TNA ADM 334 83

LITTLE SHIP CLUB
at
COCKFOSTERS: HERTS.
DUNKIRK. 1940.
Jan 18th. 1931
Name & Address.
INET 3391.
Ship
Dr.B.A.Smith
(Tel:Malden 1461) (Tel:Malden 1461) (Tel:Malden 1461) (Tel:Malden 1461)
Malden,
"Constant Nymph"
Penera
Dear Luard, with an know utterly - and who of I indectiphers
Brought
Commdr.C.H.Lightoller The R.D. "Sundowner"
D.S.M. off name 251 Upper - life include
Cottage, know make him it but being it.
E.J.Wilkins Esq.
body 1611
Ludgate Hill,E.C.4.
a story the the He the THE THE THE it you back or that make We
"Lady Pamela"
did not go but
Lost ship, here sort till says to he they put one got next want of his
C.G.Thompson. Esq.
himself. OVE
Jerminus Court. 4411 / Beluine Rd. Banked! "Thark"
Court
Lieut.F.y. Grenfell, R. N. V.R.
Lost ship.
some commission the Roger He's class in a the this also so and the too. but get old if he went Over?
week,gecond stripe done him for
Avenue, Court, N.W.6
as On Active Service
R.N.V.R.
Sundowner believe ___???___
Esq.
times Went over several
Rd.Ruislip,Middx.
"Letitia"
the the the the this we but blooked from the mad a
Lost ship.? if
The about second was that of best he went over.
(Holborn)
"Spinaway"
yours
Scottie
Downing G.Kimber Dominions Esq. office Jemple Bar 9262
St.s.W.1 Esq.
(12.8.40) House,
4044) W.1
A.R. (now Zoccola abroad) Esq.
difficulties were experienced in regard littl that other side on the morning of the 31st th there was a bit of a breeze and a Ma;
"Bonny Heather"
the difficult to embark troops, except water on very the ship, during the previous night the used.
that it did not matter which side was first warned for duty, that the Navy collecte
(4) It is quite clear, from the time a
boats by way of intelligent anticipation, man

stron.
Reta.
$
is
Opans"
aconstent "Cons tant ship Nymph"
COCKFOSTERS, astended ApeT#
TELEPHONE:
HERTS.
Renarks. Bron ought $ off M.
RNET 3391.
Jan 18th. 1941 193
000T
Dear Luard,
Someone with an utterly indecipherabl name - I expect you know who it is, of
251 Upper Richmond Rd - and I expect I
know him but for the life of me I cant
January 1941
ship times over severel
11 Lost he went himself. ship Lost Over.? ship PO over but make it out.
He writes asking that I make up a story of the Dunkirk effort. He includes all sorts of butter about nothing being complete without the Sundowner in it. Well in compiling here it is for what it is worth.
One thing I would ask you and that on you the is to either let me have it back or make y one of our
"Bonny Heather".
me carbon in and the family says they want a copy. Like a fool I didnt put a over to Dunkirk, some sort of a record.
Roger kept command till he got his im his address commission and now has gone to one of
Over the "B" class commissioning this next
?
week. He's in command there also and gets old lly,
11
his second stripe right away. So the
Sundowner has done him a good turn too.
I'm doing his job for him here but believe me I would rather a thousand
Tax times be afloat, but the boys say its their turn this time. Perhaps there is cretary.
something in that, but boys did I enjoy the little effort over the other side.
The only thing both he and I were mad about was that we were blocked from a second run.
Cheerio and all of the best.
Yours very sincerely,
Nightoller the that difficulties other there side was were on a bit the experienced of of breeze in and regard a little boats first that the very ship, (4) it difficult warned did during It not for is to matter duty, quite the embark previous morning that clear, which troops, side from night of except the was the the 31st used. time water on May, the at was popple which lee so side smooth made on was of it by way of intelligent anticipation, the of which the us small were I

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. Arriving 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 avoided a floating mine by a narrow margin. Having no fire arms of any description -- 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 introduction 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 Cruiser "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.

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. Arriving 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 avoided a floating mine by a narrow margin. Having no fire arms of any description -- 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 introduction 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 Cruiser "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.