TNA MT 40 36 Pt 2

STATE
MERMAIDEN
97
OF
H.M.S. "Watchful",
Great Yarmouth.
26th September, 1940.
Sir,
In reply to your letter T.O. 9144/STN. 6B,
I regret that I can give you very few particulars of the part played by my yacht "MERMAIDEN" in the evacuation of
Dunkirk as I was, myself, in charge of a different vessel working from the beaches.
I have heard, however, that she made four trips from the harbour to vessels lying off, carrying two hundred men each time, and as a result she is leaking rather badly from near misses of bombs and that her decks and wheelhouse have been well riddled with machinegun bullets.
I am sorry I cannot give you any further information, as I have been nowhere near her since.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Lieut. Commander, R.N.
The Director of Sea Transport,
Ministry of Shipping,
I
Berkeley Square House,
T
Berkeley Square, LONDONS W.1.
h
(
g te wh pl ac
30t fav on a fresh wind, mizzen so set, the and narbour motor. about Outside 3.0.p.m. on May with occasionally close still was overhead, setting preparing We range. favoured were the so making heavy gunfire we to As us. stopped keep daylight Mainsail quite was But ship the heard, many a broke going good and Motor times Jib and headway we all and for Naval could that night, relied & by night good Ratings see the when on where run planes evening our we got down. we Sails, heard busy came were of we many 30th in in while were and assisting quit planes and wj I
motive, Sails when to it near seemed Dover, and to get planes quickly above by there us. seemed So we cont and contrary wind. Motor was our only chance now in this strong us, lowered Sails. The just for the purpose the wind failed to SA b had she was to cold, and that the cold paraffin had given starting, me a wet but
So with the assistance of the Seamen, I tried fou to re-start on petrol and change a plug. I had taken plug.
localise our difficulty and to remedy it, that I felt very some relieved time when she started, as without power, we might very well have been blown
P.T.O

Ho
MINNE DOS
st. 2161.
98
Road
99
f.09144/s.T.N.6B
2nd October 1940.
I.W.
9ᵗʰ 1940
Sir,
I letter dated 26th September 1940, have to acknowledge receipt of rk.
your enclosing report on the Dunkirk
Operations insofar as your vessel
"MERMAIDEN" took part in these and to you for the operations, information which you
REGIST 17 6 RECEIVED OCT 11/16/18 x enough this report will be of will to supply. It value in that compiling the final report which be drawn up on these operations.
of B.E.F.
big to submit the
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant, uthampton on
May
June by S. Riding lias ciscumotances
Director of Sea Transport.
U separate sheet
Lieut. Cdr. P.M. Felleul, R.N., sotion to duty b
H.M.S. "Watchful", a
Great Yarmouth.
into considerations c
an go
Of
7 White ear par
The for owners of Minnedosa him
(the
Med 6. 7 White & ( poethumour) Ao. Ridina goin tem what place accon in ratings to
Ho we got out favoured 30th with with foresail fresh and mizzen of Portsmouth set, and Harbour motor. about 3.0.p.m. on setting the heavy a Mainsail wind, and so Jib the for Naval & good Ratings run Outside got down. busy we in were assisting May was overhead, so we keep ship going all night, when evening we heard of 30th planes and I
preparing We were making to quite a good headway by the close range. As But many times that night planes Sails, while quit still favoured us. stopped the Motor and relied on our many wj with Sails gunfire was heard, and planes above we were and occasionally daylight broke we could see where came in motive, lowered when it seemed just for the purpose the wind failed seemed to b to near Dover, and to get quickly by there us. So we cont and Sails. The Motor was our only chance now in this strong us, SU
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