an armada.
Late on the previous evening the Bideford had sent a call for large quantities of rope for towing to be sent, and within a few hours 9 coils (1080 fathoms)
of 4-inch grass hawser were speeding by lorry from Chatham dockyard to
Ramsgate to help the skoots to haul boats off the beaches, thus speeding up the boat work and compensating for the shortage of boats, 'which would continue", says Vice-Admiral, Dover for at least another 24 hours "5.
Undoubtedly as a result of the messages and signals received on the 29th
May by V.A. Dover with regard to the harbour at Dunkirk, the number of ships sent there on the 30th May was curtailed, with a corresponding reduction in the volume of embarkation. After V.A. Dover's signal to Admiral Abrial late on the 29th May, asking whether it was possible for transports to berth alongside, further signals to the same effect were sent to the Vanquisher and the Codrington and to Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker. Finally, at 1020, the
Wolsey was called upon for a detailed report of conditions alongside the east pier; and by 1524 V.A. Dover was able to inform destroyers that a good berth with bollards exists 400 yards from end of east pier".
In the meantime signals were coming in from Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker and from the Vivacious stating that the beaches were filling up rapidly and more ships and boats were urgently required there.⁶ Although it was known that the destroyers could use Dunkirk, it appeared, says V.A. Dover, that the best division of transport was to send the great majority of destroyers to the beaches, where urgent demands could not be ignored, and the personnel vessels to Dunkirk harbour, only an occasional destroyer being sent to Dunkirk from the reduced number available.⁷
I D.R. p.15, para. 49.
Javelin. 2 Appendices D.9, D.10. Except the Intrepid and Jaguar (in need of repairs) and the
3 Appendices G.20, G.27, G.28.
4 Appendices H.7 to H.10.
5 D.R. p.13, para. 41.
6 Appendices H.7, H.9 and G.22.
7 D.R. p.13, para. 43.
61

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. X
The Windsor did some quick turns round. From the present night's work she returned to Dover with 493 troops, sailed again for Dunkirk and lifted a further was out, she was once more alongside Dunkirk East Pier embarking troops,
624 men which she disembarked at Dover, leaving about 1900. Before the day and she sailed at 0100 on 3rd June, loaded with 1,022 men.
As the Esk was unable to sail owing to exhaustion of her crew the Shikari proceeded alone. She berthed at Dunkirk at 0125 and left again at 0200 with
470 troops. When the first vessel of the last pair of destroyers, the Whitshed and Winchelsea, arrived at Dunkirk the East Pier was bare of troops; but by using a loud hailer and making a search a total of 512 were collected. The
Winchelsea disembarked 1,100 men at Dover.
On this night personnel vessels were not much in evidence at Dunkirk. The
Côte Argent disembarked 1,250 troops in England on 2nd June, the Newhaven
716 at Dover at 1030. The Royal Daffodil, after bring turned back earlier in the day by a French destroyer, left Margate again at 2200 on the 1st and was back at 0600 on the 2nd with 1,500 troops. The Manxman did not arrive at
Dunkirk until 0506 on the 2nd, long after daylight; she brought back 177 troops and disembarked them at Dover at 1043. The only other considerable lift from Dunkirk pier by a British ship on this night was by the 220 ton coaster
Seine, which arrived at Dunkirk about 2000 and, after an air attack lasting about an hour, went alongside the pier and embarked 250 troops. After landing these at Ramsgate the crew, who had worked continuously for four days and nights, had their first night's sleep.
In addition to the large ships, tugs, skoots, drifters and all manner of small craft evacuated troops on this night. Some lay off and were loaded by smaller boats ferrying troops out to them, others went up harbour, past the large ship berths. Over 4,000 men were brought to England on the 2nd June in this way. Of these the skoot Hondsrug took 421 French and the skoot Reiger
330 French.
French embarkations
During the early part of the night 1st-2nd June French troops embarked as arranged at the West Pier, though none of the French torpedo boats which it was intended to employ disembarked troops in England.¹ Looking shoreward from the sea, the characteristic helmets of the endless line of French troops on the West Pier showed up against the glare of fires inland. The town and harbour lay under a pall of smoke. The minesweeping trawler Chasse-Marée lifted from the harbour 391 troops, the patrol vessel Reine des Flots 350, the cargo ship Cap Antifer 291, and trawlers and motor fishing vessels a further
548; all these were landed in England.
June. Four Belgian trawlers brought over 313 troops from Dunkirk on the 2nd
British Naval base party embarks, 0245/2
the The shore end of the East Pier at Dunkirk, to embark the base party as arranged.
At 0200 on the 2nd Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker in M.A/S.B.10 went up to party arrived and the M. A/S.B. sailed at 0245.
had been haze which had prevented some ships from arriving the morning was
By this time it was beginning to get light, and although at one time there
T.B's. on this night alongside the West quay.
I Rear-Admiral loaded Wake-Walker in his Report M.017978/41 p.32 says, however, French
102

THE NIGHT 2ND-3RD JUNE
CHAP. XI
Teteghem, the event this was postponed 2000 and when it took place some on a front of two miles. The until French intended to counter-attack at
There was no movement in the port. Later Admiral was in the hands of the enemy, but they had not advanced beyond. Further attacks were expected by the French this day, when the situation regarding munitions might become critical.
Sailing of the night flight from England
The movement from England towards Dunkirk commenced at 1700. The armada consisted of 13 personnel vessels, 2 large store carriers, 11 destroyers,
5 paddle minesweepers, 9 fleet sweepers, 1 special service vessel, 9 drifters,
6 skoots, 2 armed yachts, 1 gunboat, a large number of tugs, lifeboats, etc., formed either in organised tows or proceeding individually. For various reasons, however, not all of these ships evacuated troops.¹
The composition of the French contingent was not known at Dover. Actually,
3 French torpedo boats, two minesweeping trawlers, two patrol vessels, and
17 trawlers and motor fishing vessels landed troops in England on the 3rd June.
One Belgian patrol boat and 16 or 17 trawlers brought troops.
B.E.F. evacuated, 2330/2
The first destroyers to reach Dunkirk were the Sabre and Shikari, which sailed together from Dover at 1845. As the latter ship rounded No. 6 W buoy enemy shore batteries opened fire, but caused no damage. Berthing was carried out by an officer with a loud speaker at the pier head. Both destroyers sailed again at 2200, the Sabre with 500 and the Shikari with 700 troops. The
Venomous, which arrived at 2150, had difficulty in going alongside the East Pier.
This was not a solid jetty, but was built of concrete piles through which the west-going tide set. This, coupled with a fresh easterly wind, made it very
I The following ships (other than those on patrol which picked up survivors and landed them) landed troops in England on 3rd June, (numbers in brackets):-
BRITISH Destroyers - Codrington (44), Esk (500), Sabre (500), Shikari (700), Vanquisher (37),
Venomous (1500), Whitshed (82), Winchelsea (152), Windsor (1022);
Gunboat Locust (800)
Minesweepers - Albury (200), Duchess of Fife (300), Dundalk (399), Gossamer (490),
Halcyon (416), Kellett (364), Marmion (198), Medway Queen (481), Niger (430),
Oriole (750), Pangbourne (47), Speedwell (300), Westward-Ho (48);
Special Service Ship Golden Eagle (1);
Drifters - Forecast (108), Golden Sunbeam (163), Lord Howard (100), Midas (43),
Netsukis (119), Starlight Rays (319), Ut Prosim (49), Yorkshire Lass (103)
Trawler Cayton Wyke (300);
Skoot Doggersbank (50);
Yacht Sargasso (252);
Personnel ships - Côte d'Argent (955), King George V (1460), Newhaven (396),
Lady of Mann (18), Rouen (1286), Royal Sovereign (1500), St. Helier (2000),
Tynwald (1200) H.M.S. Nelson's M.B. (27)
Tugs - St. Olaves (200), Sun X (211), Sun XI (188), War Dept. M.Ls. (69)
Sailing barge Glenway (213)
R.N.L.I. Lifeboats Cecil & Lilian Philpot (51), Michael Stephens (52):
3 motor boats and launches (300).
FRENCH Torpedo boats - Bouclier (340), La Flore (410);
Destroyer Léopard (19);
S/M Chaser 6 (50, apparently disembarked at Havre);
M/S trawlers - Ste. Bernadette de Lourdes (79), Ste. Denise Louise (78);
Patrol vessels - Lucien Gougy (78), Reine des Flots (500);
17 trawlers and M.F.V's. (1663).
BELGIAN Patrol boat A.5 (229);
17 trawlers (1583).
107

THE NIGHT 2ND-3RD JUNE
CHAP. XI
also stopped off the harbour by entered orders at the 0050 harbour and had only 44 troops when she devoid of troops and was by Whitshed found Wake-Walker to return to was sailed at 0250. The Express ordered Rear-Admiral at 0200, found the pier sailed at 0245 with 82 men collected small craft. Finally, the Malcolm and Dover lay outside with orders to hail from stop other ships from entering. She with the Codrington. The and no berth on arrival at 0030
was ordered back at 0248, empty. Thus five destroyer trips were wasted.
Only the minesweepers which berthed at the inner end of the East Pier after the British rearguard had embarked, managed to collect normal quotas from the trickle of French troops.
Dunkirk was the headquarters of a French Naval Command and there was always a considerable number of French marines in evidence. But after the
British naval ratings left at 2300 there was difficulty in getting ships berthed, as the French did not replace them.
The Albury embarked 200 French troops, the Duchess of Fife 300, the Dundalk
399, the Gossamer 490, the Halcyon 416, the Kellett 350 French and 14 British, the Marmion 198, the Medway Queen 481, and the Speedwell 300. The Niger slipped at 0120 with 430 French troops. While turning an unknown French craft crossed her bows and was rammed, though apparently no damage was done to her. A few minutes later the Frenchman returned and rammed the
Niger.
Personnel ships did well. The Royal Sovereign sailed at 2205 with 1500
troops, the King George V at 2225 with 1460, the St. Helier at 2330 with 2,000.
The Côte Argent took 955 men, the Newhaven 396 French, the Tynwald 1,200, the Rouen 1,286; but the Lady of Mann was ordered back for lack of troops and took only 18 French embarked from a small boat.
Amongst the French ships the torpedo-boat Bouclier embarked 340 men and the La Flore 410. The patrol vessel Reine des Flots embarked 500 troops during a violent bombardment" and also reported air attacks (from German strays returning no doubt), en route to England, for which she sailed from
Dunkirk at 2300 on the 2nd. Seventeen French trawlers and motor fishing vessels brought off 1,662 troops and a Belgian patrol boat 229.
Summary of troops evacuated, night 2nd-3rd June
To Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker, who had worked out a programme by which 37,000 men could have been lifted, in addition to those that would get off in small craft, this had been a most disappointing night's work, owing to the long pause when the flow of men to the East Pier ceased for some hours after the British rearguard completed its embarkation, and the difficulty of getting ships berthed owing to the failure of the French to replace the British naval parties after these left Dunkirk. Between midnight on 2nd-3rd and
0300 on the 3rd a lifting capacity of about 10,000 men was left empty.
There were disembarked in England on 3rd June 26,700 troops. Of these,
British ships lifted 21,671, French ships 3,216 and Belgian ships 1,812. The great majority of these, namely 24,830, were embarked in Dunkirk harbour, principally by ships berthed alongside, though a few were ferried to ships waiting outside the port. Most of the remainder were taken out of small craft by ships which were likely to reach England with greater expedition and certainty many of these found in small craft had no doubt come off from the beaches.
109

CHAP. XI
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
quarter of an hour later they all three proceeded, with the Holland last in the line, to carry out their part in blocking the port. As they neared Dunkirk a
"long line of destroyers came out of the harbour. " Astern of them", stated the Holland, there was a gap of over a mile and then a large and fast transport". M.A/S.B. 7 led the Holland through the gap between the destroyer line and the transport. When the latter was 6 cables away, and steaming very fast with the first streaks of dawn behind her, the danger of collision became apparent, SO the Holland sounded one blast and put her wheel hard astarboard.
Lieutenant-Commander E. C. Coats, R.N., captain of the blockship, reported that the transport had then only to alter course 5° to starboard to pass well clear. However, she appeared to alter to port", with the result that she struck the Holland hard on the bridge and just before the boiler room bulkhead. The transport, which did not appear to have sustained much damage, backed out and carried on her way. The Holland had no buoyancy in hand, and, a few seconds before she was struck, her captain ordered abandon ship", seeing that it was inevitable she would be rammed. The bows sunk at once and rested on the bottom, there being apparently only 8 feet of water under her keel;
the stern remained above water. Two seamen were crushed and seriously injured in the collision. M.A/S.B.7 took off the crew and transferred them to the Vivacious. The wreck of the Holland came within an ace of being rammed a second time, for two more ships, reported to be destroyers, passed and missed the Holland's stern by no more than a few feet.
At 0300 the blockship Westcove entered Dunkirk, followed ten minutes later by the Edvard Nissen. Both ships proceeded into the channel leading to the inner harbour. When in her allotted position the Westcove put her wheel hard astarboard to ram the Inner Western Jetty, but her bows struck mud about
50 feet from the pier, with the ship at an angle of about 30° across the channel.
By going full speed ahead on the engines, the athwartship's angle was increased to 50°.
As the Edvard Nissen came in with the intention of ramming the East Pier she endeavoured to strike the Westcove's stern a glancing blow in order to increase her angle to the channel before scuttling herself; but underestimating the strength of the ebb stream she passed close under the Westcove's stern, and rammed the East Pier abreast of the latter. Letting go an anchor, she applied full port helm with all engine power to increase the blocking angle. The
Westcove now fired her scuttling charges, which probably owing to coal gas in the bunkers, caused a large column of flame and smoke to envelop the ship's stern. When this had dissipated, the crew, who had pulled clear in their boat, saw that the Westcove had slid off the sloping bank of the channel and was lying on an even keel in the line of the piers, almost in mid stream, thus causing a minimum of obstruction. Between the sterns of the two ships there was now a gap of 80 feet which was reduced to 50 feet by heaving on a hawser run by the Edvard Nissen's motor boat from the ship's stern to the Westcove. No more could be done and the Edvard Nissen abandoned ship and fired her scuttling charges from the boat. M.A/S.B. 7 took out both ship's crews to the Vivacious.
1 No transport reported being in collision at this time and it has not been possible to identify any of the vessels concerned. The following destroyers and transports sailed from
Dunkirk at the times given destroyers - Vanquisher 0230, Whitshed 2045, Malcolm 0248,
Codrington 0250 and Express 0250; transports Newhaven (French 1,888 tons) 0245,
Tynwald (British 2,376 tons) 0300, Rouen (French, 1,882 tons time not known but ship was in Dunkirk in the early hours of 3rd June), and Côte Argent (French 3,047 tons, time not known but ship landed troops at Dover on 3rd June.)
112

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. XI
The Admiralty had already continued (2312/2) for the undertaken evacuation that ships would be night the evacuation 3rd to 4th on June, this and night. they To this the French agreed. complete on the vided and air protection now urged the French of Admiralty trops pro-
Plan for the night embarkation, the hours of 2230/3 and with such ships for
For this last and night the maximum it was decided effort to was cut to down be made, by one hour the time mained available, between to be made by personnel 0230/4. From the as re-
Pier, liftings were to be sent to the entire vessels, destroyers, and East minesweepers; be ships received, were and it was estimated that length of the pier as paddle as they could Drifters and fast thus be provided and for docks 14,000 of men. the inner harbour. small craft were to go would up to the quays be French ships, for which right latter pier the remaining would also lift ships (minesweepers the other than paddle, the beach, the Quai Félix Faure, British Avant Port (West Pier); from numbers could be estimated, were and the to New responsible for evacuation from Malo no boats. Locust was to remain loads ferried out to her by small vettes and skoots) outside and troops, receive to number of 5,000. The gunboat cor-
It was intended to employ on the work a force of 9 personnel vessels, 9
destroyers (all that were available), 4 paddle minesweepers, 7 fleet minesweepers,
9 drifters, the Locust, 2 corvettes, 4 French torpedo boats, and a number of organised motor boats flotillas including lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover, together with a large number of French and Belgian fishing vessels. Eleven small French ships and 3 small tugs left Cherbourg for Dover on the night
2nd-3rd June; Le Havre was scheduled to send 8 trawlers, 2 minesweepers,
1 tug, and 20 small dinghies; and Fécamp sent 14 trawlers.
During the afternoon of the 3rd the French authorities transmitted the figure of French troops still remaining in Dunkirk. This was about 30,000, a proportion of whom belonged to other than combatant units. The total capacity of the lifting force, if used to the full, was 30,000, but this was about 5,000 more than the facilities within the port would permit of being embarked in 4 hours, even if the French troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all points of embarkation. On previous occasions there had been some instances of difficulty in persuading French troops to embark otherwise than as complete units.
Vice-Admiral Ramsay consequently impressed on the French liaison officers the necessity of speed, and he added a number of French officers and ratings to the augmented pier parties which were despatched to Dunkirk at 2200, in
I The following ships landed troops in England on 4th June (numbers landed in brackets)
British - destroyers Express (611), Malcolm (736), Sabre (592), Shikari (383), Vanquisher
Minesweepers Albury (400), Halcyon (501), Kellett (30), Leda (500), Medway Queen (266), ferred to trawler off Dunkirk on account of collision damage) Gunboat Locust (196)
(414), Venomous (1200), Whitshed (444); Corvettes Guillemot (460), Kingfisher (200, trans-
Princess Elizabeth (329), Queen of Thanet (150), Speedwell (396) Trawler Saturn (418)
Drifters Forecast (123), "L.H.W.D." (90) Skoots Bornrif (96), Hondsrug (308), Pascholl
(255), Ruja (300); Yacht Gulzar (140); Personnel vessels Autocarrier (712), Canterbury
Princess (659), Côte d'Argent (1349), King George V (817), Lady of Mann (1244), Newhaven (729),
(1350), Tynwald (3000); Tugs Racia (123), Sun XV (37) War Dept. M.Ls.
Maud (1270), Royal Sovereign (took the place of Manxman which refused to sail)
Pigeon (23), Swallow (23); Sailing Barge Beatrice Maud (31), Tanga not reach England until 5th and June) launches (260); R.N.L.I. lifeboats Edward Z. Dresden (50), Greater (did London (48); Motor boats
Nayland Bonny Heather (210), Diana Mary (28), Elizabeth Green (10), Meuse (50),
Coliath trawlers (355), 3 patrol vessels (836), 13 trawlers and M.F.Vs. (1416), 1104. Belgian Tug
3 M/S (55), Walker II (76). French 5 Torpedo boats 2 S/M chasers (127),
(183), 5 trawlers (554).
114

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
APPENDIX G
6. D.M.O.' escorted 18 motor to VICE-ADMIRAL, by trawler boats and Asama. 17 DOVER whalers (R) left C.-in-C. Sheerness Nore, for N.O.I.C. Dover
1916/28
7. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to C.-IN-C. NORE (R) Admiralty
Request you will send every available to shallow off draft power boat capable ing stocked from with beaches fuel to and ships, provisions direct for ships 2 days. lying beaches to eastward of of Dunkirk ferry-
2002/28
8. (ADMIRALTY) D.S.V.P. to C.-IN-C. Nore, S.N.O. DOVER, S.N.O. SHEERNESS
to Additional arrive before motor tomorrow boats up night to a 29th. possible 40 are being sent from Thames to Dover
Some boats will come await by lorries arrival direct of to boats. Dover. Runner 12 crews are being sent to ness and 20 but to will Sheerness not proceed to further. crews take boats to Sheer- Dover
2031/28
9. N.C.S.O. THAMES N.O.I.C. to RAMSGATE COMMODORE SHEERNESS, C.-IN-C. NORE, VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER, have charts, food, fuel, they be sent to Sheerness first.
All small craft are being etc. route-ed If not direct complete to beaches will east of Dunkirk provided they
2301/28
Wednesday, 29th May
10. ADMIRALTY to COMMODORE IN CHARGE, SHEERNESS (R) C.-in-C. Nore V.A. Dover.
N.O.I.C. Ramsgate
All motor boats being prepared for service under V.A. Dover are to be sent
Naval-Officer-in-Charge. immediately they are ready to Ramsgate where they will recieve orders from the
0120/29
11. Wolfhound to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
Have you any orders for fleet of motor boats now tied up alongside Wolfhound.
0224/29
Reply
12.
Make utmost endeavour to hasten departure of motor boats to La Panne beach.
0256/29
13. (ADMIRALTY) D.S.V.P. to C's-in-C. PORTSMOUTH, NORE, S.N.O.'s YARMOUTH, NEW-
HAVEN, VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER,
Officers from S.V.P. are proceeding to requisition suitable motor boats reported to S.V.P. under Emergency Statute² and otherwise, for immediate service on coast from Portsmouth to Yarmouth.
In all about 140 are anticipated of which 40 have already been requisitioned in the Thames Estuary for special service and ordered to Dover.
It is requested that boats when collected are placed under control until their crews arrive as follows:
Area I-Lymington to Littlehampton including I.O.W. assembling at Hamble.
Area 2-Littlehampton to Rye, assembling at Newhaven.
Area 3-Brightlingsea to Harwich, assembling at Harwich.
Area 4-Southwold to Gt. Yarmouth, assembling at Yarmouth.
0940/29
2 I This Dynamo Maintenance Officer (Admiral Taylor) at Sheerness.
of Small Craft (Information) Order, 1940. It was issued 718, at the on 16th April 1940, emergency statute was Statutory Order No. dated 10th May, 1940, entitled the Admiral Sir Lionel Preston, request, view of feet probable The in order, requirements briefly, called for small on Director all motor owners of craft. the of Small Vessels Pool, craft Admiralty, between 30 in and 100
Order length, to send particulars of their craft self-propelled to the Admiralty within 14 days. The clearly At the time of the conception way, Order, May however, there was the B.B.C. was published in the press in the usual and on 14th it was broadcast on no question of a possible evacuation from and the issue Continent. of the
166

SIGNALS
APPENDIX G-
14 ADMIRALTY to C.-in-C. Sheerness. PORTSMOUTH, C.-in.-C. NORE (R) V.A. Dover, N.O.I.C. Ramsgate, Cdr. i/c
Investigate as a matter of urgency provision of additional small craft which can be made available within 48 hours from all ports in your command for Operation
Dynamo including X-lighters and other self-propelled lighters. Any available in
Portsmouth Command to be sent to Dover forthwith.² Those in Nore Command to be sent to Ramsgate. V.A. Dover to be kept informed.
All craft are to be provided with charts and if necessary manned by naval crews.
S.T.O.'s have been informed and have full requisitioning powers.
1115/29
15. (ADMIRALTY) D.S.V.P. to C.-in-C. Portsmouth, Nore, Vice-Admiral, Dover (R), N.O.I.C.-
Ramsgate, C.S. Sheerness, S.N.O. Yarmouth, S.N.O. Newhaven.
My 0940/29 and Admiralty 1115/29:
Officers of S.V.P. now in area mentioned have been ordered to co-operate with your organisations.
They are to supply records from S.V.P. of boats available, and to send boats as ordered in Admiralty 1115/29 and not repetition not as in my 0940/29.
1130/30
16. ADMIRALTY to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER (R) C.-in-C. Nore.
20 Thames barges in tow of 5 tugs expected to arrive Ramsgate 1700 today May
29th
It is for consideration that they be used as piers.
1255/29
17. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to Hebe for CAPTAIN BUSH
20 Thames barges in tow are being sent. Can they be usefully used as piers for loading troops at points on the beaches or do you consider they would be more usefully employed for ferrying troops
1456/29
18. C.-in-C. NORE to A/S CHATHAM, COMMODORE IN CHARGE, Sheerness, D.M.O. (R),
N.O.I.C. Ramsgate.
All available X-lighters which can be released without disorganising dockyards are to be sent to Ramsgate forthwith.
1210/29
19. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to C.-in-C. PORTSMOUTH
All small craft should be route-ed direct to Ramsgate and not repeat not to Dover.
1618/29
Thursday, 30th May
20. C.-in-C. PORTSMOUTH to ADMIRALTY, N.O.I.C. Ramsgate, Vice-Admiral, Dover
Small craft for Belgium operations due Ramsgate approximately as follows:
0600 3 fast M/B's.
0700 Dutch Mok I.
0900 2 fast paddle steamers, 1 M/B, 1 Picket boat.
1000 H.M.S. Dwarf, tug Grappler towing lighter and launches, tug Emprise towing launch, and 2 coaling tugs.
1100 3 Hopper barges.
1200 2 picket boats, 1 diesel boat.
1300 2 small cargo carriers, 1 launch, 1 small tug.
1400 1 Dutch M/B and 2 M/B's.
1500 2 I.O.W. car ferries and 2 drifters.
1600 1 small tug towing launch.
1900 5 Hoppers.
2400 2 launches.
All above times are 30th May. No ships are degaussed.
0005/30
21. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to Hebe.
Rear-Admiral [Dover] from 1st Sea Lord.
Report conditions on beaches and whether boats are distributed to best advantage.
1019/30
2 See Appendix G.22.
167

INDEX
Mosquito,44,727, 74, 88 (damaged), 92-3 (sunk).
Motor boats Control sunk Organisation, 5, 25.
93. to salvage pulling boats, 60-61,; follow Capt. Howson to England 74.
Movements 119-120.
M.T.B.67, 66n, 67.
M.T.B.16, 28, 113.
M.T.B.68, 66n, 71, 75.
M.T.B.107, 66n, 111, 119 (in operation CK).
M.T.B.102, 66n, 90, 108, 115.
Naiad Errant, 72n, 92.
Nautilus, sunk, 36, 42, 47.
Nanette II, 72n.
Nelson's, picket boa+, 72n: motor boat, 107n, 119.
Nayland, 32n, 47n, 114n.
Netsukis, 23n, 107n.
Nettle, Lt., 49.
New Britannic, 32n, 47n.
Newhaven, 102, 107n, 109, 112n, 114n.
Newhaven, sends small craft, 61.
New Prince of Wales, damaged, 74.
Ngaroma, 16.
Nicolle, General, 101.
Niger, 61, 86, 100 (meets small craft returning empty), 101, 107n, 109 (rams a French ship).
Noakes, Mr. W. H., killed, 73.
N.O.I.C. Beaches, see Capt. Howson.
Noneta, 71n.
Nord, Admiral. see Abrial, Admiral.
Nore C. in C., 8, 17 (to cover Dynamo); provision of boats, 51; M.T.B.'s, 70.
Normania, sunk, 44.
Ocean Breeze, 60, 71n.
Ocean Cock, 71n.
Ocean Reward, 28n, 34 (sunk).
Olivier, Mr. G. D., 73.
Olvina, 60 (goes to France in error), 91.
O.L.V. van Vlaandaren, 73n, 110 (lost).
Operations: CK Blocking of Dunkirk, 111-2, 119-20; XD (E) Dunkirk demolitions, 8,
19, 106; XD (G) Boulogne demolitions, 8-9.
Oranje, 20, 24, 29n, 47n, 100.
Oriole, 28n, 47 (beached to form pier), 107n.
Osborne, Mr. F. W., 73n.
Osborne, Mr. L. V., 73n.
Ostend, unsuitable for military requirements, 7; captured, 27.
Otway-Riven, Cdr. H. J. O., 49, 80n.
Our Bairns, 34.
Overfalls, 71n.
Pacific, 30n.
Pacifico, 119-120.
Pangbourne, 28n, 41 (damaged), 42, 97, 107n, 120.
Paris, 29n, 103-4 (sunk).
Parminster, Brigadier, 22.
Pascholl, 30n, 114n, 115-7.
Patria, 20n, 24, 29n, 46.
Patricia, 20.
Patrols: air, see Royal Air Force; Naval of the routes, 20, 23, 28, 33-34 (ships taken off),
34 (strengthened), 85 (inshore channel).
Pauleter, 60n.
Paxton, 23n, 31 (damaged).
Pellag II, sunk, 95.
Persia, 71n, 90.
Personnel vessels: vulnerability, 28; not to be employed in daylight, 29, 99; strain
Pharailde, 73n.
on, 48; sailings suspended, 70; heavy losses, 98-9.
203