TNA MT 40 66

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OTH
To
BERO
-2-
195
barl
first decent rest for days, three German batteries of six inch
sht
30%
TOTAL
guns opened fire on us. The first shot fell just short of the port
wing of the bridge. We immediately put the ship astern on to the
STATE
shore and increased speed and zigzagged. Our engineers rendered
yeoman service by belching out smoke in an effort to form a screen.
This manoeuvring also caused a certain amount of anxiety owing to
the fact that we were sailing over sand banks out of a swept
channel, and we were not degaussed. In all, about ninety shots
were fired, and the whole action lasted about forty minutes. It
0808
FLAT
is with great regret that we have to report that one shell
registered a hit on the after end of the boat deck, and falling
amongst a group of men, killed eight and wounded thirty. We
happened to have one R.A.M.C. doctor on board, and he tackled his
task with great zeal, and very mediocre assistance from our
Medicine Chest, as gunshot wounds and the dressings thereof are not
included in the Board of Trade statutes!
About a quarter of an hour after the shelling had
ceased, and we were once more breathing more or less freely, an
enemy aircraft appeared overhead and let a burst of machine gun
fire just over our masts. We manned our Lewis guns and waited to
welcome the raider on his next round, but to our great delight a
Spitfire came right out of the clouds on to the German's tail, and
giving him a good burst of his guns sent the enemy crashing in
flames into the sea, on our port side, about 600 yards away. We
did not dally any further to look for survivors.
Later, in response to our wireless signals sent out
during the bombardment by the shore batteries, three of our bombers
appeared and escorted us. After flying round a bit they indicated
to us to alter course, which we did, and eventually sighted a raft
bearing one French Officer and two Belgian soldiers. The raft, when
we got alongside of it, was a very flimsy affair, made of old wood
and an old door. The commissariat of the raft was most complete -
two tins of biscuits and six demi johns of wine. Also, carefully
lashed on the raft was a bicycle of ancient vintage. We picked up
the occupants, and the troops had extreme difficulty in explaining
that they could not accommodate the bicycle, but could manage to
find efficient storage for the demi johns. In the finish we
didn't get either.
On proceeding, quietness reigned, and never to any of
the crew have the white cliffs of Dover looked so welcome as when
se
they loomed up through a slight haze. We steamed into Dover Harbour
g
and alongside the quay, discharged our troops, and landed the killed
and wounded. When this was accomplished, we went to the oil jetty,
and had to wait for several hours while other ships were bunkering.
This did not really cause a great deal of inconvenience, as, in
the manner of all good sailor men we turned in and slept.
So ended an episode of the "KILLARNEY" at Dunkirk.
R. HUGHES. Master.
G.H. Clark. CHIEF OFFICER.
in-
for the Ministry) managed by
Lowed
ing the
GS and
our
entrance enemy
Newman of
bombs. A call for assistance
an escort
the British of Mission two destroyers had previously would be waiting for the me aircraft off the
consisting port. This attack lasted for half an hour when
returned to Ostend.