TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

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DUNKIRK CLAIMS COMMITTEE.
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given sailing directions and told to join a convoy
which had left an hour previously with "Queen Boadicea"
and "Queen of the Thames". Before leaving, the Officer
in charge kindly agreed to send telegrams to our respec-
tive wives that we would not be home for a day or two.
We set off at full speed and enquired of the Nore Light-
ship if they had seen the convoy, but without success, so
Horse Gore and South Channels
we proceeded via the Cant. Four Fathoms/ and passed a convoy
of about six vessels, but they were bound for Ramsgate.
We arrived off Margate without having seen our convoy
and as our compass has not been adjusted and could not
be relied upon, we reported at Margate to Commander
Stanslet, the Naval Officer in charge, who instructed us
to proceed to Ramsgate. About 6 p.m. we arrived at
Ramsgate and reported to the Officer in charge, and were
supplied with steel helmets and life belts, and were
instructed to join a convoy leaving Ramsgate the follow-
ing day; having no facilities for sleeping on board,
we stayed the night at an Hotel adjoining the harbour.
On Thursday the 30th May, before we left Ramsgate a
number of Naval Ratings whose boats had broken down were
endeavouring to obtain berths as additional crews on
boats which were leaving for Dunkirk, so we consented
to take with us a man called McPherson who, I understood,
had once been in the Naval Air Force and was a very use-
ful man. At 6.45 p.m. on the same day we joined a
convoy of ten craft headed by "Bonny Heather" all towing
ship's boats, and proceeded on a coursefor Dunkirk.
At 8 p.m. the engine started to falter, the cause
obviously being a failure of the petrol supply. I stopped
the engine and disconnected the petrol pipes and endeavoured
to clear the obstruction, and had the engine going again
in about 25 minutes.
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