TNA ADM 334 83

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about the same as when we arrived, but owing to the presence of numerous ecks and the incessant bombing of ships in & around it, I did not think it would be possible or sensible to embark more troops from there.
When embarkation was actually in progress the quay was a tight mass of troops & they were an easy target to machine guns & bombs. The most remarkable thing was that though there were 2 machines 'attending' to us when the troops were comfing aboard, I did not see a single man hurt, though bullets were flying all round, not to mention chunks of shrapnel.
Our own fire was I am sure pretty telling as we were armed with 4 Lewis guns and a special A.A. gun firing 480 shells a minute. It certainly made the attackers keep their distance. A Lt-Colonel who was the senior officer aboard Lord Grey, said we had 450 men aboard. They came down the quay in batches of 50 & we took on 9 batchest, so he said. All were dead tired & had no idea where they were being taken. Many of them never imagined they were behing home, they were quite ready fo us ton take them along the French coastwhence they would continue the fight.
There was a mist on the sea and the homeward voyage was uneventful save for 4 or 5 colossal splashes as of heavy shells which fell round us soon after we has left. We sighted one floating mine which we reported to a sweeper that seemed to be interested in such things.
It was late afternoon when we got back to Dover and the congestion was terrific but quite understandable. As we disembarked our troops I came to the conclusion, half asleep as I was, that there were about 4,500!
Loaded as we were the voyage took 6 hours & we were passed by destroyers returning full of troops who discharged at Dover & passed us again outward bound for more.
9.21
s/o/
$/10
also,

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all gear except, fortunately, the galley stove, and one or two lates and cups and one knife. Life, therefore, was to be very simple.
We arrived at Gravesend at about 1800, and on finding
"Eternal Wave" deserted, reported to the Naval Control Office immediately above where she was moored. We were sent across the river to wait for instructions at the River Emergency Service, where we were given a warm welcome by the two Jeffreys brothers in the motor yacht to which they were attabhed. Our principal need was tea, which they satisfied nobly. Shortly afterwards we received instructions to collect petrol from the River Emergency
Service stores, and then hold ourselves in readiness. As there was no accommodation on board, we were to stay at the Tilbury
Hotel.
Sunday, 2nd June There we remained until the following mornining until, just as we were about to sit down to lunch, we were given instructions to take on board necessary provisions, and proceed immediately to Sheerness. The Jeffreys brothers had fortunately been allowed to join us. We crossed over to X Gravesend, took on provisions (for which we had been given a voucher) and our duties were detailed by the officer in charge of the Pier: the elder Jeffreys (they always addressed one another as Jeff, so I
never learnt their names) as Skipper, the other as Mate, Brown as Engineer, and myself as cook and deck-hand.
We set off at about 1400 with a strong tide under us against a fresh North Easterly wind. In spite of the unpleasant chop, the vessel behaved extremely well, and we made excellent progress to Sheerness, which we reached at about tea-time. There a machine gun and ammuni tion -
masts and putting on quay and fixing machine all ready to sail at 2.30 p.m. Orders came to proceea outside harbour at 4 p.m. to the Tug "SUN XV" to be towed across in company with other yachts. Three other yachts make fast astern of us, under way 6.35 p.m. Engines running at half-speed to ease the strain of the tow ropes. Slight swell. The tow ropes of two of the yachts broke and they were told to proceed on under own power. Arrived off Dunkin at 11.30 p.m. and cast off from Tug. Proceeded into Dunkir past the Mole, and up the Canal for about 2 miles. Moored alongside the quay and proceeded to take troops on board.
Could find no Englishmen so took on board 40 Frenchmen.