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.

Showing only pages tagged with the vessel name Duke. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

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1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 225–225 of this collection

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OCR is not a transcription. It is machine-generated text used to create research tags and help locate names and references within the source images; it should not be read as a verified narrative.

Page	Image	OCR text	OCR tags
225	Log in to enlarge	COPY. steamer "RUSHEN CASTLE". 2nd. July, 1940. R. W. Cannell, Esq., 103 General Manager. Sir, In reference to your letter of the 28th. June requesting a report from me as Master of H.M. Transport "MONA'S QUEEN" when on her last voyage from Dover to Dunkirk. I joined the "MONA'S QUEEN" on the 28th. of May. On the evening of that date, I received orders to leave Dover in the early morning of the 29th. to carry fresh water to Dunkirk and return with troops. Everything was uneventful until we reached to within about half a mile off Dunkirk, when the ship was mined and sank within two minutes, the survivors being rescued by the destroyer "VANQUISHER". With reference to the request for names of Officers and personnel who should be recommended, I can only say that the conduct of all survivors was exemplary. not An outstanding example of bravery was witnessed by some of the survivors. It appears that H. Craine, Chief Cook, showed the greatest courage and disregard for his own safety when noticing that Mr. Morgan, the Chief Steward, was unable to get away from the ship through injuries, he went back and rescued him knowing that the ship was rapidly sinking; further particulars can be obtained from Mr. Morgan, Chief Steward. Owing to the port Another meritotious act was that of 955244, Gunner J. Osborne, of the 253/64th. Field Regiment R.A., who rescued Mr. R. Gallagher, the Purser, and swam with him to the warship which was taking survivors to England. Unfortunately Gunner Osborne's self sacrificing heroism was unavailing as Mr. Gallagher died on board the warship before arrival at an English port. took home, of Duke I trust that this report will meet your requirements. Canadian troops and all day that was off. Then Yours obediently, of ammunition and embarked the Irish of E's for Boulogne, It (signed) A. KHAM cranes to load the ammunition, but willing soldiers we had the landed in Master. embarked BE many troops as we British, RE the Germans only left, in fact Heinkels dived on to the berth which we had just vacated and practically blew it to pieces. However, we got back to Dover safely and 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 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.	Duke England Evening Queen Cook Day Dover English Gallagher Last Little Loose May Miles Morgan Osborne Steward Willing

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 225.

COPY.
steamer "RUSHEN CASTLE".
2nd. July, 1940.
R. W. Cannell, Esq.,
103
General Manager.
Sir,
In reference to your letter of the 28th. June requesting a
report from me as Master of H.M. Transport "MONA'S QUEEN" when on
her last voyage from Dover to Dunkirk.
I joined the "MONA'S QUEEN" on the 28th. of May. On the
evening of that date, I received orders to leave Dover in the early
morning of the 29th. to carry fresh water to Dunkirk and return with
troops. Everything was uneventful until we reached to within about
half a mile off Dunkirk, when the ship was mined and sank within two
minutes, the survivors being rescued by the destroyer "VANQUISHER".
With reference to the request for names of Officers and personnel
who should be recommended, I can only say that the conduct of all
survivors was exemplary.
not An outstanding example of bravery was witnessed by some of the
survivors. It appears that H. Craine, Chief Cook, showed the
greatest courage and disregard for his own safety when noticing that
Mr. Morgan, the Chief Steward, was unable to get away from the ship
through injuries, he went back and rescued him knowing that the ship
was rapidly sinking; further particulars can be obtained from Mr.
Morgan,
Chief
Steward.
Owing to the
port Another meritotious act was that of 955244, Gunner J. Osborne,
of the 253/64th. Field Regiment R.A., who rescued Mr. R. Gallagher,
the Purser, and swam with him to the warship which was taking
survivors to England. Unfortunately Gunner Osborne's self
sacrificing heroism was unavailing as Mr. Gallagher died on board
the warship before arrival at an English port.
took home, of
Duke I trust that this report will meet your requirements.
Canadian troops and
all day that was off. Then Yours obediently,
of ammunition and embarked the Irish
of E's for Boulogne, It (signed) A. KHAM
cranes
to
load
the
ammunition,
but
willing soldiers we had the landed in Master.
embarked BE many troops as we
British,
RE the Germans
only left, in fact
Heinkels dived on to the berth which we had just vacated and practically
blew it to pieces. However, we got back to Dover safely and
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
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.