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Braved
PIC WORK OF
ches
ST. SEIRIOL
Steamer's
SEVEN TRIPS TO
23
cuation
DUNKIRK
Making seven trips to Dunkirk in the
d them on to waiting
other ships, and then
midst of heavy bombing, the North Wales
iol herself with about 900
pleasure steamer St. Seiriol (1,586 tons),
f the seven voyages.
now on Admiralty service, played a
FICER'S GALLANTRY
brilliant part in the rescue of 335,000
rvived was a miracle in
men, in which a thousand ships of all
dozen aircraft flew over
sizes took part last May.
circled round to make
Only now is it possible to reveal the full
D with their missiles, and
story of her gallant work-as told by Mr.
cks with machine-gun
E. Keble Chatterton. the well-known naval
n the Crested Eagle, an
writer, in The Epic of Dunkirk (Hurst
0, became a furnace after
and Blackett, 10s 6d). Merseyside was well
Seiriol got as close as
represented among the rescuing craft. The
about 5½ hours her crew
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. for
pick up survivors.
instance, had eight of their ships engaged.
ficer, Mr J. McNamee,
and lost three of them-iKng Orry, Mona's
ulean service. Immedi-
Queen, and Fenella. The North Wales
Company's vessels were St. Tudno, St. Silio
he was at the beach,
and St. Seiriol, but it was the last-named
the boats, helping men
that won particular notice from the naval
id ferrying them to the
essel.
authorities.
"On arrival in
partially paralysed below
Exhausted Crew
1 that he asked was per-
According to Mr. Chatterton she proved one
back and do one more
of the most useful vessels engaged, and her
two masters during this
crew, subject to the immense strain of aerial
Morris and Captain R.
attack, and without rest during her continual
journeys to and from the historic beach, were
finally in an advanced stage of physical and
MINED CREW
nervous exhaustion. A week before her first
nal courage and endur-
trip sho had already managed to enter Calais
and, defying bombs. had reached the quay and
says Mr. Chatterton,
got away safely. Then. on May 27 she went
impressed the naval
over to assist at Dunkirk.
uch trips also strained
At first she was at the jetty, but afterwards
etermined crew, so that
lay off the beach, where her boats did
ver the military doctor
invaluable service. She would send three boats
hands were unfit to
to the beach, bring off an average of about
ger. They were sent to
forty-seven men in each, though bombs
rest and another crew
dropped from the planes like rain. and load
them on to waiting destroyers or other ships,
continue the brave duty
and then fill up St. Seiriol herself with about
be associated with this
900 men on each of of the seven voyages.
Later on, in June,
How she survived was a miracle in
Iready published, was
itself." says Mr. Chatterton. Often a dozen
ees from Le Havre,
aircraft flew over simultaneously, circled
beril from fierce enemy
round to make careful direction with their
air, and again got back
missiles. and raked the decks with machine-
gun bullets."
When the Crested Eagle, an oil-burning
who will sail on this
ship, became a furnace after a direct hit. St.
e should be spared to
Seiriol got as close as possible, and for about
ce-time duties, will be
five and a half hours her crew were toiling
wledge of the brilliant
to pick up survivors.
in "the most difficult
Her chief officer, Mr. J. McNamee,
nd military operation
performed herculean service. Immediately
as the Admiralty
after this he was at the beach, wading in
comparable with the
from the boats, helping men on to them, and
amers' part at Zee-
ferrying them to the nearest large vessel.
On arrival in port he became partially
nd, if Royal Daffodil
paralysed below the waist, yet all that he
why not Royal St.
asked was permission to go back and do one
more trip. She had two masters during
this time, Captain R. Morris and Captain R.
D. Dobb.
The Royal St. Seiriol ?
The exceptional courage and endurance of
St, Seiriol," says Mr. Chatterton, consider.
ably impressed the naval authorities. Such
trips also strained and shook her determined
crew, so that on arrival at Dover the military
doctor decided that all hands, were unfit to
carry on any longer. They were sent to their
homes for rest and another crew took the ship
to continue the brave duty that must ever be
associated with this pleasure vessel."
Later, in June, St. Seiriol was evacuating
lement each time. Our
refugees from Le Havre, again in deadly peril
from fierce enemy assaults from the air, and
bombed and shelled ahea
again got back safely.
The part played by St. Seiriol in the most
t from a few shell spli
difficult combined naval and military opera-
amage.
tion ever carried out" recalls the epic exploit
of the Mersey ferry steamers, Royal Iris and
Royal Daffodil, at Zeebrugge in 1918. When
peace comes, perhaps St. Seiriol will achieve
icer, Mr Macdonald, had
Royal fame.
and smashed the glass o
standing.
It seemed an unluc