TNA ADM 334 83

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M.Y. SUNDOWNER.
tor Cruiser 59 ft overall, I2ft beam, 5ft Draft, 26tons registered.
tons gross, 72 H.P. Cylinder Gleniffer Deisel giving a speed of IO knots.
My ledest son, F. Roger Lightoller and I with one Sea Scout (Eerald Ashwell)
took her out of her winter quarters at Cubitts Yacht Basin Cheswick on the
31st May at II.am, and proceeded according to instructions towards Southend
where we arrived at midnight, first of about 40 boats that mustered at
Westminster.
At 3.15 a.m. April Ist we left Southend in company with five others. Arriv-
ing off Ramsgate I asked for orders and was instructed "Proceed to Dunkirk
for further orsers." As my charts were somewhat antiquated, I asked --
fortunately -- if I could scrounge one a little more up-to-date, and on
entering the harbour was presented with a set complete with Secret Sailing
Instructions, giving -- as I expected, route, buoys, channels etc.
We left Ramsgate at IO am by the route laid down and half way across avoid-
ed a floating mine by a narrow margin. Having no fire arms of any descrip-
tion -- not even a tin hat -- we had to leave the matter of its destruction
to someone better equipped. A few minutes later we had our first intro-
duction to enemy aircraft, three fighters flying high. Before they could
be offensive, a British Destroyer -- Worcester, I think -- overhauled us
and drove them off. At 2.25 pm. we sighted and closed the 25ft Motor Cruis-
er "Westerly" broken down and badly on fire. As the crew of two (plus three
naval ratings she had picked up in Dunkirk) wished to abandon ship -- and
quickly -- I went alongside and took them aboard, thereby giving them the
additional pleasure of once again facing the hell they had just left.
We made the fairway buoy to the Roads shortly after the sinking of a French
transport with severe loss of life. Steaming through the wreckage -- and
ther things -- we entered the Roads.
or sometime past we had been subject to sporadic bombing and machine-gun
re but as the Sundowner is exceptionally and extremely quick on her helm,
waiting till the last moment and then putting the helm hard over -- my
on at the wheel -- we easily avoided every attack though sometimes
nearly lifted out of the water.
It had been my intention to go right on to the Beaches, where my second son
2nd Lt R. Trevor Lightoller had been evacuated some 4' hours previously.
But those of the "Westerly" informed me that the troops were all away from
there, so I headed up for Dunkirk Piers. By now dive bombers seemed to be
forever dropping out of the cloud of enemy aircraft overhead. Within half
a mile of the pier heads a two funnelled transport had overhauled us on a
converging course and was just passing us to port when two salvoes were
ropped in quick succession right along her port side. For a few moments
ne was completely hidden in smoke and I certainly thought they had got her.
it she re-appeared out of the smoke gaily steaming on and heading for the
ers which she entered just ahead of us.