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.

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3 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 48–227 of this collection

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CHAP. V
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
an after air she attack, had been and she refloated, was abandoned. up as a result of morning, was put aground her engines seized a hours others¹ were off La Panne to facilitate beach. The unloading; Alice which few arrived in
N.O.I.C. Margate Ramsgate. and Ramsgate beaches, servicing was performed by
At this stage began the and running the of a continuous whose service of skoots between
Evacuation plan for the night 28th-29th May
The full significance of this rapidly growing armada of ships became in the numbers of troops lifted the following day. By midday on apparent the 28th
May, approximately 12,000 troops had been transported since the commenceabout 5,000 were embarking in 5 destroyers. Nine more destroyers were ment of Operation Dynamo" about 1,000 were en route to the U.K., and the way to Dunkirk, and a total force of 16 destroyers would be maintaining on a continuous ferry service during the day.
The plan for the night of 28th/29th May, was to sail all available ships, small craft and boats, so as to develop the maximum effort at 2200. The details of the plan were signalled by V.A. Dover to S.N.O. Dunkirk at 1555. Briefly,
3 hospital carriers, 7 personnel vessels and 2 destroyers were to embark troops at the east pier Dunkirk; while some 20 destroyers, 19 paddle and fleet sweepers, 17 drifters, 20 to 40 skoots, 5 coasters, 12 motor boats, 2 tugs, 28
pulling cutters and lifeboats, were to work along the 10 mile stretch of beach from Dunkirk to La Panne.
Fighter Command patrols strengthened
Meanwhile, at Dunkirk, conditions had proved easier during the day enemy air activity over the port was restricted, probably by the heavy pall of smoke from the burning town, and increased fighter activity was keeping the enemy in check2. Fighter Command patrols were strengthened from an average of one squadron to an average of 2 squadrons, and Coastal Command maintained a continuous daylight patrol (usually of 3 aircraft at a time) on the line North
Goodwins - Gravelines - Ostend. About 320 sorties were flown on Continental patrols during the day, and severe losses were inflicted on the enemy. Nineteen
Me. fighters.³ 109's and 4 bombers were definitely destroyed for a loss of 13 British
Windsor damaged
At 1000 some 40 Me. 109's were engaged by our fighters, and at 1040 they encountered the At South 1145 destroyer the a destroyer Anthony German observed Windsor, force of 40 nearly which to 50 was 150 planes bombers on in patrol, aerial and was combat fighters3. attacked over Dunkirk. At near 1125, the she casualties. suffered considerable damage from near misses and m.g. fire and had 30
Goodwin Light Vessel by 15 dive-bombers supported by 10 fighters
2 I The Reiger, Pacific and Pascholl.
Appendix L.3.
3 R.A.F. Narrative, p. 323.
30

Alice Anthony Gravelines Pacific Pascholl Reiger Windsor Day Dover Few Light May

162

OCR table 1 from document page 162
SKOOTS (contd.)	TROOPS TRANSPORTED
Doggersbank (London) (Lieut. D. T. McBarnet, R.N.)	800
Fredanja (Poole) (Lt. Cdr. K. W. Stewart, R.N. (Retd.)	850
Frisco (Poole)	1,002
Gorecht (London) (S/Lt. D. M. Edwards, R.N.R.)	47
Hebe II (Poole) (Lt. Cdr. J. B. G. Temple, R.N.)	515
Hilda (London) (Lieut. A. Gray, R.N.)	835
Hondsrug (London) (Lieut. F.T. Renny, R.N.R.)	1,453
Horst¹ (Poole) (Lt. Cdr. G.E. Fardell, R.N.) (Lt. T. E. Sargent, R.N.R.)	1,150
Jaba (Poole)	469
Jutland (London) (Lieut. G. L. Barwell, R.N. (Retd.) ) (Relieved, 30 May, re-assumed command 31st May) (Lt. Cdr. W. R. T. Clements, R.N.R.) (30th-31st May)	505
Kaap Falga (Poole) (Lieut. C.E.S. B. St. G. Beal, R.N.) (Lieut. H.F. Wykeham-Martin, R.N., 28/5/40)	5
Lena (London) (Lt. Cdr. R. P.C. Hawkins, R.N. (Retd.) )	996
Oranje (London) (Lieut. H.T. Crispin, R.N.)	605
Pacific (Poole) (Lt. Cdr. C.J. Skrine, R.N.)	945
Pascholl (Poole) (Lieut. T. Johnston, R.N.) (Relieved and appointed i/c Portsdown) (Lieut. J.N. Wise, R.N.V.R.) (Cdr. C.E. Hammond, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N.) (Retd.) (i/c Group)	695
Patria (London) (Lt. Cdr. N.L. J. Pisani, D.S.C., R.N. (Retd.) )	1,400
Reiger (London) (Lieut. A. Tyson, R.N.)	592
Rian (Poole)	257
(Lt. Cdr. J.I. Miller, D.S.O. R.N. (Reported)2 Rika (London) (Lt. Cdr. J.J. Youngs, R.N.R.)	495
Ruja (Poole) (Lt. H. R. Webber, R.N.)	300
San Antonio (Poole) (Lt. Cdr. G. V. Legassick, R.N.R.)	484
Sursum-Corda (Poole) (Lieut. C.L. G. Philpotts, R.N.)	370
Tilly (London) (Lt. Cdr. C.M. Ramus, (Lt. Cdr. W. R. T. Clements, R.N.R.)	602
Tiny (Poole) R.N.R.) (Lt. Cdr. J.M. D.	261
Twente (London) Hunter, R.N.) (Lt. Martin, R.N.) (Lt. Cdr. H. G.	1,139
Vrede (London) Boys-Smith, R.N.R. to 30th May) (Lt. A. W. McMullen (Lt. Cdr. R. T.	R.N.R.) 473
Zeus (Poole) Lampard, R.N.) (Lt. Cdr. C. B. Hoggan, R.D., R.N.R.)	601
Total	22,698

Beal Doggersbank Fredanja Frisco Gorecht Hebe Hebe II Hilda Hondsrug Jaba Jutland Lena London Oranje Pacific Pascholl Patria Portsdown PS Portsdown Reiger Rian Rika Ruja San Antonio Tilly Tiny Twente Vrede Zeus Barwell Beal Boys-Smith Clements Crispin Edwards Fardell Gray Hammond Hawkins Hoggan Hunter Johnston Lampard Legassick Martin May McBarnet McMullen Miller Philpotts Pisani Poole Renny Sargent Skrine Smith Stewart Temple Tyson Webber Wise Wykeham-Martin Youngs

227

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

Boat Britannic England Mosquito Naiad Errant Nanette II Nautilus Nayland Netsukis New Britannic New Prince of Wales Newhaven Ngaroma Noneta Normania Olvina Oranje Our Bairns Pacific Pacifico Pangbourne Paris Pascholl Patria Patricia Pauleter Paxton Pellag II Persia Prince Prince of Wales Goes Howson Noakes Olivier Osborne Prince Wales