TNA MT 40 66

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REPORT ON LOSS OF H.M.T. "ABUKIR"
May 24th for the Downs for orders, arriving there in the
We cleared from Southampton on the afternoon of
morning of May 25th where we received orders to proceed to
Ostend, to land supplies for the B.E.F., arriving off that
port about 20.00 of the same day.
The town was then in flames and the majority of the
buildings on the sea front were in ruins, the quays and signal
stations being absolutely deserted. The pilot boarded me
when I was almost in my berth and informed me that apart from
a few French Naval Officers there was no-one of any authority
in the port.
I interviewed these Officers who apparently had no
knowledge of my ship, but suggested that I should start dis-
charging at day-break.
On the way back to the ship I met a British Army
lorry driver who told me that a Lieut Harris with 38 British
troops who were adrift from their units were standing by at a
farm about five miles outside the town. We went out and
brought them in but on our arrival back at the ship we were
bombed SO intensely - the quay being the target - that I
decided to abandon the ship until daylight. At 02.00 on May
26th I managed to get into telephone communication with the
British Mission at Bruges, who instructed me to commence dis-
charging, which I did with the assistance of the troops and the
ship's crew. We were bombed off and on throughout the day.
Later on the British Mission informed me that a British bomber
had made a forced landing at Ostend and would I try to make
contact with her crew. Lieut. Harris and myself located these
men at the Stane Aerodrome. After firing the machine, the two
officers and two men who formed her crew joined my ship later
on in the afternoon, bringing with them the machine guns and
instruments of the destroyed bomber. On the way back from the
Aerodrome we picked up another 25 British troops who had also
been separated from their units, also two wounded R.A.F. men.
At 20.00 on the 26th May the bombing became so intense
that once again we abandoned the ship until day-break, resuming
work with the assistance of Dutch Army deserters. Throughout
the day German aircraft were continually bombing us and at 15.
they started dive bombing and machine gunning us so heavily tb
once again I decided to abandon the ship, having had two
casualties, one being an R.A.F. gunner shot in the arm and a
Belgian civilian shot in the left eye. Getting through to
Bruges again they instructed me to cease discharging and to
what Army vehicles I could, the rest to be destroyed, also t.
British Mission had decided to evacuate by my ship that night
I suggested sailing after dark at 22.00 to which the
agreed. The Mission boarded me and at the stated time I cut
my lines and sailed with approximately 220 people on board in-
cluding crew, soldiers and Belgian refugees. I was followed
out of the port by the British S.S. "MARQUIS". On clearing the
entrance enemy aircraft flew over dopping Verey lights and
bombs. A call for assistance was sent out as Mr. Newman of
the British Mission had previously informed me that an escort
consisting of two destroyers would be waiting for me off the
port. This attack lasted for half an hour when the aircraft
returned to Ostend.