MERHAIDEN
Telephone No.:
NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE.
MASSEY
RELiance 3811
SHOULD BEADDRESSED
London Fire Busigade, Forces,
Headquarters,
900
XXXXX QUOTING- M/RCC.
to the Chief Commander,
Albert Embankment, S.E.1
London Fire Forces.
STRay.
Entered in Day Book
1st December, 1941.
Dear Sir,
Evacuation of the B.E.F. from Dunkirk.
I understand that you have asked the owners of all boats requisitioned in May, 1940, to assist in the evacuation of the B.E.F
from Dunkirk to forward to you the available particulars of the part they played in the operations. You may, therefore, be interested to receive a brief report of the activities of the fire boat,
"Massey Shaw", although the boat was not requisitioned by you.
On Thursday, 30th May, 1940, the Under Secretary of State,
Home Office, informed the Officer Commanding, London Fire Brigade, that the assistance of a fire boat might be required at Dunkirk.
The Chairman of the Civil Defence Committee of the London
County Council gave his approval and it was decided that the "Massey
Shaw" should undertake the work. She is a 75 ft. steel fire boat, constructed for fire-fighting in the River Thames with a beam of
13 ft. 6 ins. and a 3 ft. 9 ins. draft, equipped with Diesel engines for propulsion and driving the fire pumps.
The "Massey Shaw" arrived at Ramsgate with a London Fire
Service volunteer crew on 31st May, but found that fire-fighting operations at Dunkirk were impracticable. The fire boat was, therefore, ordered to Dunkirk by a senior Naval officer at 1400 hour to assist in the evacuation of troops. Between arrival at Dunkirk at 1900 hours and the departure for Ramsgate at 0400 hours on
1st June, 60 troops were taken aboard from the beaches about 3 miles east of the mole, and were safely disembarked at Ramsgate at 0645
hours. The crew consisted of 13 London Fire Service personnel and
Naval Sub-Lieutenant.
At 1820 hours on 1st June, the "Massey Shaw" again proceed d from Ramsgate Harbour, this time with a landing party of 60 Naval
The Director of Sea Transport,
Ministry of War Transport,
Berkeley Square House,
Berkeley Square,
W.1.
was preparing to keep ship going all night, when we heard many planes overhead, so we stopped the Motor and relied on our Sails, while wj still favoured us. But many times that night planes came in quit close range. As daylight broke we could see where we were and occasionally gunfire was heard, and planes above us. So we cont with Sails to near Dover, and to get quickly by there seemed to bi motive, when it seemed just for the purpose the wind failed us, SA
lowered Sails. The Motor was our only chance now in this strong and contrary wind.
So with the assistance of the Seamen, I tried starting, but fou she was cold, and that the cold paraffin had given me a wet plug.
had to re-start on petrol and change a plug. I had taken some time to localise our difficulty and to remedy it, that I felt very relieved when she started, as without power, we might very well have been blown
P.T.O
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