TNA MT 40 66

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STAM
JANSINGO
138
EXTRACT FROM THE 'P.L.A. MONTHLY'
47
September, 1940.
asd
ECHOES OF DUNKIRK.
3
The following further information has become available
STATE
regarding the part played in the evacuation of British and French
soldiers from Dunkirk by the vessels of the Tilbury Contracting
9AY
THE
& Dredging Company, Limited, most of which are normally employed
in the Port of London but were at the time engaged upon contract
work for the Admiralty at Portsmouth. The appeal for volunteers
for despatch on secret and dangerous service was answered by all
the crews (some 76 officers and men) almost to the last man.
On Friday morning, May 31st, five steam hoppers proceeded to
Dunkirk.
Upon their arrival off the Beaches, each of the five vessels
had different individual experiences. The general picture is that
they all got as near in-shore as possible, dropped anchor, launched
life-boats to assist in embarking members of the B.E.F. and French
troops indifferently, and after enduring heavy aerial attack as
well as an artillery bombardment for hours, left Dunkirk again with
the rescued troops on board during the dark hours of Friday night,
landing her troops at Ramsgate or Margate during the course of
Saturday, June 1st.
The only casualty of any kind among the crews was John Tarry,
a deckhand, who in assisting to pull a soldier on board out of the
water unfortunately ruptured himself, and was transferred to
hospital upon returning to England.
The experiences of the individual Masters varied only in
detail. One vessel on arrival "found a heavy swell running and
was subjected to very severe aerial bombardment, one salvo of
bombs falling only a few yards away. She had the opportunity of
seeing several German aircraft brought down; some shrapnel falling
on the ship without hurting anyone. Owing to the unavoidable
confusion the exact number of troops picked up and brought back
by her could not be ascertained. During the operations one ship's
boat with troops on board was blown clean out of the water and
capsized by a bomb which fell close alongside withoutinjury to
any one. She sailed about 9.0.p.m. and just after leaving she
sighted a small dinghy manned by five French soldiers rowing
with odd pieces of wood, who were rescued. During her passage
back, enemy ships and aircraft were encountered. An air fight
took place overhead, and she was forced to make several detours
finally disembarking the troops at Ramsgate.
By way of recognition of their gallant services, the owners
have been able to obtain the special consent of the Board of Trade
to the issue to all the officers and men concerned of the Merchant
Navy Badge. It is understood that several individual names have
been mentioned in despatches.
S