TNA MT 40 66

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ared ese and will S.LOS
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THE STATE TE
DOE DEPARTMENT
In coming from the English Channel to the Clyde there was no great
excitement. Passing the Isle of Wight on a beautiful afternoon we
could hear machine-gun fire overhead, and could see shells bursting very
I
high up, but did not see any aircraft. This was the last we saw of the
fighting in the channel. Going on our routing instructions we arrived on
the Clyde the following afternoon, and berthed the "LOCHGARRY" snugly in
East India Harbour, Greenock, where we had joined her, and all's well.
eas
the
August,
58d
Dear Sir,
What struck me most BD Dunkirk was the contross and office stay Xith which
the N.T.O. and his mon moved about the narrow wharf shepherding the Stred
troops 68 they slowly noved down towards the ships. While - W67% lying
alongaide the where under continuous bombing they moved about gafee
It WOR certainly B good example to us,
We were amused at three soldiers (old timers) coming down the sharf arm-to-
are singing with a bottle stieking out of their pocket, they were not the
least bit upset. An old firemen I bad wondered where they had been 20 lusky.
These three soldiers decided they would travel with us insteed of a destroyer
that was loading beside us, and their Inck was still holding as that destroyer
W&B hit shortly after leaving Dunkirk, and B big number killed. This
destroyer was our escort, 00 we had to carry on alone.
Our ship was filled up; 2,700 came dom the gangway, but meny more
jumped aboard at other parts of the ship. No were alorgeide the whard from
about 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. When we were leaving the what BD armed trueler,
who was assisting us out of our berth, damaged our D.G. cable and set fire to
the starboard belting aft. Mr Wallace, the 2nd Engineer, went art and ear
the fire out. After be examined the eable he cene back to ISS is the englae-
room and reported the cable wes beyond repair, 30 we had to leave with no
D.G. gear.
After leaving the whard we 1n the engine-room SSW DO more of what vas
happening on deck. However, we had plenty to Yeap us busy, as It turned out.
We could hear the planes swooping down, and 48 the boaths deopped round 738
electric bulbs and parts of the glass from the engine-room skylights caph
falling down on us. The concussion and vibration was bad every time a salvo
would drop us.
During this time every one on watch just kept moving about surrying out
their various dubies, Our only discontert was the fact that we all bad our
Life-belts on. This made us very wash. The reason se has them on was the
fact that the decks were 80 erowded, if anything had happened we could not got.
neer oux rooms. This bombing kept on will thout anything compening until
about 5.45 p.m. when efter & heavy sheck the firemen on watch in the stokshold
essa rubbing into the engine-room to tall me something was buret about the
stants pipes, I ran into the stokehold, and to my great relief I found that
all that mes wrong was a drain firem one of the steem pipes had opened with the
shock, and was allowing steam to escape. When I weat back into the sogine-
room and told Mr Waliace what this serong we had a good laugh.
Rowever, shortly after this WO received an artre beavy shock. I was area
abo wes hit as the seemed to be lifted unt of the water. 1 was just coming
out of the stokehold when I hourd the fireman shout. Whom X gob back Late
the stokehold all the fixes were out and fuel oil sproving all aree the stotahold.
I sant word into the eagine-groom to Mr Bullece to slow the main angines does
and take charge of the engine-recm 00 as wo would not loss the stumm 0,00 tao
bollers, I managed to get the damaged oil with isolated and got the stand-by
unit under way. WIthin tax intentes we were may full speed again. the
concession/