TNA ADM 334 83

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I only heard casually of the need for crews when on Thursday,
the 30th May, Denis Dalby told me that he would not be able to
come sailing with me that week-end, as he had been asked to keep
himself free. He suggested, moreover, that it might be worth my
ch
while getting in tough with Quill at his River Emergency Service
station. This I did, and after one or two false alarms I received
a telephone message at the Dominions Office on Saturday, 1st June,
just as I was picking up my hat and umbrella to go home at 1310.
"Could I be at Westminster Pier at 1330 to take delivery of the
motor yacht 'Madame Sans Gene'? I would receive further instruc-
tions on the Pier, and would meet there Reginald Brown, who knew
all about engines." I said, "Yes", and picked SE up some
sandwiches and beer on my way.
Brown was to time at the Pier, but the yacht was nearly two
hours late. We took over from the owner and builder, Mr Guy
Shelley of Gosport, and I was fortunate enough, as I had only my
Office clothes, to borrow from him a very old pair of out-size
dungarees. We received instructions to proceed immediately to
Gravesend, where we were to report to "Eternal Wave", so we set
off downstream tidying up as we went along. "Madame Sans Gêne"
was a fairly new twin-screw 20-tonner, with forecastley mid-ship
covered steering cock-pit; aft of that came a. galley to starboard,
and single sheeping cabin to port, and then a saldon; there was
a small after cock-pit. She was a fine ship, whose only draw-
back was the difficulty of making anybody get the name right.
In accordance with instructions, the owner had stripped her of
masts and putting on quay and fixing
a machine gun and
all ready to sail at 2.30 p.m. Orders came to proceed
outside harbour at 4 p.m. to the Tug "SUN XV" to be towed
across fast astern of us, under way 6.35 p.m. Engines running
in company with other yachts. Three other yachts
make at half-speed to ease the strain of the tow ropes. and Slight
swell. The tow ropes of two of the yachts broke off they
told to proceed on under own power. Arrived Dunkir Dunkiy
were at 11.30 p.m. and cast off from Tug. Proceeded into Moored
past alongside the quay and proceeded to take troops Frenchmen. on
the Mole, and up the Canal for about 2 miles. board.
Could find no Englishmen so took on board 40