TNA MT 40 66

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REPORT OF PART PLAYED BY H.M.H.C. "ISIE OF GUERNSEY"
in the evacuation of Dunkirk.
26th May 1940
Having received orders from Dover at noon, we proceeded towards Dunkirk in company
with the Hospital Carrier "Worthing" and Transport "Monas Queen", following the route
given by the Naval Authorities. At approximately 4.0 p.m. as we approached Calais, which
lay in ruins under a heavy pall of smoke, two British destroyers crossed our bows, hove to
and commenced shelling the shore Batteries who promptly returned the challenge. To avoid
this No Mans land we were forced to Deviate, as our proper course would have taken us
between the combatants. Whilst carrying out this manouvre, enemy planes appeared and
commenced bombing the convoy but none of the three vessels were struck, although bombs
fell very close.
Arriving off Dunkirk, which was under an even heavier pall of thick black smoke than
id
Calais, we manouvred our way inside through the various wrecks of vessels which had been
struck by bombs and the "Worthing" having been made fast to the Quay we moored alongside
her. A few moments after our arrival streams of motor ambulances arrived threading their on
way through the columns of troops who were not so seriously wounded and were able to walk. ne
Loading was commenced immediately and every member of the ships Crew assisted in stretcher t
bearing so as to facilitate the loading. By 9.55 p.m. both Hospital Carriers were loaded is
with as many as they could take, the "Isle of Guernsey" having 346 cases on board, and as ond
her number of cots is only 203, many of these cases were accommodated in between the cots r,
on the deck along corridors, in fact wherever it was possible to put a stretcher. The
ck
voyage back to Newhaven, via Dover passed without incident and was completed by 4.53 a.m.
on the 27th May. At 11.47 a.m. on the same day, unloading having been completed, Water,
provisions and Oil fuel taken aboard we proceeded to Dover for orders.
X
May 29th 1940.
At 5-16 p.m., having received orders, we proceeded towards Dunkirk, following a
course which took us well clear of Calais. At 7-12 p.m. we stood off for a while because
of an engagement between aircraft and a British destroyer immediately in our track. At
7.30 p.m. an airman was observed descending by parachute close ahead of us and the vessel
was stopped to savePhim. One of the seamen went down a rope ladder to assist the ariman,
but before he reached the bottom, 10 enemy planes attacked the Ship with bombs cannon and
machine guns. By a miracle none of the bombs struck the ship, although considerable
damage was done by the concussion, shrapnel, cannon shells and machine gun bullets.
British fighter planes drove off the enemy and we proceeded towards Dunkirk with a
terrific air battle taking place overhead. Arrived off the port at 8-20 P.m. we found it
was being bombed and shelled, and we had orders from the shore to keep clear. Returning
along the channel in company with two destroyers, we later received orders to wait until
darkness had fallen and then return to Dunkirk, At 11-30 p.m. we entered between the
breakwaters, the whole place being brilliantly lit up by the glare of fires, burning oil
tanks etc., and managed to moor up alongside what was left of the quay at 12-30 a.m.
Loading commenced at once and by 2-15 a.m. we had taken on board as many as we could
numbering 490. All the crew and R.A.M.C. personnel behaved lendidly throughout,
carrying on with their duties and doing their utmost to load the ship as quickly and as
fully as possible, although the ship was shaken every few minutes by the explosion of
bombs falling on the quay and in the water. Leaving the quay at 2-15 a.m. we proceeded
out of the harbour and just outside we found the sea full of men swimming and shouting for
help, presumably a transport had just been sunk. As two destroyers were standing by
picking these men up, we threaded our way carefully through them and proceeded towards
Dover. It would have been fatal for us to attempt to stop and try to save any of these
men, as we made such a wonderful target for the aircraft hovering ahead, with the flames
of the burning port showing all our white paintwork up. Everything was comparatively
quiet on the way across, except that just before we got to Dover, a patrol boat headed us
off as we were heading straight for a recently laid minefield. Arriving off Dover at
7.0 a.m. we received orders to proceed to Newhaven and arrived at that port at 11-15 a.m.
No further trips were made to Dunkirk, because by the time our damage had been
repaired, the evacuation was completed.
(Signed) E. Hill
(Signed) R.F. Pembury
Master
Chief Officer.