TNA ADM 234 360

CHAP. VI
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
straddled by bombs for and 35 minutes), the seeing burning that Grenade traffic all along the east proceeded out of harbour, out of a into drifter in the Calvi, had ceased, cast off, skirting grounding slightly on sunk and the sunken pier
The troops now of began the Piermaster climbing Cdr. J. one C. Clouston, ship restored the instructions order.
having arrangements of his in the clear of the fairway,', R.N.,
At 1815 made the Grenade was abandoned with the Piermaster and her Captain, to tow her Cdr. R. C. Boyle, embarked with some ship's company Crested Eagle.
Polly Johnson sunk to the five remaining her Oropesa and the John Cattling was instructed on
The burning wreck of the Grenade trawlers. did, The in fact, commence to drift down attempt vivors to pull clear, out of the remaining harbour 4 trawlers, with troops and to on board, proceeded towards the beaches. A surlater, of the near Nieuport caused Bank buoy, miss the in Polly Johnson, leaking badly as a result little engine, was abandoned; Arley embarked her crew and troops and sank damage by a the near the first air attack, and with damaged her by gunfire.
Grenade blown up
She burned fiercely for some hours and then blew up.
The Grenade was guided into a pocket to the westward of the main channel.
Crested Eagle blazing, is beached swung clear of the east pier and proceeded on an easterly course. Shortly
Meanwhile, when the Verity left the harbour at 1755, the Crested Eagle afterwards, she however, she was hit by 4 bombs and caught fire; out of control, about she might transfer her troops; but the Crested Eagle could not stop. At that continued under way. The Verity instructed the Crested Eagle to stop so in Eagle ran aground west of Bray beach. The 200 survivors, who could be seen
1830, blazing fiercely fore and aft (she was a wooden ship) the Crested to the the water, were heavily machine-gunned from the air, and the ships that came rescue were bombed. Some of the survivors, several with severe burns,
Captain and other survivors of the Grenade, by the minesweeper Albury.
were picked up by the minesweepers Hebe and Lydd; others, including the
Among those picked up by the Sabre was the Second Engineer of the Crested
Eagle and a stoker from the Grenade.
Normania sunk gunboat Ross took Mosquito, but then began to sink. The Mosquito and the minesweeper by by a bomb off 11 W buoy. She was towed clear of Dunkirk channel was the
In the course of this third air attack the personnel vessel Normania hit sank off off the crew and the few troops that on board. The Normania
11 W buoy at about 0245 the following were day.
Saladin and attacks The 2000. fourth off severely Ships Bray air attack, returning beach damaged, which to was England Lorina widespread, sunk were bombed. took place There between were about continuous 1830
was so company there were attacked; the destroyers attacked Sabre, 10 times,
Saladin in and its vicinity; the Verity and severely damaged in the engine room by Saladin, a near miss that she had to
44

WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
Ships lost or damaged on 29th May
H.M. SHIPS SUNK
The destroyers Wakeful, Grafton and Grenade.
The armed boarding vessel King Orrry
The Special Service Vessel Crested Eagle.
The Paddle Minesweepers Waverley and Gracie Fields.¹
The Personnel Vessels Normania,1 Lorina, Fenella and Mona's Queen.
The trawlers Polly Johnson and Calvi.
The danlayers Comfort and Nautilus.
The drifter Girl Pamela².
H.M. SHIPS DAMAGED AND PUT OUT OF ACTION.
The destroyers Saladin, Greyhound, Intrepid, Montrose, Mackay, Gallant and Jaguar.
The sloop Bideford.
The minesweeper Pangbourne (required dockyard repairs).
The personnel vessel Canterbury.
The hospital carrier Isle of Guernsey.
OTHER VESSELS
SUNK A.L.C.16, the S.S. Clan Macalister (6,900 tons), the M/B's Minikoi,
Viewfinder, Bobeli, Hanora, Sceneshifter and Queen of England.
DAMAGED AND PUT OUT OF ACTION The tug Sun V.
Destroyers of the "H," "I" and "J" Classes withdrawn
As a result of the heavy casualties and losses amongst the destroyer force, particularly the misfortunes which befell those of the larger and more modern types, a consultation was held between the Admiralty and the Vice-Admiral,
Dover, on 29th May, which led to a decision to withdraw the 7 destroyers of the "H", "I" and "J" Classes from "Dynamo"3; they were the only modern destroyers remaining with Vice-Admiral, Dover. All destroyers of the "G" class⁴ were already out of action.
There remained available for "Dynamo" 15 destroyers::-
Esk
Malcolm
Verity
Express
Whitehall
Vanquisher
Anthony
Winchelsea
Sabre
Keith
Worcester
Scimitar
Codrington
Windsor
Shikari
Excluding any casualties, this number of destroyers might be expected to maintain a flow of one destroyer per hour to the coast and would lift 17,000
troops in 24 hours⁵. It is noteworthy that in spite of their unsuitability for the work of troop carrying, the 39 destroyers so employed in Dynamo"
brought off more troops-96,000-than any other type of ship (see Table 1).
The 45 personnel vessels brought off 87,000; the 36 minesweepers 46,000;
the 39 skoots 22,000; and among the smaller vessels, the 51 drifters brought off 12,000.
I Actually sank on 30th May, as a result of damage received on 29th May.
2 In collision with the Lydd off Dunkirk harbour on the night of 28th/29th May.
3 The Icarus, Impulsive, Intrepid, Ivanhoe, Harvester, Havant and Javelin.
4 The Gallant, Grafton, Grenade and Greyhound.
5 D.R. p.11, para. 37.
55

WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
Ships lost or damaged on 29th May
H.M. SHIPS SUNK
The destroyers Wakeful, Grafton and Grenade.
The armed boarding vessel King Orrry
The Special Service Vessel Crested Eagle.
The Paddle Minesweepers Waverley and Gracie Fields.¹
The Personnel Vessels Normania,1 Lorina, Fenella and Mona's Queen.
The trawlers Polly Johnson and Calvi.
The danlayers Comfort and Nautilus.
The drifter Girl Pamela².
H.M. SHIPS DAMAGED AND PUT OUT OF ACTION.
The destroyers Saladin, Greyhound, Intrepid, Montrose, Mackay, Gallant and Jaguar.
The sloop Bideford.
The minesweeper Pangbourne (required dockyard repairs).
The personnel vessel Canterbury.
The hospital carrier Isle of Guernsey.
OTHER VESSELS
SUNK A.L.C.16, the S.S. Clan Macalister (6,900 tons), the M/B's Minikoi,
Viewfinder, Bobeli, Hanora, Sceneshifter and Queen of England.
DAMAGED AND PUT OUT OF ACTION The tug Sun V.
Destroyers of the "H," "I" and "J" Classes withdrawn
As a result of the heavy casualties and losses amongst the destroyer force, particularly the misfortunes which befell those of the larger and more modern types, a consultation was held between the Admiralty and the Vice-Admiral,
Dover, on 29th May, which led to a decision to withdraw the 7 destroyers of the "H", "I" and "J" Classes from "Dynamo"3; they were the only modern destroyers remaining with Vice-Admiral, Dover. All destroyers of the "G" class4 were already out of action.
There remained available for "Dynamo" 15 destroyers:-
Esk
Malcolm
Verity
Express
Whitehall
Vanquisher
Anthony
Winchelsea
Sabre
Keith
Worcester
Scimitar
Codrington
Windsor
Shikari
Excluding any casualties, this number of destroyers might be expected to maintain a flow of one destroyer per hour to the coast and would lift 17,000
troops in 24 hours⁵. It is noteworthy that in spite of their unsuitability for the work of troop carrying, the 39 destroyers so employed in ' Dynamo "
brought off more troops-96,000-than any other type of ship (see Table 1).
The 45 personnel vessels brought off 87,000; the 36 minesweepers 46,000;
the 39 skoots 22,000; and among the smaller vessels, the 51 drifters brought off 12,000.
I Actually sank on 30th May, as a result of damage received on 29th May.
2 In collision with the Lydd off Dunkirk harbour on the night of 28th/29th May.
3 The Icarus, Impulsive, Intrepid, Ivanhoe, Harvester, Havant and Javelin.
4 The Gallant, Grafton, Grenade and Greyhound.
5 D.R. p.11, para. 37.
55

APPENDIX B
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
Part V. List of Dutch Ships.
TRANSPORTED
Demok I (yacht)
M.74 (motor boat)
(Lt. Cdr. H.G. Boys-Smith, R.N.R. from Kestrel 1st June)
214
(L/Sea. R. W. Legg, Coxswain)
Part VI. List of Norwegian Ships.
S.S. Hird
(Capt. A. M. Fredhjem)
3,500
APPENDIX B
NAMED SHIPS AND VESSELS LOST AND DAMAGED DURING
OPERATION "DYNAMO "
(Dates in brackets)
Note: Large numbers of unnamed boats were also lost and damaged.
Part I. Ships and vessels lost
BY AIR ATTACK
DESTROYERS
GUNBOAT
Basilisk (1/6)
A.B./V.
Mosquito (1/6)
Grenade (29/5)
King Orry (30/5)
Havant (1/6)
Keith (1/6)
MINESWEEPERS
TRAWLERS
Brighton Queen (1/6)
DRIFTERS
Devonia (31/5)
Calvi (29/5)
Nautilus (29/5)
Boy Roy (27/5)
Gracie Fields (30/5)
Paxton (27/5)
Skipjack (1/6)
Polly Johnson (29/5)
Waverley (29/5)
PERSONNEL VESSELS
Clan Macalister (29/5)
HOSPITAL CARRIER
SEAPLANE TENDER
Crested Eagle (sp. S/V) (29/5)
Paris (3/6)
S.T. 243 (2/6)
Fenella (29/5)
Lorina (29/5)
Normania (29/5)
Queen of the Channel (28/5)
Scotia (1/6)
MOTOR LIGHTERS
X.149 (31/5)
LANDING CRAFT
TUGS
X.213 (31/5)
A.L.C. 16 (29/5)
St. Abbs (1/6)
St. Fagan (1/6)
BARGES
Lady Rosebery (1/6)
SMALL CRAFT
Doris (1/6)
Commodore (31/5)
Mirasol (1)
Southern Queen (P.L.17) (1)
DESTROYERS
BY TORPEDOES (E-BOATS)
Grafton (29/5)
TRAWLERS
Wakeful (29/5)
Argyllshire (1/6)
Stella Dorado (1/6)
I Date not known.
158

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