TNA / MT 40 36 Pt 2

TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

Collection details

TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

A second digitised section of MT 40/36: Ministry of Transport papers on the Dynamo small-craft pool, special-service planning and claims procedure.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: MT 40 36 Pt 2

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, MT 40/36 Pt 2. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 152–152 of this collection

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Every reasonable effort has been made to present these document images as flat, straight and accurately cropped as possible. Historical records can be difficult to photograph or scan because of tight bindings, deep gutters, page curvature, folds, creases, fragile paper, uneven edges, shadows, glare, skewed pages, fading, stains, tears, attachments and restrictions on how a document may be handled. These conditions can distort parts of an image and consequently affect the OCR transcription.

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OCR is not a transcription. It is machine-generated text used to create research tags and help locate names and references within the source images; it should not be read as a verified narrative.

Page	Image	OCR text	OCR tags
152	Log in to enlarge	to SW eds 2018 aNeq OU (2) 140 88 We found great difficulty in keeping "Quest" to a true course waked GQ Иалат at such speed and feared the steering gear might give way. NEB With the assistance of a temporary tiller and Ted Avery holding fast to the wheel we made Tower Bridge without mishap. We cast off from the Pinnace and proceeded unaccompanied downstream with the parting warning to stop if challenged by the Naval Authorities. We expected many such challenges but received none throughout the journey. With navigation lights burming dim and engine working smoothly we made good progress. Off Barking we were hailed by another small vessel bent upon the same errand but whose crew, were in the darkness, finding themselves in strange waters. Although making for the same port they were travelling the wrong course, upstream. They asked if they might tuck in behind, we of course agreed. The absence of any land lights and marks being unrecognisable in the inky blackness made navigation a tedious business necessitating a continuous look out. We reached the waters of, and were logged as sighted, by the Naval Control Station, Southend Pier, at 3.40 a.m. We tied up at the Jetty at 4 a.m. We waited here while the Officer on duty sought instructions for our destination. We received instructions to proceed to Sheerness, O.C. H.M.S. Wildfire. It was very noticeable to see so many craft in these waters. Vessels of all tonnage and shapes apparently awaiting orders. We saw two "Sun" Tugs going out each having in tow ten small craft, also the arrival from the Oxford district of a number of small flat bottom up-river craft. We cast off from Southend Pier and were amazed to find the hundreds of vessels lying off to have vanished from sight. We arrived at Sheerness at approx. 5 a.m. where civilian mechanics came aboard to try the engine, locate petrol, Water etc., We handed over to the Officer on duty being given a receipt for the vessel. Returning to "Quest" we found signs that a naval crew had taken possession, their arms and ammunition being aboard. Whilst at Sheerness we witnessed the arrival of several shiploads, including one or two paddle steamers from home waters, of our forces from Dunkirk. Before saying "Goodbye old girl, do your stuff" we nailed the club burgee to the mast stepping. We left Sheerness having been given free travel warrants back to London, we being termed as Motor Boat ratings. The last seen of "Quest" was by a rating on board H.M.S. Galatia when, to use his words," she was proudly flying the White Ensign with a machine gun mounted on her foredeck." over with them to Dunkirk. He returned on Tuesday amu we 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 in a cork but we made it and at 10 p.m. Tuesday night we anchored the Swale. An early start was made on Wednesday morning and, after being/	Boat London Progress Quest Sun Bridge Davies Last Little Tiller White

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 152.

to
SW
eds
2018
aNeq
OU
(2)
140
88
We found great difficulty in keeping "Quest" to a true course
waked
GQ
Иалат
at such speed and feared the steering gear might give way.
NEB
With the assistance of a temporary tiller and Ted Avery holding
fast to the wheel we made Tower Bridge without mishap.
We cast off from the Pinnace and proceeded unaccompanied
downstream with the parting warning to stop if challenged by
the Naval Authorities. We expected many such challenges but
received none throughout the journey. With navigation lights
burming dim and engine working smoothly we made good progress.
Off Barking we were hailed by another small vessel bent
upon the same errand but whose crew, were in the darkness,
finding themselves in strange waters. Although making for the
same port they were travelling the wrong course, upstream.
They asked if they might tuck in behind, we of course agreed.
The absence of any land lights and marks being unrecognisable
in the inky blackness made navigation a tedious business
necessitating a continuous look out.
We reached the waters of, and were logged as sighted, by
the Naval Control Station, Southend Pier, at 3.40 a.m. We
tied up at the Jetty at 4 a.m. We waited here while the
Officer on duty sought instructions for our destination. We
received instructions to proceed to Sheerness, O.C. H.M.S.
Wildfire. It was very noticeable to see so many craft in
these waters. Vessels of all tonnage and shapes apparently
awaiting orders. We saw two "Sun" Tugs going out each having
in tow ten small craft, also the arrival from the Oxford
district of a number of small flat bottom up-river craft.
We cast off from Southend Pier and were amazed to find the
hundreds of vessels lying off to have vanished from sight.
We arrived at Sheerness at approx. 5 a.m. where civilian
mechanics came aboard to try the engine, locate petrol,
Water etc., We handed over to the Officer on duty being
given a receipt for the vessel. Returning to "Quest" we found
signs that a naval crew had taken possession, their arms and
ammunition being aboard.
Whilst at Sheerness we witnessed the arrival of several
shiploads, including one or two paddle steamers from home
waters, of our forces from Dunkirk.
Before saying "Goodbye old girl, do your stuff" we nailed
the club burgee to the mast stepping. We left Sheerness
having been given free travel warrants back to London, we being
termed as Motor Boat ratings.
The last seen of "Quest" was by a rating on board H.M.S.
Galatia when, to use his words," she was proudly flying the
White Ensign with a machine gun mounted on her foredeck."
over with them to Dunkirk. He returned on Tuesday amu we
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 in a
cork but we made it and at 10 p.m. Tuesday night we anchored the
Swale. An early start was made on Wednesday morning and, after being/