TNA ADM 334 83

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Stuon
ORING
-3-
was sleep concerned. with my crew, the first since Sunday night so far as I
were cutter. lying in tow to "Jutland" with a whaler by09.30
We turned out on the morning of the 30th May and
boats taken Jutland was one of the Dutch diesel navy engine and
would over by the Navy and flying the white cargo and
for A.A.Defence.
ship. Both these ships carried Lewis guns fore and aft
carry about 450 men, H.M.S. "Laudania" was a similar ensign
in the mine fields, but we lay on tow to Jutland until 15.30
I do not know what delayed our start, probably alterations
outside the Harbour. At about 15.30 we got going and, with
off in order to carry officers from one ship to another lying
outside Ramsgate Harbour with occasional intervals of easting
in about six hours (an average of about 12 knots). This
our own engines running at about 6 knots, wentowed to Dunkirk
was a very uncomfortable trip as destroyers kept crossing and
passing at high speeds making a heavy wash and we had to try
and keep my boat sheered off to port while the cutter and
whaler were sheered off to starboard. Sometimes we came
together in spite of all our efforts but no damage was done
and the only injury sustained by anyone was when one of my
crew was at the wheel for a few minutes and a destroyer passed
very close and made such a wash that my boat was nearly put
of petrol cans.
on its beam ends and I bumped my shin badly on my deck cargo
beach eastwards for a few miles before "Jutland" dropped
We arrived at Dunkirk about dusk and turned along the
We were opening the batting at
this part shad be canny about
anchor. We cast off tow at once and I took the whaler and
hailing the shore as we did not
know whether ferry or our chaps
cutter in tow myself and dug out for the beach. It was
dark night and visibility was not too bad. At first we
slightly misty as well as dark but it was not really a
could find no life on the beach but after a short time
were there twe were
were hailed by Frenchmen and for a little while found
sheft
boat with them. The procedure was to tow the whaler and
Frenchmen only and made one or two full journeys back to the
cutter to the beach and swing them round and cast off tow
in about 3'6" (my draught being 2'6"). The whaler thon
dropped his grapnel and went in as close as he dared without
grounding the cutter and troops waded out to board them.
As soon as the two boats were full they called for the
motor bost and pulled up on the whaler's grapnel, I would
come past and take the whaler's boxes rope in passing and
swing out towards the ship which had to lie about three-
quarters of a miles out.
While the whaler and cutter were loading I patrolled
parallel with the beach, keeping as close as I dared without
take ground as it was the only motor boat in that area
grounding, it being essential that the motor boat should not
and the cutter and whaler had only four mon apiece aboard
except at great loss of time.
so that they were not in a position to row out to the ship,
While patrolling my job was to pick up any swimmers or
waders and any odd craft which had put out from the shore,
there were seve al of these. After the first few loads
had been taken to the ship, all Frenchmen, a British officer
waded out and was picked up by me and reported that at whole
Division of British were waiting to be taken off a little
nearer Dunkirk town than we had been working.