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M.V. "SCOTTISH CO-OPERATOR".
EVACUATION OF B.E.F. FROM DUNKIRK.
165
Regarding the part taken by the above vessel in the
evacuation of Dunkirk, there is very little to tell.
When these operations were begun we were loading
ammunition in Newhaven, Sussex and this was completed on the
evening of Tuesday 28th May. Orders were then received that
this ship was required for other duties and the cargo just
loaded was to be discharged. Work to this end was begun on
the morning of Wednesday 29th May and completed the same day,
after which we shifted and bunkered to full capacity.
On Thursday 30th May at 5 a.m., we sailed from Newhaven
with instructions to proceed to Dover for orders. On arrival at
Dover, about noon, I spoke to Examination Vessel and was informed
that we were going to Dunkirk to embark troops and that we were to
anchor and await further orders. At about 5 p.m. we were ordered
into South Downs where we were to close the Examination Vessel
which would provide us with sailing orders and routing instructions.
On receiving these routing instructions I asked the
Examination Officer where the troops were to be embarked, and
whether I had to enter the port of Dunkirk and I was told that
I would receive further instructions from British Naval Craft
when I arrived off Dunkirk. At about 8 p.m. we sailed from
the Downs and at about 11 p.m. arrived off Dunkirk Piers where
several vessels were patrolling but none of these was able to
give me any information as they all appeared to be in the same
position as ourselves. One of them informed me, however, that
there were sunken craft in the entrance and therefore it would
not be safe to attempt entering during the hours of darkness so
I decided to keep on the move, at slow speed, until daylight.
There were several enemy aircraft over during the night which
were engaged by our own or Allied Fighters, and driven off.
By 5.30 a.m. on Friday 31st, it was daylight and I
decided to proceed into harbour and we moored alongside break-
water at 6.30 a.m. The Germans, who were about five miles to
the westward of Dunkirk, had the range of the breakwater and were
keeping it under almost continuous shell fire, but fortunately
neither the ship nor any member of the crew was hit, although
overhead. shells were falling all around and occasional shrapnel bursting
The embarkation began immediately on arrival and after
we had embarked 50 stretcher cases, 150 walking wounded and about
350 able men, we were about to sail when just then an hospital
ship came alongside and it was decided to transfer all stretcher
cases and walking wounded from our ship to the Hospital ship.
This was completed in about forty minutes and I then had to wait
and fill up again with able men. At 10.30 a.m. we sailed
with 550 men on board, including seven stretcher cases.
I had orders to discharge these men at Ramsgate but on
arrival there I found there was not sufficient water at the pier
for my ship and I had to go to Margate where we arrived at 4 p.m.
After discharging troops we were about to leave again for Dunkirk
but discovered that our degaussing cable was cut and owing to
this I was ordered to anchor and await orders, which I did.
After the evacuation was completed I was sent to Sheerness to
have degaussing wire repaired, after which I was ordered back
to Newhaven where we arrived on Saturday 8th June, 1940.
(Signed) T. S. ROBERTSON, Master.
o0o