TNA ADM 234 360

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

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. V
and Hilda), two power boats and Kellett a tow and pulling Leda, but boats; the(Doggersbank with the Calcutta¹, the Gallant, Wakeful, of Verity, two skoots was joined by the minesweepers the number there were insufficient boats and motor launches to cope with of troops on the beach.
Calcutta had already lost one of her two whalers2.
70 wounded (cot cases); heavy embarkation difficult and the
Off La Panne, at 2157, the Calcutta, surf assisted made by the skoot Reiger, embarked
By the 28th May beach evacuation had become a vitally essential part complete lack of small beaching craft, other than ships' boats - aftermath
Operation Dynamo". It was, however, severely restricted by the almost of the wish, already noticed, to prevent early information of the operation be- of coming known to the enemy; and an urgent and persistent cry for boats arose from the ships off the beaches.³
Beach craft are sailed for Dunkirk
Steps had already been taken, however, to begin the provision of small boats.
At 0800 on the 28th May, 8 motor boats were sailed from the Thames for the
South Downs. At noon the tug Sun V with 8 cutters and 2 whalers in tow, and the tug St. Clears with 11 cutters in tow, left Sheerness for Ramsgate, and both tugs sailed for Dunkirk late in the evening. Of these two tows, however, only 7 cutters reached the beaches, the remainder being lost en route.4
At 1500 the tug Java left Ramsgate for Dunkirk, in company with four drifters⁵ and 5 motor launches⁶. They arrived off Bray at 0100 on 29th May, and were the first arrivals of small motor craft off the beaches. With them, at 1500 on the 28th May, 5 drifters of the 1st Mine Recovery Flotilla left Ramsgate for Dunkirk⁷, and at 1845, 18 motor boats with 17 whalers left Sheerness for Dover.⁸
Supply of small craft is accelerated
These supplied only a portion of what was required. There was still a lack of small craft, and at 2002 V.A. Dover asked that every available shallow draft power boat should be sent to the beaches⁹. The Admiralty's vigorous reaction to this request became fully evident on the following day, the 29th May, when the Portsmouth and Nore Commands, the Thames estuary and the Port of
London Authority were combed for motor boats, lighters and barges¹⁰. To accelerate the journey arrangements were made to route them direct to the beaches, provided they had charts, food, fuel etc.¹¹, though some difficulty was experienced in providing the large number of charts required. Indeed, on the road map" to navigate on.
31st May the Master of the coaster Hythe states that he was given an army
I 2 The Calcutta reported she was off La Panne.
Appendix H.2.
3 Appendices H.1 and H.2.
Five gunfire from Clears' cutters were lost en morning route to Dunkirk a collision with the destroyer the result of enemy
4 The of the Sun St. V's tow was lost early next in Montrose.
up 5 by The the Sp. Gravelines Serv./V. Crested and Nieuport; Eagle. one of the 5 was, next however, day, as subsequently picked
6 The Lord Walker Rodney, I, Lord Keith, Lord Collingwood
7 8 9 The Appendix Lord Cavan, G.6. Walker Fidget, II, Jacketa, New Britannic, Silver Dawn Nayland, and and Fisher and Lord Angler Boy St. Vincent. (Appendix II. G.5).
Appendix G.7.
II 10 Appendices G.13 to G.18.
Appendix G.9.
32

WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY
CHAP. VI
Calcutta contacts Lord Gort
On receipt of this signal at 0345 the Calcutta, which had already been embarking troops from La Panne beach, sent her boats in again, in charge of Mr. F.J.
March, Gunner. Mr. March made personal contact with Lord Gort about
8 miles inland, and placed the Calcutta at his disposal for his or his staff's evacuation. Lord Gort, however, courteously refused to be evacuated at this stage¹.
La Panne beach cleared of troops
Meanwhile the Calcutta was proceeding with the embarkation, having enlisted the assistance of the minesweepers Sutton and Salamander, the tug Java, five drifters2, and three motor launches³. By 1357 the Calcutta had embarked
1200 troops, with whom she proceeded to Sheerness.
In addition to the ships assisting the Calcutta, 7 minesweepers4, 4 skoots5, and 5 destroyers⁶ also embarked troops from La Panne beach. Of the destroyers, the Greyhound was bombed and severely damaged (see p.42).
The minesweepers embarked, in all, 3415 troops, the skoots 1137 and the destroyers 2100. The tramp Yewdale and the motor vessels Beal and Bullfinch between them brought off 1,854. The assault landing craft A.L.C.15 ferried about 750 troops from the beaches to off-lying ships, and finally transported
25 to Dover; the A.L.C.5 also ferried troops throughout the day.
The paddle-minesweeper Oriole had beached herself at La Panne at about
0600, thus permitting about 2,500 troops to pass over her decks to be embarked by other ships before she refloated at about 1800. In this connection, Sub-
Lieut. Croswell, who had been landed at La Panne at about 0600 with a small beach party in the Harvester's motor skiff, says: " On the beach we found
14 boats which we launched. A line ferry was established from a paddlesteamer [the Oriole] which was aground close inshore, and this steamer served as a pier alongside which other boats were able to come.
Throughout the day embarkation continued."
Later in his report, Sub-Lieut. Croswell says " About 1400
bombing commenced - there were no casualties though 8 heavy bombs fell within 100
yards of the place of embarkation. A supply ship [the danlayer Nautilus]
to the right of the beach was fired and destroyed by a near miss, and a destroyer
[the Greyhound] was hit by an incendiary bomb [in fact she was severely damaged by a near miss] but continued in action. I joined up with the Army
Staff controlling evacuation - there were no other naval officers at La Panne.⁷
About 2300
I requested that piers should be built but was told nothing could be done that night.
Lord Gort arrived on the beach on Thursday morning [30th May] and asked what could be done to assist. I again suggested erection of piers, and under Colonel Porter's direction this was begun, the pier at La Panne being ready and in use by 1400".
I Calcutta's report.
2 The Golden Sunbeam, Lord Rodney, Lord Keith, Lord St. Vincent, and Lord Collingwood.
3 The Angler II, Nayland and New Britannic.
4 The Emperor of India, Gracie Fields, Halcyon, Hebe, Oriole, Princess Elizabeth and
Waverley.
5 The Reiger, Doggersbank, Jutland and Oranje.
6 The Shikari, Harvester, Anthony, Sabre and Greyhound.
7 Sub. Lt. Croswell was not given orders by his commanding officer to remain ashore.
He says as at La Panne there was no liaison between Army and Navy, I realised I could do a much more useful job by remaining there," and he stayed there until 1st June. Commenting on this, Lt. Cdr. M. Thornton, R.N., Captain of the Harvester says: " This young officer wisely accepted responsibility of missing his ship and then took charge of the beaches and embarkation.
(C.W.23187/40.)
47

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. VII
thousands of troops, tired, depressed, for the and whole without food or water for broke into a double and kept it up I length of the Eastern Arm days, more than two hours. During that period estimate that more than 15,000 for troops were embarked. The Army certainly responded splendidly".
about 2100, eight destroyers² embarked embarked east pier an aggregate and
Cdr. Maund's estimate was triumphantly from confirmed: the between 1802
and other vessels, including the skoots Reiger well and Doggersbank, also embarked
8,528 troops; four personnel vessels³ an aggregate of 5,694 troops of number of wounded.
troops, while the hospital carrier Dinard, down the pier, embarked a
Anthony and Sabre damaged to Dover was attacked by a single aircraft which dropped 5 when returnich
Of the eight destroyers referred to above, one, the Anthony, extinguished her lights, stopped her engines, and put her compasses and W/T
and the Keith escorted her into Dover.
out of action. She was subsequently able to proceed, steering by her engines, on her way to Dunkirk by Route Z, came under fire from shore batteries and
Earlier in the day another destroyer, the Sabre, when near No. 6 Calais buoy, received several hits on the bridge and upper works. A shell went through the gyro-compass, an oil fuel tank was pierced, the magnetic compass put out of action, and she had to return to Dover for repairs.
The destroyer crews, who had hardly slept since the operation began, were beginning to show signs of exhaustion, and at 2341 (May 30th) the Admiralty ordered reliefs. a spare destroyer's crew to be sent to Dover to provide temporary
Air patrols
In the air low visibility checked the enemy's activity, but as on the previous day patrols were again carried out by Fighter Command at three-or foursquadron strength, the largest number of aircraft on the line at any one time being 44, and the smallest 26. Sixteen squadrons again operated, the total number of sorties amounting to 265. Small Coastal Command patrols operated as before throughout the day along the line North Goodwins-Gravelines
Ostend, and at night the patrol over Dunkirk by single Blenheims continued but the governing factor of the air operations over Dunkirk on the 30th May was the low visibility, which restricted the enemy's activities.⁴
Summary of troops landed in England
Thus the day was one of reviving hope. It ended with the numbers going up, and a record number were embarked from the beaches. (See table P. 65).
Arrangements for evacuation of B.E.F. rearguard of the B.E.F. had attended a conference representatives with the Vice-Admiral, the Dover.
Meanwhile, during the forenoon, of Commander-in-Chief to Ist hold the as the latest reasonable date to which the gave B.E.F. daylight on be expected
The June, Commander-in-Chief's plan was explained it Saturday, eastern perimeter with an up available force of about might 4,000.
Keith 3 The (1200), Anthony Winchelsea (1137), (925) Codrington and (1100), Esk (1041), Vimy (948), Impulsive (1112),
2 I The Cdr. Maund's report (R.O.III, p.443).
4 R.A.F. Prague Narrative, (1039), P. Royal 331. Sovereign Wolsey (1502), (1065). St. Helier (2000) and Tynwald (1153).
64

DUSK TO DUSK, 1ST-2ND JUNE
CHAP. x valuable service in the operation. The Glen Avon, which sailed a quarter of ing an hour after the Medway Queen, also picked up 24 Spaniards, from the
Dutch S.S. Alphacca; it is not known how they came to be afloat, for the
Alphacca was not sunk until 4 April 1942. The Lydd left at the same time as the Medway Queen, with 200 troops, but defective degaussing then necessitated and Royal Eagle all sailed within half an hour of one another. The last ship putting an end to her service in Operation' Dynamo". The Niger, Snaefell, to leave Malo beach was, by her own account, the Glen Gower at 0320, as day wa breaking, by which time it was low water. Her Captain, Acting Commander
M. A. O. Biddulph, R.N., S.O. 8th M.S.F., reported that the embarkation had been very trying, for the enemy's gunfire during the night had been mainly directed at the beaches, which had been very heavily shelled¹, and the Glen Gower was continually under fire from guns and howitzers on shore from the time she anchored at 2355. "Sight and hearing were almost overwhelmed by the ruddy glow of flames, the flashes of gunfire, the shrieking of shells all around, and the noise of their explosion as they burst". When the
Glen Gower sailed, with 435 troops, she had lost two of the boats (one from shrapnel hits) which she had brought from England to ferry troops from the beach to the ships, whilst a third was left aground.
Of all the minesweepers that left the beach this night only the Snaefell was filled to capacity.
Embarkations at Dunkirk
Although there were more ships than were required off the beaches there was plenty of room at the East Pier, and during the night Rear-Admiral Wake-
Walker, who had come over from Dover and was afloat in M.A /S.B.10, diverted some of the redundant ships from Malo. He met the minesweeper Sutton at
2121 and sent her to load at the East Pier, where she embarked in about 11/2
hours 725 troops, about a third of whom were French. The Duchess of Fife arrived off Malo at 2310, found no troops and was sent on to Dunkirk Pier where she embarked 550 men. The destroyer Venomous had come over to
Malo with a beach party of 10 officers and 90 men; no boats came off from the shore, and at 0200 Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker sent her to Dunkirk, where she took on board 632 troops and sailed for Dover about 0230. The paddle minesweeper Marmion was ordered into Dunkirk Harbour at 0200 on 2nd, after waiting in the roads for four hours, and embarked 225 French troops.
Ships were led into harbour and allocated to their berths by Commander Maund in a motor boat.
French troops, to the number of 285, were also embarked by the trawler
(danlayer) Strathelliot alongside the inner jetty amongst them was General
Nicolle and his staff. The Strathelliot grounded outside the harbour on sailing at 0130 but got off undamaged, by her own efforts. Another small ship to get away early with French troops only on board was the skoot Reiger which left the jetty in the Nouvel Avant Port at 2215 on 1st after lifting 330 men in 45
minutes.
The first pair of destroyers to berth alongside the East Pier were the Codrington at 2300 and the Sabre a quarter of an hour later. The former embarked
878 troops, the latter 756 both ships taking only 45 minutes. The Icarus which left Dover with the Windsor, also berthed at 2300 and took on board
677 troops. On the way home, she was in collision with a trawler in Dunkirk
Channel, and her further service in Operation "Dynamo" was cancelled.
I Report of R. A. Wake-Walker, M.017978/41, p.31.
101

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 EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. XII
Casualties from collison and grounding had It embarked was under 200 conditions French such troops of as the at these harbour the West that per which was rammed when just clear 20 feet from the stern, 2319, line, Edmond cutting René; her her degaussing port bow, circuits. and the The troops collision was caused opened the up two to the wawler water which was undamaged. eventually joining a water, trawler, swing alongside one another, The Kingfisher, making trans-shipped little to the ships to towards England at 7 knots, casualty. company with the minesweeper proceeded
Leda, another collision
West Pier about an hour into the prevailing fog, and off 0300, the on the way back the
The Leda, having embarked after the 484 Kingfisher. French troops, At had pushed off from she ran down the Belgian The Leda's bows
Margate, the ship ran trawler Maréchal Foch. Goodwin Light Buoy to damaged, and for a while the minesweeper the Albury, which had sailed from were
West Pier at about the same time as Leda, with 400 troops, stood by her; the but the Leda's forward bulkhead held, so the ship continued on her way to
Margate, escorted for a while by the Kellett until the latter had to break off assist a ship in greater trouble and left her with the Kingfisher as companion to in misfortune. The fog was thick at Margate, and in the roads the Kingfisher was rammed once more, the personnel vessel King George V hitting her on the starboard bow, though only minor damage was caused.
Meanwhile, the Maréchal Foch had sunk. In economy of operation this
Belgian trawler seems to have been unequalled, for despite the fact that her entire complement consisted only of the Master, Captain P. Lusyne, and one man, (F. Decoster), she had embarked no less than 300 troops. To accomplish this, the ship had lain alongside the quay at Dunkirk since the 2nd of June, for she had grounded on the falling tide and did not get away until the night of the 3rd-4th. It is satisfactory to know that the Captain and his crew were picked up and landed at Dover; but half of the 300 troops she was carrying were drowned. The French M.T.B. V.T.B 25 which was bringing Admiral
Abrial from Dunkirk picked up some but was hampered by a propeller disabled by wreckage, and some were rescued by the destroyer Malcolm, which left
Dunkirk at 0245 and reported picking up, in fog near the North Goodwin, survivors of an unknown schuyt' which had been sunk in collision with a minesweeper.
Another ship that grounded in Dunkirk and was lost in consequence, was the
Skoot Lena. This vessel had sailed from England at 1530 on the 3rd June, in company with four other skoots, the Pascholl (S.O.), Hondsrug, Bornrif, and
Reiger. The latter ran aground on the Quern Sand soon after leaving Ramsgate, and was left behind. Going alongside the middle pier of Avant Port"
at Dunkirk (probably the West Quay or Guiding Jetty, or possibly the Inner but
Western high none British water, was drifter Pier) available orders were the having Lena and unsuccessful. attempts grounded been given made At at that about 1045 to no tow on 2300. further the her 4th off A embarkation tug June, by was the two asked Bornrif was hours crew for, to and after take em- a place after daylight, it was decided to abandon ship. Part of remainder, the inbarked in a British drifter, part in a French drifter, and the cluding the officers, were ferried to the Locust outside the harbour.
forthcoming to tow off owing the difficulty for minutes
It was presumably to of tug was considerable convoy of tugs Lena, arrived off within the entrance a to the
116

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
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