TNA ADM 334 83

3
Armed to the teeth we now both clambered ashore and found the quay piled high with equipment of every description. Rifles, Bren guns, petrol, bicycles, ammunition, kitbags, coats, belts, gas masks, in fact every conceivable variety of gear. Aircraft were flying low over us and we felt no inclination to delay and examine some of the stuff.
Alongside the same quay & nearer the town was the transport H.M.S.
King Orry, whom we hailed. The O.O.W. was helpful and told us that the quay was broken in a second place shoreward of him and he believed there were no officers to be seen there. On the strengthlof that I decided to remain alongside where we were until the first streak of dawn when one ship would move further up if possible & I would make another attempt to see Capt. T. The time was now about 2 a.m.
Soon after we returned aboard there was some shouting up the quay and
King Orry who had been badly damaged by near-misses proceeded astern
& disappeared out through the harbour entrance. She was one of the
Isle of Man packets in peace time.
Things now were a little quieter and in preparation for an arduous day I decided to take a short rest. Hardly had I sat down and put my feet on the wardroom table, hopefully closing my eyes, when I was awakened - or rather disturbed - by the announcement that people could by heard calling for help, apparently just off the harbour mouth. Both ships immediately slipped & sailed in the direction from which the shouts came, and as they got louded we could faintly discern part of.
the funnel & foremast of King Orry. Both ships launched their boats &
together rescued 14 of her crew including the Captain, who despite his awful experiences & having been the last man to get aboard the boat, stepped aboard the Lord Grey with a cheery "Good evening, thanks.
Drenched in oil & shivering with cold the survivors were suffering from shock, & we dosed them all with rum & changed their clothes for s/o/
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kets etc. The first streak of dawn was now appearing and a Destroyer who had also picked up some of King Orry's crew was dodging off the Harbour. Lord Grey hailed her & asked her to take those we had picked up.
She was the Vivacious and hove to while we transferred the survivors.
The Captain asked if we could go in & fetch troops off for him as he wanted to fill up & be off as soon as possible. I explained to him as politely as I could that we were here for minesweeping, and there were other ships engaged on ferrying. However as I was going back to the Harbour I
would report & do my best. He was not impressed - and I didn't blame himwith my reference to minesweepingm I was frankly gravely worried as the actual gear streaming 500 yards astern of the ships with everybody, Destroyers, schoots, M.T.B.s, rowing-boats & paddle steamers dashing about at full speed, would have presented a serious hazard to the hard job in hand. Besides, in a mined area the gear is far more dangerous to a degaussed ship than a mine.
We then proceeded back to harbour intent on finding Capt. Tennant, & went as far along the Eastern mole as we could, dodging the various wrecks. As soon as we were fast again I got ashore & started walking down the quay against a steady stream of Tommies and a few officers. At last I reached the end of the quay where a number of naval Officers sat. Their uniforms were covered in dust and they all looked extremely tired. They were quite indifferent to the proximity of bombs and the itermittent spatter of machine fun bulletsm an indifference which I did my best to share, though I
am certain I failed to disguise my nervous & profound anxiety. The senior officer was a Commander and to his silent enquiry I replied: "Unit officer of Lord Grey & Clythness to report to Capt. Turner, Sir." "What have you come for?" Here we were, having come over minefields & through a regular deluge of bombs, and our arrival was apparently of no consequence!
Capt. Tennant it appeared was not available.
s/o/
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Ised
OF
90
08
Dunkirk Operations
People
Sex abrabba EN
may 1940
OF
hote of movements by B. A. Smith
Durn masher M.C.Countant hymph"
IRX
hittle ship Club of bad
OZEN
ever boat 00.10, was 27th May 1940, Admiralty rang up to
EAT
Homey nam are to answer this a subject call! of good habits I did not have to get notice. up
Not being ready for sea, and arranged for four confirm hours' that my
BLONDS
BIT
and
Having as already put a few things in a bag I went go to Isleworth the
08.45, Admiralty rang up again and asked me to to boat.
STATE
ITE
It soon as possible and arrived there between 10.00 and 11.00.
my own permit only carried to Middle Blythe Buoy, and was obvious that some form of permit would be required as
Boathouse that a Naval Officer was expected who would issue instructions were to take the boat to Sheerness, I found my at the the permits and was requisitioning other boats in the same yard.
When the Officer arrived he did not seem to think there was but any tremendous hurry and wanted the boats to go down together, separate permits were issued by the afternoon so that I
was then ready to start at any time, and the others did not look like being ready for several hours.
At about 17.30 I tried to ring up the "Mate" as I felt he was home early and put such a jerk into things that he be able to help me work the boat down to Sheerness. Luckily sure he would want to be in on this game and might at least before 19.30, and we started at 20.00 without waiting for the got his things together and arrived from Tulse Hill to Isleworth other boabs.
the south side until daylight as we should not be allowed to on at Tilbury, who examined our permit and told us to anchor
Soon after midnight we were pulled in by the Naval Control enter Sheerness during darkness. By the time we had found and we had no riding light, so decided that It was not worth suitable anchorage it was already about on the 28th May, a while either of us going to sleep as one would have to keep anchor watch and dawn would be early.
slowly to Sheerness and after a little chasing around there
As it was quite light by03.00 we raised weighed anchor and proceeded found the basin where the motor yachts were to collect, reported the gates. Other boats from Isleworth were nearly all present by our arrival and went to breakfast at an Hotel near the dockyard could sign on for one month but did not then know for what time we got back from breakfast. We were informed that we purpose we were required, although I had been told by the pleasant voiced man who spoke to me from the Admiralty that it was dangerous.
Of the boats which had come down from Isleworth mine was the only one in charge of its owner so far as I know, and at that time we had rather got the point of view that there was nothing very urgent in the wind and most of the men who had brought boats down from up river had done so without any previous knowledge that they would be doing so and had had no opportunity of making arrangements with employers, etc. so that few of them felt able to sign on for a month and went back to town very regretfully by train.
The opportunity of playing boats for a month with the Navy seemed to me too good to miss in any case, and I had been able to warn my partners that I should be away for a bit, but there was some difficulty in getting signed on and I
toured Sheerness Dockyard interviewing numerous people until late in the afternoon and by about 17.00 had formed a pretty accurate idea what the job was and was quite determined not to be put off, so appealed to the Commodore himself,who was supervising the fuel and victualling of the motor boats at the basin. Within half-an-hour of explaining to him that I

0507
-4-
reported cutter to whaler, and took them all back to the up the
I and took him aboard, went back and picked full further the Captain of Jutland that the ship, to the was my leading mark as the British big fire just in-shore up the beach and that I was going there, British a were and the east of this. From then on we worked to this were point just
British; Jutland was filled roughly half and half British the
French came down the beach and mingled with and French.
After we had been going to this point for about three or four trips, a German bomber most inconsiderately dropped the a. large bomb on our large fire and blew it out like a candle, this did not matter very much then as I had other leading marks and the mass of troops had increased so that they were quite visible on the beach.
have
By about03.00, 31st May, Jutland was full and she sailed paffer at once to avoid the dawn bombing, Jerry was trying to bomb the ships as they left loaded and thus get the ships and the way.
men, but his efforts throughout the 10 - 11 hours that I was working on the beach were very poorly rewarded.
Jerry also had some big guns for which aeroplanes were spotting, and they dropped verey lights over the ships, but here again Jerry wasted ammunition without hitting anything that I saw. One of the crumps came as a nasty shock as the at least two bombs explosion actually stopped my boat for a split second, and I
shook the boat, but thought I had grounded as she quivered all over but in the none stopped it.
next moment she went on again and the noise of the crump followed the air push so that I knew it was nothing serious.
On Jutland leaving about03.00 on the 31st May I turned over handania was with the cutter and whaler to Laudania and by aboutos. she filled about 3/4
this time I had used up all my deck cargo of petrol and the too was full, making a total of about 900 men brought off. By
Birtish +1/4 Trouch engine wanted more oil and the grease cups refilled, also there was a certain amount of rotten rope round the propeller german shaft, this I had not been able to cut in time. My two crew were both stoker ratings of four months' service in the Navy only and being stokers were not issued with clasp knives, on my stern-man shouting to me that an odd rope was getting round our propeller, I had to leave the wheel and cut it with my own sheadknife, if he had had a clasp knife he could have done it in time, I was a moment too late.
The cutter had gone aground under a stranded lighter on the windward side of same, a N.W.wind having got up a bit in the morning, and as I could not get near enough to get the cutter aff and the crew, also their young sailors, did not, how to get off, I resoued the crew and brought them off to Laudania
Engine had been in accordance with the Captain's instructions. My boat only stalling, probably just managed to gedouside Laudania with the last whaler load due to cope, relf.
that she could take and the Captain ordered me off with my starter now refused crew and the crew of the whaler, the crew of the cutter being service.
already on board, and turned over my boat and the whaler to a
Naval drifter which was said to have petrol and mechanics on board so that they could be of use further.
The whole of us who had been on the beach work then had our first stand-bysy since 21.30 the day before and my crew and myself had not had anything to eat since 17.30 the day before and nothing to drink since 15.30, and had been continuously employed, as had the two Naval ratings who remained on each of the naval rowing boats during the tow across.
Jerry started his usual effort when the ship left at
08.30 to09.00 on the 31st, but with no results, and plenty of hot tea and bread and butter and jam and a chance to light a pipe had made me perfectly indifferent to anything Jerry did.

9
No damage was done, but we gazed up the side of a seemingly endless estroyer, reaching quzxfxz 10 or 15 fifteen feet above us, and saw vaguely the figures of ratings rather helplessly waving collision mats. We went up to the side of the pier, and ran our ladders alongside, taking off some 150 or 200 French soldiers.
Our own particular job, however, was limited to tending the two warps of our motor yacht, to prevent them fouling the tug's propellers. We were only beside the pier two or three minutes, and then turned round and made for home at full speed. Unforžunez tunately, it was not possible to tow the motor yacht at this pace, and she was finally cut adrist, carrying with her, amongst other things, my best black hat and umbrella, and office suit.
Just at dawn there was a sudden scare when an aeroplane was sighted. The the Lewis guns from our own, and two other, vessels were immediately brought to bear on her, and as tracer bullets were being used it was easy to see the cone of fire all
I
concentrated on the one target. As a scuttered for cover, I felt a patter of metal on to my back, and thought for a second that my last hour was come, until I realised that it was the empties falling onto me from one of the guns. After firing for only a few seconds, the aeroplane crashed into the sea astern, and we continued on our way unmolested. Much of the return journey
I spent drinking tea in the galley (a broiling hell, whose presiding demon was a small and helpful boy of about 14) and sleeping in the forecastle of the tug, whose crew was most kind to us. We the a machine in gun and of ammunition ease on at with 4 us, quay 2.30 p.m. the other under p.m. to strain the yachts.35 of Tug of "SUN Three p.m. tow ropes. gun broke to other to Engines proceed be towed and yachts Slight running they tow ropes of under two own the yachts Arrived in off 1 1
swell. were at 11.30 told p.m. Mole, to off from Tug. for to on about take board troops Frenchmen. 2 board.
past Could find the the no

ommanding Officer of H.M.Y "Christabel" II.
ne 2nd 1940.
Extended Defence Officer,
Admiralty House, Sheerness.
arrative of Events from first signal to arriving at Sheerness.
Sir,
I beg to submit the following report:-
On receipt of your signal passed to me by H.M.Y. "Calatea," I proceeded to Outer Bar Buoy and met H.M.Y. "Calatea, "Amalree," and "Glala," I was handed your letter by "Glala," instructing me to take these yachts to the
North Goodwin light vessel, there to close the examination vessel for further instructions. We proceeded in line ahead led by "Xaleta," as Sub-
Lieut, Dunning knew the channel, owing to non-appearance of examination vessel I decided to anchor my ships for the night, at 04.00 I ordegered my engines to be started and to go and see if I could find the examination vessel, as it was now dawn, at 05.00 my engineman reported a defect, I
gave orders for remainder of yachts to close examination vessel at 06.00
and proceed according to instructions they received.
We ven eventually got one engine running, and I decided to proceed to
Ramsgate for repairs, which I reported to the examination vessel. Just before arriving at Ramsgate at I0.00 my engineman reported that he had the Port engine running, I anchored off Ramsgate pier and immediately proceeded ashore in ship's dinghy for my routing instructions. These I was given without any delay, and at I0.15 we were under way for Dunkirk.
When in position approximately 5I-I2' N. 2-28'E, we were attacked by a
Junkers 87 and machine gunned, his burst of fire fell all round the ship,
I gave orders to my gun layer not to open fire on him until he was well within range, as I did not think he would be able to see our Lewis gun at his height, immediately we opened fire he sheered off.
f
V
I anchored off the Casino at Dunkirk at 15.30, as I saw a lot of troops
1
waiting to be embarked, I went off in the ship's dinghy to see how I could the get some of these troops on board, there was too much surf running to land,
I was also informed that these troops were French and would crowd the boat no so much, that she would be swamped, I learnt that a prty of about & 50
We
British troops would arrive at about 17.00 at that part of the beach, I
returned to the ship and decided to cruise about to see if I could find a
The boat of some description to embark these men, I went as far as La Panne and was there spoken by a sloop who asked me to take his boat and try and on ier get troops off to him from that part of the beach, we were being continually shelled and bombed, at about this time a salvo of bombs fell across
I s]
our stern, the last bomb falling about 30ft away, the only effect was to infa drag our stern down a few feet in the water. We opened fire on this aerowhic plane which was a heavy bomber type Sornier I7. We registered a direct hit with our Lewis gun and his starboard engine burst into flames, and he crashed into the sea, as other ships were also firing I cannot claim this
S.V.
aeroplane definitely.
to get more manner in which he engaged the a machine gun and ammunition on board.
outside ready to sail at 2.30 p.m. Orders came to on masts all and putting on quay and fixing machine gun deck -
make fast in company with other yachts. Three other towed across harbour at 4 p.m. to the Tug "SUN XV" to proceed be swell. to ease the strain of the tow ropes. running at half-speed astern of us, under way 6.35 p.m. Engines yachts were told The tow ropes of two of the yachts broke and Slight at 11.30 to proceed on under own power. Arrived off they past the p.m. and cast off from Tug. Proceeded into Dunkir Dunkin
Could alongside the quay and proceeded to take troops on board.
Mole, and up the Canal for about 2 miles. Moored find no Englishmen so took on board 40 Frenchmen.

of
STREET
DEPARTMENT
Linex gone
OACI
THE
HOUSEY
190
3
SUIT
is sald
Streets
STATES
2.
ate
Jindua had promised to embark the British troops at Dunkirk I steamed back at
TO
sible speed hoping to find a boat to bring them off, we were fortute you finding a whaler adrift which we managed to pick up with our dinghy
2018
of immediately zsent these two boats ashore, and started to embark troops
THERE
DIS
YOUR
move sad t approximately 17.50 this was very difficult as the beach is very flat and there was a surf running, and as soon as a few men got into the whaler,
Todays
STATE
TS
WD
STOUB
&
she grounded, two of my crew with the assistance of some of the troops, by wading up to their armpits managed to get her afloat in deep enough water ox
THE
DEW
THON
To
ASSTD
to float with I6 mem and two of my crew on board and also four men and two of my crew in the dinghy, the la whaler was got alongside after a great struggle as there were only three oars in it, as soon as these men were got
Bluer on board I sent the whaler and dinghy ashore for another load, the dinghy of arrived back with I Officer and four soldiers, getting her off the beach
TOP
earl she capsized in the surf, but fortunately she was righted, as these men in they were being got on board we were heavily bombed, so I stood out to sea to wait for a lull, one bomber sighted us and followed us out bombing us, but
107
DEOGBOST
THE
they fell very wide of the mark, aa soon as I deemed it advisable I steamed
THE
back to the beach, I saw the whaler heading out to us, they had a great difficulty in getting off and could only bring nine men off, as it was now
BIAGU FUE STEPORT KORE SIGNATURE
STUD
21.15 and the bombing had restarted I thought it advisable to get under way.
I had been afraid to stop engines all day as I knew it would be almost impossible to re-start as our air compressor engine had given out, one engine actually stopped, but was got going again after a short while. I had the whaler cast adrift as I knew it would drift ashore and some more men would
7
be able to get off to the ships that were waiting to take th m off, my only regret was being unable to embark the remaining I4 men from this party.
standary
STA8
USIVE
I got under way at 21,45 with my own dinghy in tow as I did not want to
Y
waste time getting her hoisted, as soon as were clear of the bombing out-
2
in side Dunkirk roads I stopped the ship and hoisted the dinghy which was by now almost full of water.
I
When in position approximately 5I-15 N. I-55'E at 23.00 a bomber flew very low over us. I did not open fire as I did not want to give away our position, soon after this, I reduced speed so as not to close the North Goodwin light vessel much before dawn. I did not wish to anchor as my windlass would not work, also I had to keep the engines running, at 04.30 I got away from the North Goodwin light vessel and proceeded yr the Nore and closed
V.B.IO to report to Sheerness, just about this time mya engineman reported the-oil that he would have to stop the Starboard engine as it had water in the oil and he was afraid it would seize up, also that the Port engine was not running too well.
We tied up in Sheerness at 08.25.
The whole of my crew behaved in an exemplary manner, they were continually on duty during the whole period, gave over their accomodation to the soldiers, and fitted them out in dry clothes and did what they could for them.
I should like to mention specially O.S. John Philip Charles Mead, for his unfailing help during the whole time and the cool and efficient may in which he emabr- ambarked the troops.
S.V.G.L. Cyril George Dunley for the cool manner in which he engaged the to a machine get and more gun putting and ammunition on quay and on fixing board. Orders machine came gun to proceed on deck towed -
masts all ready harbour to sail at at 4 2.30 p.m. p.m. to yachts. the Tug "SUN Three XV" other to be yachts outside across fast in company astern of with us, other under strain way of 6.35 the p.m. tow ropes. Engines and Slight running they make at swell. half-speed The tow to ease ropes on the of under two of own the power. yachts Proceeded Arrived broke into off Dunkir Dunkiy were at 11.30 told the p.m. Mole, to proceed and and cast up the off proceeded Canal from Tug. for to about take troops 2 miles. on board. Moored past alongside Could find the no Englishmen quay and so took on board 40 Frenchmen.