CRS/S
ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.
SERVICES OF THE RAMSGATE OTOR LIFE-BOAT, "PRUDENTIAL",
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IN CONNEXION WITH THE EVACUATION OF DUNKIRK.
Report by the Honorary Secretary, Captain J. Houghton, East
Cliff House, Ramsgate.
1100/30
Ramsgate Hon. Sec. was summoned by Admiral Somerville to the office of N.O.I.C. Ramsgate, and instructed to place lifeboat at disposal of Naval Authorities, fully manned, fuelled and stored for service in DUNKIRK: Coxswain and other members volunteered to serve: Instructions were given to load various stores and coils of rope, and to tow eight craft of various types, mostly wherries (loaded with cansof fresh water for the troops) manned by naval ratings to a given destination, and upon arrival to render all possible assistance in ferrying troops from the beach to the waiting ships, and towing the smaller boats to and fro in this service.
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Request by Hon. Sec. that those who had volunteered should be supplied and fitted with respirators and shrapnel helmets was granted; this was done and after loading stores and assuring themselves the lines for towing were satisfactorily and securely connected, life-boat sailed at 1420/30.
0630/1
Life-boat returned.
Coxswain's report attached.
0700/1
Re-moored.
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This service was rendered during the greater part of Thursday, all Thursday night, Friday, Friday night and part of Saturday, under fire from enemy airplanes, and other implements of war:
I respectfully submit the men concerned are deserving of the greatest credit and admiration for their courage and determination in the successful manipulation of the Life-boat and the wherries they manned without hesitation, and their successful transfer of over two thousand eight hundred British, French and
Belgian troops to comparative safety from the insecurity of the open beach by their individual efforts, with explosives bursting round them continually; the Life-boat bears many scars significant of the ordeal.
Should the institution consider this service worthy of high consideration, may I in all sincerity, if in zealous excess of my privilege, put forward the names of H. Knight (Coxswain),
A. Moody (Acting 2nd Coxswain) T.H. Read (Asst. M.M.) and
A. Liddle (one of the crew) for consideration for the award of your Gold Medal, and E. Attwood (M. Mechanic) C. Knight (aged
69) E. Cooper, I. Hawks and T. Goldfinch (crew) for consideration for the award of your Silver Medal.
(signed) J. Houghton
Hon. Sec.
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