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TNA / MT 40 66

TNA MT 40 66

TNA MT 40 66
Collection details

TNA MT 40 66

Ministry of Transport records containing a Dynamo vessel list and reports from masters and crews engaged in the evacuation, covering 1940–1947.

Holding archive
TNA
Collection reference
MT 40 66
View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, MT 40/66. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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102
H.M.S. "ROYAL EAGLE"
Statement of Lieut. R. Helyer. Chief Engineer.
100
Dunkirk Evacuation.
Strai ts of Dover May 28th.
Left early May 29th and arrived Le Panne about 9a.m.
Ships A.A. Guns in action all day, heavy bombing during the day but not hit. Left at dusk and arrived at Margate
Pier at Daylight 30th May. Landed between 800 - 900
troops.
Left Margate 30th and arrived about 1 p.m. Before arriving Le Panne shelled by Shore Gun Batteries from upper end of beach, but no damage. Again ships A.A. guns in
Action. bombed during day but not hit. Left at Dusk and arrived 7.30 a.m. 31st May Sheerness. Machine gunned at night coming back by Plane but think it was only guide for
M.T. Boat as French Destroyer 3 miles Astern went up.
All troops were taken from beach and landed between
1800 to 1900 about 40 wounded. 011, watered and cleaned up ship. Proceeded to Ramsgate left on 1st June for
Dunkirk arrived at dusk waited off shore all night.
Shelling heavy all night and a few dents in ship but no one hurt.
French drifter brought off mostly French troops.
Last hour three boat loads of wounded arrived some very bad cases, Left at daylight and arrived Sneerness 6 p.m.
3rd June but were recalled at 8 p.m. as Evacuation was finished.
on that day.
The
General Manager,
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co., Ltd.,
General Manager's Office,
DOUGLAS.
Yours anis the left, in blew it to pieces. However, we got back to Dover safely and
Heinkels dived on to the berth which we had just vacated and practically disembarked our troops. On 24th. May we were ordered to go to anchorage in the Downs for a little rest as Dover harbour was getting rather congested. We were at anchor in the Downs on Saturday evening. Next 25/5
day at noon we got orders and a route for Dunkirk, so we accordingly set off as per instructions. Our route took us about 4 miles off Calais to a certain buoy. On nearing the position I could not see the buoy, but saw a buoy a little further inshore and steamed towards it to make certain. On nearing the buoy I saw it was not the buoy on the instructions and ordered the helm hard aport. Immediately hell was let loose on our ship. We were shelled from the shore by single guns and
1.
Boat Drifter Evening Royal Eagle Day Douglas Dover Few Last Le Little Loose May Miles

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Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 222.

102
H.M.S. "ROYAL EAGLE"
Statement of Lieut. R. Helyer. Chief Engineer.
100
Dunkirk Evacuation.
Strai ts of Dover May 28th.
Left early May 29th and arrived Le Panne about 9a.m.
Ships A.A. Guns in action all day, heavy bombing during the
day but not hit. Left at dusk and arrived at Margate
Pier at Daylight 30th May. Landed between 800 - 900
troops.
Left Margate 30th and arrived about 1 p.m. Before
arriving Le Panne shelled by Shore Gun Batteries from upper
end of beach, but no damage. Again ships A.A. guns in
Action. bombed during day but not hit. Left at Dusk and
arrived 7.30 a.m. 31st May Sheerness. Machine gunned at
night coming back by Plane but think it was only guide for
M.T. Boat as French Destroyer 3 miles Astern went up.
All troops were taken from beach and landed between
1800 to 1900 about 40 wounded. 011, watered and cleaned
up ship. Proceeded to Ramsgate left on 1st June for
Dunkirk arrived at dusk waited off shore all night.
Shelling heavy all night and a few dents in ship but no
one hurt.
French drifter brought off mostly French troops.
Last hour three boat loads of wounded arrived some very
bad cases, Left at daylight and arrived Sneerness 6 p.m.
3rd June but were recalled at 8 p.m. as Evacuation was
finished.
on that day.
The
General Manager,
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co., Ltd.,
General Manager's Office,
DOUGLAS.
Yours
anis
the
left, in
blew it to pieces. However, we got back to Dover safely and
Heinkels dived on to the berth which we had just vacated and practically
disembarked our troops. On 24th. May we were ordered to go to anchorage
in the Downs for a little rest as Dover harbour was getting rather
congested. We were at anchor in the Downs on Saturday evening. Next 25/5
day at noon we got orders and a route for Dunkirk, so we accordingly
set off as per instructions. Our route took us about 4 miles off Calais
to a certain buoy. On nearing the position I could not see the buoy,
but saw a buoy a little further inshore and steamed towards it to make
certain. On nearing the buoy I saw it was not the buoy on the
instructions and ordered the helm hard aport. Immediately hell was let
loose on our ship. We were shelled from the shore by single guns and
1.