TNA ADM 334 83

7
then the Lord Grey, the less handy of the two ships, swung round before making fast so she could be got away quickly if need be. The ebbing tide made it very difficult to bring her alongside & I regret to say the operation was not as neat as it could have been. Clythness went straight alongside and troops began immediately to pour on to her but before she was anything like full Lord Grey got her stern wedged in between Clythness & the quay and parted her moorings much to the annoyance of the embarkation officer. I had by this time got ashore and was again proceeding to the naval "base", such as it was, when the embarkation officer told me I was wanted.
I had to explain that unless the exact position of a mine was known it was useless for me to search alone in Lord Grey. As no details were available a signal was made to Dover for two more sweepers & we were told to fill up with troops & go home. By the time I got back to the ship Clythness was free & just pushing off in anticipation oft the orders. She took about 350 men I believe. Owing to the state of the tide it was necessary fob the troops to come aboard on improvised ladders and the operation was not very fast, and struck me as being very precarious. The ship would not lay alongside quietly & soldiers with heavy kit, rifles & various oddments of gear found it very difficult to get aboard dead tired - as they were - and under more or less continual aerial fire. However they did very well, encouraged by our crew and the naval ratings on the quay. In fact to tell the truth the only man who fell was myself! I tried to jump on to the whale-back but fell back and was saved from a sticky end between the ship and the quay by Providence and our leading seaman.
When the ship was crammed full, including 3 stretcher cases & a few
'walking' we were ordered to push off & I confess so far as I was concerned, it was none too soon. When we left the harbour seemed to be
156
s/o/
8/10
wish
1156
6/4