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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List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 37–229 of this collection

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MONDAY, 27TH MAY
CHAP. IV
task now is to evacuate to England maximum of your force possible."¹ No policy had yet been laid down by French G.Q.G., or any other French higher authority, for a withdrawal northward of the Lys, and, says Lord Gort, "I had no idea what plans either he [General Blanchard] or Admiral Abrial had in mind".'
Lord Gort failed to contact General Blanchard either at La Panne, or at the
French naval headquarters, situated at Bastion No. 32, Dunkirk. While at the
Bastion, however, at 2300, he was informed in the course of conversation with
General Koeltz (General Weygand's deputy) that the King of the Belgians had asked for an armistice from midnight that night. The British Commanderin-Chief thus found himself suddenly faced with an open gap of 20 miles between
Ypres and the sea, through which enemy armoured forces might reach the beaches².
Owing to congestion on the roads Lord Gort was unable to reach his headquarters at Houtkerque until 0430 on 28th May; he then found that a telegram had been received from the War Office at 0130/28 saying that the King of the
Belgians was capitulating at midnight, 27th/28th May.³
This was the derelict situation facing Lord Gort in the early hours of the morning.
Dunkirk locks prepared for demolition
On the 27th May, on the orders of Admiral Abrial, the Royal Naval demolition party which had arrived at Dunkirk on the 23rd May placed demolition charges at the New, the Trystram and the Guillain locks in Dunkirk harbour.
Route Z under fire Route Y adopted Route x prepared
Owing to the great lack of inshore craft for beach work the main naval effort during the day had been confined to maintaining the flow of personnel vessels to Dunkirk at the rate of 2 every 31/2 hours. Even this limited transport service had been seriously interrupted by the fire of shore batteries between Les
Hemmes (east of Calais) and Gravelines. At 0623 the Biarritz and Archangel, en route for Dunkirk escorted by the destroyer Verity, were shelled 6 miles
E.N.E. of Calais. The Biarritz was hit several times and had 1 killed and 2
wounded. The Archangel was also apparently damaged, and neither ship took any further part in "Dynamo". At 0640, the M/V Sequacity and the freighter Yewdale were also shelled off Calais. The Sequacity was hit four times, and at 1020, when north of Dunkirk channel, after the crew had been transferred to the Yewdale, the Sequacity went down by the head and sank.
At 0750 the armed boarding vessel Mona's Isle, loaded with troops, suffered severe casualties and damage from shore guns off Gravelines, and also from an air attack shortly afterwards, and had to go into dock for repairs. At
0800 the H/C Isle of Thanet was shelled off Calais and returned to Dover. At
0900, the A.B/V King Orry, returning from Dunkirk loaded with troops also suffered casualties and damage from the Calais guns.
As a result of these happenings the Vice-Admiral, Dover, reported to the
Admiralty that the normal or southern route, Dover to Dunkirk (later known as Route Z), was impracticable in daylight. Another, more northern route
(later known as Route Y), via the Dyck Whistle buoy, Middelkerk buoy, and
Zuydcoote Pass, was accordingly adopted. This, however, increased the
I Lord Gort's Second Despatch, para. 51.
2 Lord Gort's Second Despatch, para. 49.
3 Lord Gort's Second Despatch 50.
19

Archangel Biarritz England Gravelines Isle of Thanet Mona's Isle Sequacity The King Verity Yewdale Day Dover Gort Head King May Miles Roads

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
CHAP. V
off Dunkirk at 1315. They had picked up that morning from arrived
The destroyers Codrington, Jaguar and Javelin, 33 survivors diverted from patrol,
S.S. Abukir, which had been torpedoed by United an E-boat while returning the about 200 evacuees from Ostend to Grenade the which Kingdom; these survivors with
Javelin Dunkirk. were transferred using The their Codrington to own the boats, destroyer went embarked into Dunkirk troops harbour, from subsequently Bray while beach. the went Jaguar At on 1730 and to the Grenade left Dunkirk with 1,000 troops on board.
skoot Lena. The Vimy also made a second
359 troops from Zuydcoote, assisted by ships' a the second.t.Bip,embarked
Between 1230 and 1815 the Vivacious, a her
Dunkirk harbour.
More ships were on the way. From 1230 onwards 19 minesweepers were sailed from Harwich, from Dover and the Downs, for Dunkirk and the beaches.
By 2130 five of them had arrived off Bray beach I, and four off La Panne²;
three reached Dunkirk by 2140³.
Four other minesweepers arrived off the beaches late on the night of
28th/29th May4, and two more reached the beaches at 0600/29⁵.
Early on the 28th May the eight ships of the 7th and 8th minesweeping flotillas had been ordered from Rosyth to Harwich, to work under the orders of the Vice-Admiral, Dover⁶; they could not, however, reach the beaches until about 72 hours later.
During the forenoon and afternoon of the 28th May the call went out for more and more destroyers, and seven reached the evacuation area next day⁷.
In the signals from the Admiralty and the Vice-Admiral, Dover, summoning them there sounds the same note of extreme urgency, traceable to S.N.O.
Dunkirk's message⁸ declaring that evacuation on the night of 28th/29th May was problematical. "If the older class destroyers and other vessels cannot compete with the situation signalled the Admiralty, destroyers of all classes are to be used for bringing men off'.9 Every available destroyer" in the
Western Approaches and Portsmouth Commands was to be sailed to Dover.
Destroyers on patrol or on escort duty were to be diverted to Dunkirk or the beaches.¹¹
Vulnerability of personnel vessels
The vulnerability of the personnel vessels, with their large troop-carrying capacity, was a cause of anxiety. On the 27th May the Biarritz and Archangel, the Mona's Queen, King Orry, Sequacity, Yewdale, and the Isle of Thanet12,
I The Albury, Gossamer, Leda, Kellett and Sutton.
2 The Salamander, Halcyon, Skipjack and Waverley.
3 The Ross, Pangbourne and Lydd.
4 The Hebe, Sharpshooter, Duchess of Fife snd Emperor of India.
5 The Oriole and Marmion.
6
A.M.0163/28.
7 The Verity, Harvester, Esk, Malcolm, Express, Shikari and Scimitar.
8 Appendix M.4.
9 A.M.0754/28.
10 A.M.1229/28.
11 Appendices D.4, D.5 and D.7.
collided with the Examination Service Vessel leaving Ocean Reward, which sank
12 At 0254, on 28th May, shortly after Dover for Newhaven, the Isle of Thanet
Assisted by the tug Lady Brassey, a search was made for survivors, but none was found.
28

Abukir Albury Archangel Biarritz Boat D.4 D.7 Duchess Duchess of Fife Emperor of India Hebe Isle of Thanet Jaguar Javelin Lady Brassey Lena Lydd Newhaven Pangbourne Queen Sequacity Sharpshooter Skipjack Verity Vivacious Yewdale Dover King Malcolm May Ross

165

OCR table 1 from document page 165
	TROOPS TRANSPORTED
	6,772
(Capt. T.	6,584
St. Helier (Capt. R. R. Pitman, Master)	672
St. (Capt. Seiviol R. D. Dobb, Master) (Lieut. A. R. MacKewn, R.N.R.)	3,000
Scotia' (Capt H. W. Hughes, Master) Co-operator	525
Scottish (Capt. T. S. Robertson, Master) (M/V)'	-
Sequacity (Capt. J. Macdonald)	8,953
Tynwald (Capt. J. H. Whiteway, Master) (Capt. W.A. Qualtrough, Master) (relieved 2 June)	2,700
Whippingham (Lieut. E. Reed, R.N.R.)	14
Whitstable (Capt. W. Baxter, Master)	890
Yewdale (tramp) (Capt. E. Jones)
Total	87,810
HOSPITAL CARRIERS. Total 8, of which 1 was sunk. Dinard	374
(Mr. J. W. A. Jones, Master)
Isle of Guernsey	836
(Capt. E. L. Hill, Master)
Isle of Thanet	-
(Capt. A. J. Hammond, Master)
Paris1	630
(Capt. E. A. Biles, Master) St. Andrew	130
(Capt. H. C. Bond, Master)
St. David	149
(Capt. C. Joy, Master) (Sick) (Capt. B. H. Mendus, Master) St. Julien	287
(Capt. L. T. Richardson, Master) Worthing (Capt. C. G. G. Munton, Master)	600
Total	3,006
NAVAL M/Bs. Total 12, of which 6 were sunk. Admiral Superintendent, Portsmouth's barge'	-

Boat Dinard Dolphin Excellent's Gallant Isle of Guernsey Isle of Thanet Joy PS Whippingham Reed Scotia Scottish Co-operator Sequacity St. Andrew St. Helier St. Julien TSS Scotia Tynwald Whippingham Whitstable Worthing Yewdale Barge Baxter Biles Bond Cornish Dixon Dobb Hamilton Hamilton-Meikle Hammond Hill Holman Hughes Jones Joy MacDonald Mackewn Matthew Munton Pitman Qualtrough Reed Richardson Robertson Whiteway

183

OCR table 1 from document page 183
MINESWEEPER	TRAWLERS	DRIFTERS
Brighton Belle (28/5)	Comfort (29/5)	Eileen Emma (1/6)
	Thomas Bartlett	Fair Breeze (1/6)
	(28/5) (1)	Gervais Rentoul (1/6)
		Girl Pamela (night 28/29 May)
SKOOTS	YACHT	ExN. SERV. V.
Alice (28/5)	Amulree (1/6)	Ocean Reward (28/5)
Lena (4/6)	Pellag II (1/6)
Sursum-Corda (31/5)
BLOCKSHIP	TUG	SEAPLANE TENDERS
Holland (3/6)	Fossa (2/6)	S.T.243 (31/5) S.T. 254 (31/5) A.M.C. 3 (31/5)

OCR table 2 from document page 183
Albatross²	Hanora³ 4	Rocinantes 6
Aljanor2	Iote (1/6)	Rosabelle³
Aloa-Oe²	Island Queen2	St. Patrick (31/5)
Ambleve (30/5)	Josephine Iº	Santosy (3/6)³
Aura (2/6)³	Lansdowne (1/6)³	Scene Shifter (29/6)
Black Arrow (29/30 May)	Letitia (M/B) (4/6)	Sea Falcon (31/5)
Bobeli (2/6)	Little Ann2	Seamew²
Bonnibell (2/6)	Madame Sans Gêne (4/6)	Semois
Bullpup4	Maid of Honour®	Shamrock (30/5)
Canvey Queen (30/5)	Ma Foie (30/5)	Silver Queen (30/5)¹
Court Belle2	Maldon Annie IV (31/5)	Skylark III
Cyb2	Margherita2	(S.M.281. II) ᵃ
Dreadnought II²	Mary Rose (31/5)	Skylark L.L.III²
Frightened Lady³ 4	Mary Spearing4	Stonehaven
Golden Spray II (31/5)	Minikoi (29/5)	Sunshine (31/5)³
Good Hope 2	Minoru II®	Thetis (2/6)³
Grace Darling IV²	Pioneer2	Triton (31/5)³
Gwen Eagle	Queen of England (29/5)	Two Rivers (31/5)*
Handy Billy2	Roberta²	Vanitee

A.M.C. 3 Alice Ambleve Amulree Aura Black Arrow Boat Bobeli Bonnibell Canvey Queen Comfort Drifter Eileen Eileen Emma England Fair Breeze Falcon Fossa Gallant Gallant's Motor Boat Gervais Rentoul Girl Pamela Golden Spray Golden Spray II Good Hope Gourko Grace Grace Darling Grive Gwen Eagle Holland Horst Iote Lansdowne Lena Letitia Lord Cavan Maid of Honour Maldon Annie IV Mary Mary Rose Minikoi Minoru II New Prince of Wales Pellag II Prince Prince of Wales Queen Renown Rose Santosy Sea Falcon Semois Sequacity Shamrock Silver Queen Skylark Skylark III St. Patrick Stonehaven Sunshine Thetis Triton Two Rivers Vanitee Black Little May Patrick Prince Rose Spray Thomas Wales

229

INDEX
Royal Air Command, 64, 83-4, 4, 88 (evacuated (fired from France), 17, 20, 30,
(attacks 38 all that was asked of them, concentrated 123. at dawn and dusk): 100,
(patrols Stren batteries); 99 (patrols on by own ships), 89, 93, 99
Royal Daffodil, 20, 25, 100-1. 29, 54n, 62, 102, 110 (damaged).
110-111, 115; did
Royal Royal Sovereign, 29n, 54n, 64n, 107n, 108-9, 114n, 115, 117.
Eagle, 42, 81,
95 (sunk).
Royally,114n,
Sabre, 23, 27, 44, 47n, 49 (takes across with beach parties), 53, 54n, 55, 62n, 64 (damaged), 86,
97, 101, 107, 114n, 118 (crosses compass damaged).
St. Abbs, 71n, 90 (sunk).
Achilleus, sunk, 93.
St. St. Andrew, Shelled, 18: bombed, 20; last trip, 87.
Ste. Bernadette de Lourdes, 107n.
St. Clears, 32, 46.
St. David, damaged, 38, 95.
Ste. Denise Louise, 107n.
St. Fagan, 71n, 88 (sunk).
St. Helier, 20, 25, 64n, 94, 98-9, 108-9.
Ste. Isabelle, 74.
St. Julien, shelled, 17 bombed, 20, 43; crew supplemented, 48n; last trip, 87.
St. Olaves, 107n.
St. Patrick, 75n.
St. Seiriol, 22, 24, 29, 43, 48 (damaged).
Saladin, 44-5 (damaged).
Salamander, 28n, 31, 42, 47, 86 (damaged), 89-90.
Saltash, 91-2.
Sambre, 60.
Sandown, 23n, 27, 31, 42, 105 (forbidden to sail).
Santosy, lost, 117.
Saon, 34n, 110.
Sargasso, 60n, 107n, 108.
Sark, 60.
Saturn, 114n, 118.
S.C.6 (French), 107n.
Sceneshifter, rushed and sunk by French troops, 53.
Schuyts. see skoots.
Scimitar, 20n, 28n, 54n, 55, 62n, 91.
Scotia, 29n, 54n, 83 (in collision), 92 (sunk), 118 (record lift).
Scottish Co-operator, 60.
Sea Falcon, 75n.
Seaplane Tender 243, 71n, 75n, 110 (sunk).
Seaplane Tender 254, 71n.
Seaplane Tender 276, 71n, 110.
Seaplane Tender 291, 71n, 75 (damaged).
Seasalter, 60.
Sea Transport Officials, serve in personnel ships, 48; in Dynamo Room, 74.
Secrecy, effect on supply of small craft, 15.
Seine, 31n, 60, 102.
Sequacity, 19, 28.
Seriola, 71n.
Shamrock, lost, 53.
Sharpshooter, 28n, 54n, 97.
Shearwater, 34, 88, 99.
Sheldvake, 34, 37n, 69 (hunts S/M.), 93.
Shell fire (German): causes serious interruption to shipping, 19; Route Y under fire, 48;
La Panne beach shelled, 60, 76; interrupts sailings of personal ships, 70; danger of, magnified at Dover, 98.
Sherfield, 72n, 90.
Shelland, 60.
Shikari, 20n, 28n, 47n, 54n, 55, 97, 102, 107, 114n, 119-20 (in Operation CK), 127.
Shipmates, 23n.
Signalling, see Communications.
Silver Dawn, 32n, 51n.
205

Bernadette Dawn Falcon Royal Daffodil Royal Sovereign Sabre Sambre Sandown Santosy Saon Sargasso Sark Saturn Sceneshifter Scotia Scottish Co-operator Sea Falcon Seasalter Seine Sequacity Seriola Shamrock Sharpshooter Shearwater Sherfield Shipmates Silver Dawn St. Andrew St. Helier St. Julien St. Patrick St. Seiriol TSS Scotia De Dover Last Patrick