TNA / MT 40 66

TNA MT 40 66

Collection details

TNA MT 40 66

Ministry of Transport records containing a Dynamo vessel list and reports from masters and crews engaged in the evacuation, covering 1940–1947.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: MT 40 66

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, MT 40/66. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Page	Image	OCR text	OCR tags
41	Log in to enlarge	68 The General Iteam Navigation Company Ltd TELEGRAMS-GLYCONIC TELEX LONDON TELEPHONE-ROYAL 3200.7 (23 LINES) CODEs-PRIVATE 15, Trinity Square, BENTLEYS PHRASE SCOTTS 10TH EDTN. A.B.C. 5TH EDTN. BOE London.x.c.3 July 27th. 1940. OUR REFERENCE D. YOUR REFERENCE The Right Hon. Ronald H. Cross, M.P., Minister of Shipping, Berkeley Square, LONDON, W.1. Dear Sir, I understand you are anxious to get further particulars of the achievements of the Merchant Service vessels during the Dunkirk Evacuation. The General Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., together with its subsidiary New Medway Steam Packet Company, had eight vessels engaged. Reports from the other seven will follow, but in the meantime I take the liberty of sending you a cutting with a description of the voyage of our little vessel, m.v. "BULLFINCH" of 433 tons, which brought about 1500 troops over. I beg specially to draw your attention to the action of the Bren gunner who, with two Bren guns aboard, brought down two enemy dive bombers. An important particular of his technique was in with-holding his fire until the dive bomber was within very short range. It is the Master's definite opinion that the skill, coolness and method adopted by the Bren gunner saved the ship and all aboard. If this view is correct, it suggests that all merchant vessels that now have to pass through the English Channel should have aboard several guns manned by skilled gun crews. This would be much more effective than having such guns and gun crews only aboard accompanying escort vessels. butting T.M. reports - which an collected being all They To I beg to remain, Yours faithfully, Patelso These se 7/8/40 Chairman.	Bullfinch Liberty London Crews English Little right

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 41.

68
The General Iteam Navigation Company Ltd
TELEGRAMS-GLYCONIC TELEX LONDON
TELEPHONE-ROYAL 3200.7 (23 LINES)
CODEs-PRIVATE
15, Trinity Square,
BENTLEYS PHRASE
SCOTTS 10TH EDTN.
A.B.C. 5TH EDTN.
BOE
London.x.c.3 July 27th. 1940.
OUR REFERENCE
D.
YOUR REFERENCE
The Right Hon. Ronald H. Cross, M.P.,
Minister of Shipping,
Berkeley Square,
LONDON, W.1.
Dear Sir,
I understand you are anxious to get further particulars
of the achievements of the Merchant Service vessels during the
Dunkirk Evacuation.
The General Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., together
with its subsidiary New Medway Steam Packet Company, had eight
vessels engaged.
Reports from the other seven will follow,
but in the meantime I take the liberty of sending you a cutting
with a description of the voyage of our little vessel, m.v.
"BULLFINCH" of 433 tons, which brought about 1500 troops over.
I beg specially to draw your attention to the action of
the Bren gunner who, with two Bren guns aboard, brought down two
enemy dive bombers. An important particular of his technique
was in with-holding his fire until the dive bomber was within
very short range. It is the Master's definite opinion that the
skill, coolness and method adopted by the Bren gunner saved the
ship and all aboard.
If this view is correct, it suggests that all merchant
vessels that now have to pass through the English Channel should
have aboard several guns manned by skilled gun crews. This would
be much more effective than having such guns and gun crews only
aboard accompanying escort vessels.
butting T.M. reports - which an collected being all
They To
I beg to remain,
Yours faithfully,
Patelso
These
se
7/8/40
Chairman.