TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

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my boat hook, but as he was dead and a German at that, I
pushed him off and got on my way.
A few minutes later I saw a French Destroy-
er doing about twenty-five to thirty knots, making her way
into Dunkirk. I took my eyes off her for a minute or two
and then glanced back, but there was nothing there. She
must have had a direct hit from a bomb and sunk within a
few minutes. I made my course over to where she had gone
and picked up her survivors, which altogether numbered
only about twenty. Those I picked up I put on board a
French tug which happened to be in the vicinity, and once
more carried on into Dunkirk.
Eventually I arrived off the beach where
the swarms of soldiers were gathered, and at the same time
one of our big ships came and anchored close inshore.
Three of our little convoy of eight had arrived. The first
immediately filled with soldiers and carried on back to
England. The second went aground. My first job was to
ferry soldiers from the beach to the big ship, and I made
a number of trips. Then I tried to tow the boat that had
run aground off the beach but the young seaman with me got
the tow rope around my propellors, the result being that
I had to give the job up and that my own ship ran aground.
All around there was ceaseless activity and, jumping over
the side, I gave a hand carrying the wounded soldiers to
the big ship's skiff which had been launched.
When he knew what had happened the Captain
of this ship ordered me to go on board his ship with my
crew and we swan out to her, but the swift running tide
had not finished with us yet. Soon after we had clambered
aboard the big ship, she too, ran aground. It must have
been about two or three belook in the afternoon then,