TNA ADM 234 360

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. IV
round trip from 80 to 172 miles, and the for route the had to be swept before it and thence into the Dunkirk Impulsive, the THE
be used. Orders were therefore given the North Goodwin route (the middle Route X), from road, and at 1140
commenced by the destroyer Vessel Patricia. This advantage of shortening the round trip to 108 miles.
Halcyon, and the Trinity House from 172 route X had the great and
Helier¹ and Royal Daffodil, which left at 1054 under escort of the des- St.
Among the earliest ships to use the Dover northern Route Y were the P/V's
The convoy was joined en route by the hospital carriers St. Andrew and St.
troyer Vimy; in company was the destroyer Anthony, escorting the S.S. Kyno.2
Julien. Route Y was certainly, at that time, out of range of gunfire, but two bombing attacks were made on the hospital carriers between the West Hinder and Kwint Bank buoys, and when the convoy arrived off Dunkirk heavy air attacks were in progress there. The Royal Daffodil and the St. Helier entered the harbour, but the latter was ordered to withdraw, and she and the 2 hospital carriers returned empty to the Downs under escort of the Vimy. The Royal
Daffodil embarked 840 troops before returning to Dover.
Sea and Air Patrols
The principal patrol line covered in the morning of the 27th May by Fighter
Command, was Calais-Dunkirk, as it was not known that the Calais garrison had ceased fire. From 1450 onwards, however, Calais fell out of the picture, and it became possible to concentrate fighter protection more exclusively on the work of evacuation³. Sixteen squadrons, varying in strength from 9 to 20
aircraft, were engaged on these activities from 0500-2130; patrols were, however, limited to squadron strength. Most squadrons carried out 2 patrols, and 287 sorties in all were flown during the day.4
To cover the passage of ships between Dunkirk and the Downs destroyer patrols had been established to the northward during the forenoon, and Vice-
Admiral, Dover, asked for 6 additional destroyers to strengthen the Dover forces. The Admiralty immediately ordered 4 destroyers from the Western
Approaches Command, and 2 from the Portsmouth Command, to proceed to Dover.⁵
Ex-Dutch skoots for Dunkirk
Other vessels were on their way to Dunkirk during the day, among them being 15 skoots⁶. Of these the Lena, Hebe II, and later the Oranje, arrived off the beaches and embarked troops during the night of 27th/28th May the
Abel Tasman, Alice and Kaap Falga, loaded with ammunition and food, arrived off La Panne early in the morning of 28th May; the Hilda and Doggersbank reached Dunkirk by noon the 28th May, and were sent to the beaches;
while the remainder⁷, in error, returned to the Downs, after having got within a few miles of Dunkirk.
2 Off R buoy the Anthony, with the Kyno, was ordered back to the Downs and sub-
I Eleven of the St. Helier's crew had been replaced by naval ratings.
sequently 3 to Portsmouth. The Kyno took no further part in Operation "Dynamo".
R.A.F. Narrative, p. 319.
5 4 R.A.F. Narrative, P. 320.
Scimitar were sent.
Appendices D. 1 and D. 2. The Wakeful, Mackay, Worcester, Montrose, Shikari and
6 7 See Appendix F.
The Bornrif, Brandaris, Hondsrug, Jutland, Patria, Tilly, and Twente.
20

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. IV
from the St. Seiriol and Queen of the Channel, in addition to the drifters'
beaches during the night dinghies, enabled these drifters of the to 27th/28th lift some May. 2,000 troops from Malo and Bray own
Results of S.N.O. Dunkirk's 2005/27
assembling off the beaches on 1 cruiser, 27th/28th May the Wolfhound,
As a result of the action taken the on night S.N.O. of Dunkirk's signals, there
3 Channel skoots and (the the Lena, St. Hebe Seiriol). other II and All small Oranje) these ships boats, were ordered to use Queen of thers, their own
Wolsey and 6 other destroyers¹, a pulling boats, were yet available.
boats for ferrying, as no power cutters, whalers or other
S.N.O. Dunkirk's signals had therefore a big result; but owing to the difficulty of passing orders at night in a shattered harbour his decision to divert vessels to the beaches had unforeseen repercussions, and it was associated with a false report that Dunkirk had fallen, and the failure of one personnel vessel and 7 skoots to reach the beaches that night. The circumstances are described below.
The P/V Canterbury, which had entered Dunkirk harbour at 2000, left at
2058 with 457 troops, including 140 stretcher cases. Before leaving, she was ordered by the Sea Transport Officer to turn back ships attempting to enter Dunkirk the order, evidently intended to divert ships to the beaches, was misunderstood. In the Dunkirk road, the Canterbury passed the order to the P/V Maid of Orleans and to the H/C's Isle of Thanet and Worthing, and those vessels thereupon turned back to Dover. Later the order became definitely garbled, for the skoot Tilly (which was in company with the 4 skoots
Hondsrug, Jutland, Patria and Brandaris) met the Canterbury (in company with the 2 hospital carriers) 8 or 9 miles from Dunkirk, and received from her the signal "Dunkirk is in enemy hands. Keep clear." This signal was variously recorded by some of the other skoots, as Dunkirk has fallen. Return"; and all five of them, as well as the skoots Bornrif and Twente, did in fact return to the Downs, although the Jutland and the Patria first closed
Nieuport Bank buoy in an unsuccessful endeavour to obtain more definite information. Some of the skoots, in turn, promulgated this false report to other ships, notably to the P/V Dorrien Rose; this ship, which received the signal, unsafe to approach Dunkirk," did at first alter course to the northward, but, shortly after, again set course for Dunkirk. It was subsequently thought by some of the vessels concerned that the false information had been passed by fifth columnists," though there is very little proof of this.³
Chronic shortage' of beaching boats
Such was the beginning of the great build-up of ships4 and of the inauguration of beach evacuation. The successful development of the latter was necessarily good in into I the The of northern situation the dependent chronic having sector shortage changed on between the by continuation the south-west of beaching and of boats⁵. fine north-east weather, A wind would and and of any Wakeful the have strength making made went from Dunkirk. The Windsor remained time they arrived, Anthony the Gallant had not yet returned
2 Portsmouth whither she had escorted on the patrol. S.S. Kyno. The
Canterbury's report.
4 3 See Appendices H.30 and H.32.
5 Appendices D, E and F.
D.R. page 3, para. 11.
24

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

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. VI
and machine gun platforms, a bulkhead wrecking was dished, them was severely shaken, and 13 killed, wounded; of the passengers, and orders killed and 2 men the ship's company, 3 officers 2 officers men and were 10 men were and 18
wounded. Then a fire broke out, further dive bomb were given to flood and burn the signal books. A anchored. attack took bombs fell wide. The Bideford and the tug St. Clears The in tow; she was,
The M/S Kellett came endeavoured alongside the to take Bideford, the Bideford and took off about 300 troops, in tow, but again the tow parted.
ever, fast aground, and the tow parted. dr. Havant then tried to take how-' her
Bideford towed to Dover embarked in the Bideford. from La Panne dawn, gunboat Locust, carrying 620
During the night of 29th-30th Near May, 350 the French and 50 British troops and at daylight she less than 21/2 knots course was set for
British and French troops floated - in tow. At beach, passed a tow to the Bideford,
Dover; en route, during the first 3 miles, the tow parted 3 times. Throughout the 30th May the Locust struggled on with her burden. During the night
French soldier jumped overboard, fully equipped. The tow was stopped, a buoy was dropped and a boat lowered; but, in spite of good visibility and a calm sea, the unknown soldier was not recovered although a search was made a at 1130 on the 31st May and disembarked 436 troops.
for 30 minutes. In spite of the tow again parting, the Bideford reached Dover
The momentous issues at stake in Operation "Dynamo" were not to be attained without grievous losses, but the Bideford's heroic voyage to safety marked a momentary respite from the rapidly mounting toll of lives and ships.
Twelve hundred troops wade out to a skoot
At about 2300 on the 29th May the skoot Patria arrived off Bray from Rams-
The Captain of the Patria, who decided to ground his ship, records that "The gate and, in the glow of the still burning Crested Eagle, saw troops on the beach.
troops, holding hands, waded out and clambered on board by nets, ladders and ropes' ends. The sight of two solid phalanxes of men, delineated by phosphorescence in the water and steadily advancing to the ship, will be memorable them Over 1,000 men were embarked in just over two hours." Among
Crested Eagle and the Fenella.
were naval ratings - casualties with severe burns from the Grenade, the
Dover unaware of losses filtered heavy Lord Lord to Little Earlier Dover, Gort bombardment Gort through information in and and the and at the day to 3rd 0127 Dover, 3rd of other and Corps the Corps the that important except disastrous Vice-Admiral, destroyers at La that information losses Panne it there was Dover, of known the were had, afternoon informed being that however, hit Dunkirk the and soon come Calcutta early after was through evening 1600. under that effort the beach was and to be embark made to the concentrate force. of the B.E.F. destroyers were and at La light Panne, craft and at that that end every of
I D.R.
46

SIGNALS
APPENDIX G
7. It is a matter of great importance that these ships should be got ready as.
soon as possible.
Brabant1
Bart
8. Twente
Tilly
Antje
Hondsrug
Brandaris
Reiger
Delta
Lena
Princess Juliana
Borneo¹
Caribia
Oranje
Liberty
Vrede
Gorecht
Bernina
Fiducia'
Rika
Limburg'
Patria
Junior
Bornrif
Amstelroom
Deneb
Martha
Express
Mercurius¹
Aegiv
Jutland
1704/22
F.3. ADMIRALTY to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER, C.-IN-C. NORE, C.-IN-C. PORTSMOUTH, (R)
F.O.I.C. London, F.O.I.C. Southampton, F.O.I.C. Portland
Admiralty 1703/22 and 1704/22 to certain addressees only. The operation for which these ships are being prepared will be known as Dynamo.
1944/22
APPENDIX G
SIGNALS RE LACK OF SMALL CRAFT
Sunday, 26th May
1. ADMIRALTY to A/S CHATHAM, A/S PORTSMOUTH, (R) C.-IN-C. Nore, C.-in-C. Portsmouth,
V.A. Dover
Investigate and report how many cutters and whalers can be made available for immediate service under V.A. Dover.
2028/26
2. ADMIRALTY to C.-IN-C. PORTSMOUTH, VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER (R) Combrax Portsmouth,
Commandant 1st D.C. Fort Cumberland
8 A.L.C's. with crews complete are available and will be embarked in S.S. Clan
Macalister at Southampton a.m. 27th May.
2337/26
Monday, 27th May
3. (ADMIRALTY) D.S.V.P. to COMMODORE, SHEERNESS (R) C.-in-C. Nore V.A. Dover
About 40 motor launches have been ordered to Sheerness of which 30 should arrive at daylight tomorrow Tuesday. The rest during the day. These will be manned on arrival at Sheerness
Request you will inform V.A. Dover when boats are ready for service.
2035/27
Tuesday, 28th May
Note: [At 0436. S.N.O. Dunkirk asked for all vessels to be sent alongside east pier.]
4. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to S.N.O. DUNKIRK (R) Fighter Command
Further destroyers and small craft are being sent now to Dunkirk.
0630/28
SIGNALS RE BUILD-UP OF SMALL CRAFT
5. N.O.I.C. RAMSGATE to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
1st Mine Recovery Flotilla vessels Lord Cavan, Fidget, Jacketa, Silver Dawn and Fisher Buoy. Tug Java. Drifters Lord Collingwood, Lord Rodney, Lord Keith,
Lord St. Vincent. Motor boats New Britannic, Walker I, Walker II, Angler, Nayland, sailed Ramsgate for Dunkirk.
1550/28
I Was not available.
165

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