TNA MT 40 66

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The tide was low, and falling, and we had to wait our turn in the offing.
The channel was narrow and shallow. My ship was very slow to respond to the
helm in such shallow water. The current was fairly strong and sweeping us
or
STORE BALL CBP & STATE STATES ROZ
in a westerly direction. I was greatly concerned as to whether there was
sufficient water alongside the Breakwater for the "LOCHGARRY" as we were
drawing 16 ft. of water by the stern, and if there was a possibility of
JBP
sticking in the entrance to the Breakwater, for if the vessel grounded in that
particular part not only would I have to wait till she floated again, but the
entire traffic to the Breakwater, in and out, would be suspended. This would
be disastrous when every moment counted a day. There were much larger vessels
than the "LOCHGARRY" at the Breakwater, but they were shallow drafts. But
the "KILLARNEY" was in and out, and there was not much difference between our
drafts. A shallow draft vessel which was in the offing with us quickly
OF
manoeuvred and nipped into the "KILLARNEY'S" berth which should have been ours
1991
by turn. The next available berth I could see was well up the Breakwater
e.b.e.
where the water was even more shallow, so we slipped into it without any
mishap and immediately commenced embarking troops on three gangways which were
used
rigged up temporarily fore and aft.
know
There we met two very brave and cheerful men - the Commander and the
Lieutenant Commander, who were carrying on their work and directing operations
as if no danger existed. There was no bustle or commotion, but everything
was orderly and well regulated. The Jerry shells were dropping in the
Harbour about 50 yards from the bow of the "LOCHGARRY" at 11.25 a.m. when we
were fixed in our berth, but they did not appear to explode, and all of them
could be heard coming, screaming through the air, through the smoke and haze,
and dropping in the very centre of the harbour. They had the range perfectly.
Well, it was all right so long as they did not alter it a degree the one way
or the other. There was nothing but thick black smoke and fire everywhere
round the harbour, and parts of several sunken vessels were projecting in the
inner harbour at low water.
A destroyer came alongside of us and loaded his complement over our
vessel. While this was taking place we had our first sample of an air raid,
as the pall of haze to the westward had now cleared up and the sun was breaking
through the clouds, and the day generally was brightening up and getting warm.
The Jerry planes we saw as mere specks in the sky, working sunwards to get in
a straight line between us and the sun, then swinging round and,
"Ere he pounces in the ring,
Selects the object of his spring".
When they started on the dive, down sun, you could hear the death zoom
getting clearer and clearer, down and down they came, the A.A. guns on the
destroyers going like electric sewing machines. In a fraction of a second,
about the time the bombs were due to arrive, there was a mighty roar and a
blast of hot air which nearly carried us off our feet. The destroyer had
fired one of his heavy guns which burst a shell in front of the enemy and
shattered him and his bombs to matchwood. I don't think that pilot had time
to jump in his parachute at least I did not see him!
The next wave came along shortly after, and the tactics on both sides
were somewhat similar to the first. Then the embarking went on as before.
I had hoped to count the exact number that came on board, and told the Mate
to place a man at each gangway to count. The man who was placed at the
forward gangway had a yarn with every one that came on and soon forgot the
count. The man at No. 2. gangway, which was constructed of oars across the
lifeboat, told me when I asked him for the count, that it took him all his
time to keep the men from falling in the water, far less count them. The
man at No. 3. gangway did not know he was supposed to count until nearly
half the troops were on board; and then what about the ones that were passing
through to the destroyer? It was hopeless! However, the estimated number
on board the "LOCHGARRY" was about 2,500, and we cast off the Breakwater at
2.00 p.m.