TNA ADM 234 360

THE WEEK BEFORE OPERATION "DYNAMO"
CHAP. II
the whole day, might at any time become impossible to close; were this to happen, my last hope of reaching the coast would be gone".'
In order to secure the British northern flank Lord Gort decided to issue orders for the occupation, as quickly as troops could be made available, of the line of the Ypres - Comines canal and the positions covering Ypres. In the absence of General Blanchard, who was visiting the Belgian G.Q.G. at Bruges,
Lord Gort communicated this decision that evening to the Headquarters of the French First Group of Armies.¹
The necessity of evacuation was becoming a matter of paramount immediacy.
British destroyers bombard suburb of Calais
Meanwhile, on the 25th May, the trawler Lord Howe sailed to Calais with a cargo of ammunition². She entered the port and discharged part of her cargo in the face of heavy enemy fire from the dunes to the southward. In view of the risk involved, Commodore W. P. Gandell, R.N. (P.S.T.O., French Ports), who was on the quay, then ordered the Lord Howe to sail.
Outside Calais the destroyer Greyhound closed the Lord Howe, which was carrying a request for bombardment support of the town. At the same time, the Greyhound received a signal from the Vice-Admiral, Dover, ordering the bombardment of the Calais suburb of St. Pierre. The Greyhound opened fire, and at 2000, an H.A. battery east of Sangatte registered a hit on her, killing
2 and wounding 3. About this time the destroyer Grafton arrived and also opened fire. The 2 destroyers returned to Dover as darkness set in.³
Evacuation of Calais countermanded
At 2130 a force of seven trawlers⁴, three yachts⁵ and two drifters⁶, sailed for
Calais road, ready to evacuate troops from Calais, the moment an order was received to do so. Five of the trawlers towed motor boats. Commander
W. V. H. Harris, R.N. (Commander M/S, Dover), in the Grey Mist, was in command. The destroyers Windsor and Verity left Dover at 2300, to cover the withdrawal of this force.
On arrival off Calais, two of the motor boats were ordered into Calais harbour.
At about 0300/26, a signal was received that Calais was to be held at all costs;
furthermore, it was ordered that this signal was to be sent by hand to the
Brigadier commanding on shore. The Conidaw went in to deliver the signal.
All ships were then ordered back to the Downs, but the Botanic and Maretta remained behind until the two motor boats and the Conidaw returned.⁷
The Botanic and Maretta were damaged by gunfire when returning on the
26th May, and were unable to take part in Operation "Dynamo".
I Lord Gort's Second Despatch, para. 43.
2 Lieut. L. C. Whittle, R.N.R., in the Lord Howe, says it was the 24th May.
3 Vice-Admiral, Dover's 1907/25/5.
4 The Botanic, Fyldea, Maretta, Arley, Polly Johnson, Brock and Calvi.
6 The Grey Mist, Conidaw and Chico.
5 The Playmates and Willing Boys.
7 Report by Commander M/S, Dover (R.O. II, p. 497).
13

FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
Later on 2nd June, on instructions from the N.O.I.C., the original crew took charge of the Marsayru, but she did not, apparently, make a second trip to Dunkirk. Her skipper (G. D. Olivier) received the D.S.M. for his services, and her engineer (C. Coggins) a mention in despatches.
The Cockle Bawley boats
Of the small craft that went over on this day, Admiral Ramsay speaks in the following terms of the Cockle Bawley boats²:
"The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all volunteers who were rushed over to Dunkirk in one day, probably none of them had been under gunfire before and certainly none of them under Naval discipline.
These boats were Thames estuary fishing boats which never left the estuary, and only one of their crews had been further afield than Ramsgate before. In spite of this fact perfect formation was maintained throughout the day and night under the control of a Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.³ in command of the Unit, and all orders were carried out with great diligence even under actual shell fire and aircraft attack."
One of these cockle boats, the Renown, was blown up by a mine while returning to England disabled and in tow of the drifter Ben and Lucy. Her skipper,
W. H. Noakes, and his crew⁴ were killed. The Ben and Lucy had been towing the drifter Feasible (disabled by a shell hit), 3 life-boats and the cockle boat
Letitia. At 0115 on the 1st June the Renown, by then disabled, attached herself to this tow, but an hour later she was blown to pieces and a hail of wood and splinters came down on the Letitia's deck. The Letitia's skipper (A. J.
Dench) says, In the pitch dark we could see nothing, and after the explosion we hard nothing and we could do nothing, except pull in the tow rope, which was just as we passed it to the Renown about 3 hour before.
French and Belgian ships arrive
Early on the 31st it became known that the Belgian Government were anxious that several small Belgian fishing craft lying at Brixham should take part in the evacuation and steps were taken to arrange this.
At 1335 the French destroyer Léopard routed from the Downs to Dunkirk two French trawlers5, three French motor fishing vessels⁶, and ten Belgian trawlers⁷.
The Belgian trawlers were under the orders of Pilote Malet; the remainder of the ships under Lieutenant de vaisseau Drogou.
Other Allied ships that sailed for Dunkirk on this day were the French cargo ships Ingénieur Cachin and Margaux, the trawlers Pierre et Marie, Emma and
Duperre, and the patrol vessel Diligente; the Belgian trawlers Lydie Suzanne and Yvonne, and the drifters Gerard-Léon (H.64), Anne Marie and Thérèse
Compas. On her return journey the Pierre et Marie picked up 3 English sailors from a drifting motor boat.
I The Marsayru's skipper says that throughout 31st May, and the days and nights that followed (its all a complete jumble in my mind) we were under constant fire but the ship was not hit by anything." It seems, however, that Mr. Olivier was only in the evacuation for 5 hours, i.e. from 1600 to 2100, 31st May.
2 Defender, Endeavour, Letitia, Reliance, Renown and Resolute.
3 S/Lt. M. H. B. Solomon, R.N.V.R.
4 L. V. Osborne, Mate, and F. W. Osborne, Engineer.
5 Chasse-Marée and Angèle Marie.
6 Margaux (D.692), Jeune France (Di.1213) and Du Guesclin (D.G.910).
7 Indépendence (0.308), Victor-Erna (H.63), Louise-Irène (H.80), Pharailde (H.42)
Raphael-Raymonde (H.43), O.L.V. Van Vlaandeven (N.49), John (O.210) Anna Marguerite
(Z.2), Buffalo Bill (Z.4) and the M.41.
73

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. VHI
Isabelle The French carrying trawlers food, also Marie went hit and to and Dunkirk. Pierre exploded carrying While and unloading munitions, under and shell the Ste.
was the Pierre's still on fire munitions when her were consorts left Dunkirk at 1100. the ship caught fire. She fire
Captain Howson returns to Dover about 1930 some 30 others bombed the and
Meanwhile the having enemy been made made the last at 1415-1500 of his three major air of the other two bombers escorted by fighters small went on craft². to bomb Dunkirk, and likely to up the 'rough treatment", Captain Howson decided unalso through stand the stern to further glands. Being opinion that the would be received some damage of making
The yacht Ankh, which from a Captain near miss Howson and started was using as his headquarters, some to Rear-Admiral seaward, failing light Captain Howson was then return 2 to Dover, 3 miles ordering to in yacht the Amulree to keep company. Being to to signal to closed the Wake-Walker in the Keith. The yachts Eilla unable II
Caryandra the latter that Ankh the former reported that she was short of fuel and in she was damaged and short of lubricating oil, so they returned and company with the Ankh to Dover.
reduced to of the Vivacious from the beach) found that her tiller wire by
It tow was the at boats about this time, 2000, that the yacht Glagla (which was standing shelling R.N. in which had been going on continuously, became intense. A Captain and to a single strand. Her Commanding Officer said, The bombing was ordered yacht No. 1 of the Solent Patrol [i.e. Captain Howson in the Ankh], us to make for the open sea, and all the smaller craft followed him out.
It was in the above circumstances that a number of power boats started withdrawal Walker to Dover, and that at 0611 on the 1st June Rear-Admiral Wake- a boats had found it necessary to report to V.A. Dover that all craft used for towing left during the night, and to urge that they be sent back³.
Ankh, was rammed and sunk by the Vimy in the vicinity of the Gull. Her crew
At about 0145 on the 1st June the yacht Amulree, which was escorting the were R.N., picked up. The Commodore-in-Charge, Sheerness, Captain H. R. Marrack, she this vessel [the Amulree] was diverted from the valuable work regret which that D.S.C., in a report to V.A., Dover, says that it was a matter for seemingly rammed minor administrative duty which indirectly resulted in carry her being was performing in towing out pontoons from the very beaches, to out a
The and sunk by a British destroyer in the Downs".
Ankh arrived at Dover at 0815 on the 1st June.
Casualties to towing craft
Commodore Of the motor boats lost this day, 2 lost action. The M/B
machine ferried troops to the Worcester were off by enemy eventually bourne gunned, holed and abandoned. Her Malo. She was Eastshore Queen. The M/B New Prince of Wales crew was embarked in the a shell M/B from a crew of the crew were wounded. killed, The vessel and S/Lt. was abandoned P. H. E. and the
R.N. and battery. 2 Two able-seamen were damaged by Bennett, embarked in the M/B Triton.
I 2 R.A.F. Narrative, p.336.
3 4 Captain Appendix Howson's H.26. Report (R.O.IV, p.119).
R.O.III, p.551.
74

INDEX
Phillips, Vice-Admiral T.S. V., 16.
Phipps, L/St. M., 81.
Pickford & Co., 72n.
Pierre, set on fire, 74.
Pierre et Marie, 73.
Piers (beach) built at La Panne, 47, 60, 76; of barges impracticable, 49; built at Bray,
59, 82.
Pigeon, 72n, 114n.
Pim, Capt. R., R.N.V.R., 78.
Playmates, 13n.
Polly Johnson, 13n, 39, 40 (damaged), 43, 44 (sunk).
Pool, S/Lt. R. A. W., 72.
Port of London Authority, 32.
Porter, Col., 47.
Portsdown, 100, 103.
Portsmouth, C. in C.: sends destroyers, 20; provision of boats, 51 Inner Patrol yachts,
71 A.S.'s. barge, 117 (abandoned).
Pownall, Lt. Gen. H. R., 4.
Prague, 29n, 54n, 64n, 91 (damaged).
Président Briand, 93.
Preston, Vice-Adm. Sir L. (D.S.V.P.), 21.
Princess Elizabeth, 47n, 89, 114n.
Princess Lily, 75n.
Princess Maud, 48n, 53 (goes aground), 62 (damaged), 114n, 118.
Prudential, 60.
Pudge, 71s.
Queen of England, sunk, 53.
Queen of Thanet, 91, 114m.
Queen of the Channel, 22, 24, 29 (sunk).
Queen's Channel, 72n.
Racia, 71n, 114я, 117.
R.A. Dover, see Wake-Walker, Rear Admiral W.F.
Ramsay, Vice-Adm. Sir B. (V.A. Dover): to control evacuation, 4; to arrange air cover,
5; asks for more destroyers, 20; driving force, 23, 33; promulgates disembarkation ports, 25; efforts to increase supply of small craft, 23, 32; plan for night 29/30th
May, 50; orders all ships to beaches, 51; concern at losses of destroyers, 94; calls for volunteers, 105; reports exhaustion of crews, 113.
Ramsgate, N.O.I.C. Administers in shore flotilla, 21, 94; services skoots, 30.
Raphael-Raymonde, 73n.
Rapid I, 72, 92.
Reda, 53, 60n.
Reed, 7ln.
Refugees, 37, 100-1, 119.
Reiger, 32, 47m, 64, 101-2, 116.
Reine des Flots, 102, 107n, 109.
Reliance, 73n.
Renascent, 71n.
Renown, 73, 93 (sunk).
Resolute, 73n.
Revoir, Capt. de, 115.
Rewga, 71n.
Reynaud, M., 10, 11.
Richardson, Cdr. H. du P., 80n, 82, 83n.
Riggs, Mr. H. C., 21.
Rika, 41.
Rina, 117.
Robinson, Cdr. C. E. C., killed, 37.
Roebuck, in collision, 83.
Rope for towing, 61.
Rose Marie, 72n.
Ross, 28n, 44, 97.
Rouen, 94, 107n, 108 (goes aground), 109, 112n, 120 (aground).
Route, X prepared, 20; mined, 38; tested by destroyers, 39 taken into use, 48; last route to come under fire, 96-7; traffic suspended, 98.
Route, Y adopted, 20, 29; under fire, 48; E-boats, on 85; in use, 93; mines on, 110.
Route, Z under fire, 20, 48; to be used in darkness, 29, 48.
204