TNA MT 40 66

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TRANSPORT "SCOTIA"
115
used
J.1 In response to your request for a narrative of the
activities of the "Scotia" from the twenty-sixth of May
onwards, I submit the following account :-
"On the 26th May the "Scotia", with its full
crew was at Southampton under two hours notice. The
order came at 7.30 p.m. on the following day (27th) to
to
proceed to Dover with all possible speed. We left berth
42 at 9.30 p.m., and passed through Spithead at about
10.30 p.m. We arrived off Dover about 7.0 a.m. the
following morning. I there received orders to proceed to
28/5
Downs and anchor to await further orders. At 5.0 p.m.,
having received orders and route instructions we weighed
anchor and proceeded to Dunkirk, steering various courses
as ordered and made for the Eastern Channel off Dunkirk,
where we arrived at 9.45 p.m. The weather was calm and
hazy. We sighted several destroyers at anchor off the
Thew agoott Eastern Channel entrance who were engaged in shelling
enemy positions. We signalled destroyers for guidance
and were told to proceed to Dunkirk. It was now getting
dark so I signalled for a pilot but received no reply.
Dunkirk was all ablaze and dense clouds of smoke obscured
JIBQ -- the port. We could hear heavy firing from inshore and
twode
violent explosions in the port. Transport "Malines"
twode was following the "Scotia" so we consulted as to procuring
nedd a pilot. "Malines" signalled "proceeding towards
Gravelines". About two miles ahead "Malines" was fired
on from shore, so we returned steering east towards
Eastern end of Channel. Several small craft lay about
STOW
at the end of the Channel, none of them showing any lights.
need It was now 0.55 a.m., Wednesday 29th. Whilst going astern
and keeping in mid-channel the "Scotia" was struck abaft
engine room on the port side. It was sounded all round,
[eoo
. QU 10 but was found not to be making any water and all compartments
Ms were dry. This proved afterwards to have been a torpedo,
which had struck the bilge keel and failed to explode.
grited We hailed a small sloop which was proceeding towards the end
bre
,JOST of the Eastern Channel and asked if Dunkirk was clear. On
84.8 being told what ship we were he told us to proceed cautiously
towards the entrance. He added you are very badly needed".
avoidev
On this I decided to go on and do our utmost to relieve the
wot situation. The small craft all along the pier were shifted
I - as to enable us to berth. We berthed at about 1.30 a.m.
nt gatog close to the lighthouse, East Pier. Immediately the
Isnaia vessel was alongside the embarkation Officer requested that
I should take as many troops as possible. This I did. The
TOJSI counter showed 2,700, but many more had been taken aboard
of of whom no account could be taken. The "Scotia' estimated
had fully 3,000 troops on board, as every available space
had been taken up. The troops (British) were very
exhausted and many of them could hardly walk along the pier.
net The embarkation Officers' duty was a very strenuous one, and
borrego in passing, I should like to express my admiration of the
good no manner in which this difficult work was carried out by them.
bequort I gathered that some of these Officers had been on duty
unceasingly for thirty six hours.
senale
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