TNA MT 40 66

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Extracts from letter from the Managing Director of the
NEW MEDWAY STEAM PACKET CO. LTD.
151
14th August, 1940
The "QUEEN OF THANET" which was stationed at Grantnam in
the Firth-of-Forth and Flotilla Leader of Minesw eepers received
instructions on Thursday, during the evacuation to proceed to
Dunkirk. On arrival there, this vessel with many others pro-
ceeded to take in Troops off the beach under terrific bombing
and shell-fire from the Germans; in spite of this she took in
several hundreds of Troops and proceeded to Margate Jetty Where
they were disembarked. Arrangements were then made for her
to take in oil fuel and proceed again to Dunkirk, as soon as
possible; she arrived over the following evening, and again took
on board several hundred more Troops and many wounded, and again
proceeded to Margate Jetty, disembarked the Troops, and after tak-
ing in Stores and water proceeded again for Dunkirk. When more
than halfway across the Channel they noticed a Steamer which
had evidently been bombed and loaded with 3,000 Troops was in
difficulties and seriously damaged; on arriving close to the
vessel "PRAGUE". she proved to be the London North Eastern Mail Steamer,
A destroyer was alongside transferring Troops from dis-
abled vessel, numbering 500. A wireless message was then
received by the "QUEEN OF THANET" asking him to call alongside
also, and take off the Troops. When within hamling distance,
the Commanding Officer of the "QUEEN OF THANET", Lieutenant
Commander Hallivell, R.N.V.R., asked 'How many Troops were left
on board' and the reply came, '2000. Commander Hallivell re-
plied, "I will take the lot". These were all safely embarked
including the few wounded, and again the vessel left for Margate
Jetty; this was on Sunday, May.
In In the meantime the "PRAGUE" having been lighted was able
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with precaution to proceed under her own steam to Dover on Sunday
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night. "QUEEN OF THANET" again proceeded to Dunkirk, and
o
early Monday morning cleaned up the beach and brought over a
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few Troops including 47 wounded. The total number of Troops
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brought over by the "QUEEN OF THANET" was 4,000 plus wounded.
a
Lieutenant Commander Hallivell has since been promoted Commander
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"MEDWAY QUEEN" This vessel I understand made three or four
trips to Dunkirk and each time brought over her full complement
pl
of about 800 passengers. I am endeavouring to get in touch
with the Commanding Officer of the "MEDWAY QUEEN", but each
al
occasion she was lying so far from the pier that I was unable to
De
jo
of
th
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as
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see immediately we were likely hove up to our anchor and kept the Tug
he
could
a twisting bit, and I turning to clear the get bombs. run down I whilst the destroyers underweigh were
were and rowing as off could in see their our boat crew towards of the barge and paddled the soldier in towards stevedores the shore
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next crew wave of of barge bombers "DUCHESS" were overhead. that had anchored us. I picked in the Roads, them up,also and then boat the
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(Continued)