TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

QUEST
SERTION IN REGISTERED PAPERS
Ext. 2161.
по
CLUB
MOORINGS OFF
HURL
LETTER SENT
WANDSWORTH PARK AND
HURLINGHAM.
LANDING STAGES
1 OCT1940
AND DRY DOCK.
T.09144/S.T.N.6B
POST ROOM
137
4
AD
30th September 1940
Gentlemen,
136
I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 18th September 1940,
29. Burstock Road enclosing report on the Dunkirk
Putney S.
Operations, insofar as your "PRINCE",
"PRINCESS" and "DUKE", took partin
October 5ᵗʰ, 1940.
then these operations, and to thank you for the most interesting information which you have been good enough to supply.
the report operations. which burcular will be drawn up final on these 7144 / STN 6 B.
be of value in compiling the
It is anticipated that this report will
2n
I am, Gentlemen, to a record of the
Your obedient Servant, happenings of (Sgd.) (say I boat MEREDITH. QUEST
with impelf and that this does not friend onew
Lane to as
Director of Sea Transport.
I am. moventheless make very
Messrs. qu Samuel Williams & Sons Ltd., mion escpressed by others
8, Lloyds Avenue, of the E.C.3. finistry of make shipping the effect that such would a
intable pictorial happenings introduction to a film
Lane in mind fontraying che efforts of amateur Yachi men to do the an B.b. in their I.
famer to assist in the ation of from
Dunkink.
I am. at the request of the ministry of shipping. lianing the eational condition of Quest excactly as she arrived back from Deunkink.
The engine is being put back into wonking with them to Dunkirk. He that returned as the on weather Tuesday had and deteriorated we report for our over to C.O. Davies who informed would be us used and he had no further use borrowed no more small We boats obtained our clearance London. paper and, with a services. chart and compass started for one of the worst experiences was of tossed the whole about job like for a a heavy Here sea began was running and and at our 10 little p.m. Tuesday boat night morning we anchored and, after in the cork Swale. but we An made early it start was made on Wednesday being/

QUEST
ORIGIN
FILLING STATION FOR
HURLINGHAM YACHT
CLUB
MOORINGS OFF
PETROL.OIL & WATER.
WANDSWORTH PARK AND
HURLINGHAM.
LANDING STAGES
AND DRY DOCK.
43A DEODAR ROAD
137
impegop
PUTNEY S.W.15
Telephone
PUTNEY 3209
29. Burstock Road
Putney S. W.15.
Hirector of Sia Frans hand.
October 5ᵗʰ 1940.
Diar Sir,
Re burcular letter T.O. 9144 / STN 6 B.
In submitting to you a record of The happenings of my boat "QUEST". with impelf and friend as crew, 2 Lane to confess that this doco not make very eseciting reading. I am. mementheless quickd by the advice and opinion escpressed by others of the ministry of Shipping. to the effect that such
Lappenings would make a suitable pictorial introduction to a film they Lane in mind pontraying the efforts of amateur Jacktomen to do an in their
Dunkink. Lawer to assist in the wasnation of the B. b. 7. from
I am. at the request of the ministry of shipping. lianing the eaternal condition of "Quest"
exactly as she arrived back from Dunkink.
The engine is being put back into working over with them who to Dunkirk. informed us He that returned as the on weather Tuesday further had and deteriorated we use reported for our to C.O. Davies boats would be used and he had no borrowed no services. more small We obtained our clearance paper and, with a chart and compass started for London.
of the worst experiences of tossed the whole about job like for a a
heavy it and at 10 p.m. Tuesday morning and, after
Here sea began was running one and our little boat was night we anchored in the cork Swale. but we An made early start was made on Wednesday being/

HURLINGHAM YACHT CLUB
MOORINGS OFF
WANDSWORTH PARK AND
HURLINGHAM.
FILLING STATION FOR
LANDING STAGES
PETROL. OIL & WATER.
AND DRY DOCK.
43A DEODAR ROAD
138
PUTNEY S.W.15
Telephone
PUTNEY 3209
condition to emable me to get der under way and so he at the service of the meniatory shaned they decire to use her for the purpose mentioned.
I waned request you ht me know of any decision made in this respect with some Lours natice shaned you require my services. Oct the same time I do mad wish to have the visal too long in her present condition as the mercy of any possible bad weather.
I am,
Yours Faith fully.
bhas. L. Hunt.
and over to no C.O. more with Davies small them boats to who obtained Dunkirk. informed would our be us clearance He used that returned and as he paper the on had weather Tuesday and, no further with had a deteriorated use borrowed for our services. chart and compass We started for London.
began one of the worst experiences boat was of tossed the whole about job like in for a heavy Here sea was running and and at our 10 little p.m. Tuesday night we anchored and, after th cork Swale. but we An made early it start was made on Wednesday morning being/

139
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/

REPAIRS & REPLACEMENTS
TOTAL D
VESSEL
TYPE
CLAIMANT
PAPER NO.
HIRE & EXS.
£.
S.
d.
£.
£.
S.
d.
124.
-.
!
"HASTAWAY"
S.Bge.
S.J.Peters
T.M.3915/40
216.
!
"
12.
10.
287.
"HANORA"
M.V.
C.E.Thompson
T.0.9176/40
CrescentTrade
277.
7.
2.
Facilities Ltd.
240.
i
"HAZARD"
M.V.
Crescent Trade
T.M.3768/40
Facilities Ltd.
3.
8.
"HILDA"
3.
M.F.B.
R.A.Newman & Sons
T.O.9337/40
"HOPEFUL"
M.F.B.
D.Hillyard
T.M.4105/40
5.
6.
5.
24.
5.
"HOUND"
M.V.
Pickfords Ltd.
T.M.4368/40
69.
13.
8.
4.
"HEATHER BELL"
M.B.
H.Loose
T.M.6098/40
4.
18.
9.
"HANDY BILLY"
M.L.
F.Kinson & Son
T.M.5752/40
13.
18.
6.
200.
"HERON"
6.
10.
M.B.
C.W.Mott
T.M.5237/40
18.
10.
!
"HENRY JAMES"
M.B.
Mr.Mitchell
T.M.9123/40
4.
3.
8.
"HEART OF GOLD"
M.B.
J.Walker
T.M.8970/40
11.
3.
9.
70.
10.
!
"H.A.C."
S.Bge.
H.A.Cunis Ltd.
T.0.9302/40
221.
10.
10.
275.
16.
3.
H.W.Harvey
14.
9.
10.
16.
4.
!
"HAROLD MARGETTS"
S.Bge.
Port Edn.Authority.TO. 9312/40
5.
5.
"HAPPY RETURNS"
M.V.
J.T.W.Saunders
T.M.4960/40
6.
13.
10.
(F.E.5)
"HAWFINCH"
M.V.
A.Grant
T.M.4979/40
5.
5.
"
(N.N41)
"HIBERNIA"
M.V.
M.F.Hardy
T.M.5003/40
4.
18.
8.
12.
6.
(N.N47)
3.
14.
"HURLINGHAM"
M.V.
J.Mears Ltd.
T.M.3719/40
See under "Jeff"
"HIS MAJESTY"
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