TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

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On the evening of May 30th I arrived home at 6 p.m. being
met as usual by the dog to collect the evening paper. Having
finished my meal and whilst reading the evening paper a ring
came from the front door. My wife answered and found two
Naval Officers armed with their revolvers waiting. The Officers
asked for, and my wife called, me.
Although surprised to see the callers I was not astonished,
for I had, after reading the news from France, some suspicion of
what might be on foot by the Royal Navy.
After identifying myself and giving the assurance that I
was the owner of the M.V. "Quest", the Officers asked if I had
a photograph of the vessel. The expression "Just the type of
boat for the job" was made after seeing a small snapshot. I
was hereupon handed a paper and requested to consider both
myself and "Quest" at the disposal of the Naval Authorities.
I was given, in confidence, a brief outline of the situation and
the intentions of the Authorities with the usual Naval advice
to "Keep it under your hat".
I was requested to get under way as early as possible with
the instruction that if necessary I was to commandeer crew,
food and fuel. Any refusal to be met by the showing of the
paper to the nearest Police Officer. I mentioned the business
on hand to my chum Ted Avery who immediately volunteered to
come along with me.
After donning our boating kit and sweaters we went along
to the Hurlingham Yacht Club, got "Quest" off her moorings,
and brought her alongside the landing stage, where, with the
assistance of women members of the Club we unloaded all masts,
sails and anything movable, which, as mentioned by the Naval
Officers, would impede numbers of troops scrambling aboard and
packing themselves as tightly as cabin space would permit.
Life jackets and Life Buoys were left on board.
While the unloading was in progress I was hailed by a
Naval Pinnace from the river and asked to hurry my departure
as things were getting rather desperate. A further Naval
Officer appeared at the Club Jetty again emphasising the
necessity for all speed.
After saying Au Revoir to our women folk and others at the
Club we got under way at approx. 8.50 p.m. The tide being
against us our speed was not too good, normal speed being only
approx. 7 knots. Just below Wandsworth Bridge the Naval
Pinnace came up with us and asked if we were making our maximum
speed. We replied this was so but of course we were receiving
no help from the tide. The Officer in command thereupon
suggested he take us in tow as far as Tower Bridge, by which
time we should have the tide under us. As a conversion "Quest"
was never intended to travel at a speed of 12 knots which we
did in tow of the Pinnace.
over with them to Dunkirk. He returned on Tuesday and "
to C.O. Davies who informed us that as the weather had deteriorated
no more small boats would be used and he had no further use for our
services. We obtained our clearance paper and, with a borrowed
chart and compass started for London.
Here began one of the worst experiences of the whole job for a
heavy sea was running and our little boat was tossed about like a
cork but we made it and at 10 p.m. Tuesday night we anchored in the
Swale. An early start was made on Wednesday morning and, after
being/