TNA MT 40 66

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TTOA TO THE
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a Naval Officer came off with orders for Captain Cassidie and my-
self from the Admiralty. I was to proceed at once as near Dun-
OF
kirk as possible, there discharge the A.L.C., and their crews, and
then it was suggested that I might make a rendezvous with Captain
CANADA
Cassidie where the boats, if damaged, could come and be repaired.
These were verbal orders. I was given a route through the
Downs to Dunkirk also the position of some dangrous wrecks. I
did not like proceeding in the dark through the Downs among those
wrecks and so many ships at anchor without lights, and I told
Captain Cassidie that I should have had a pilot. The Naval Officer
had departed by this time. I laid down on the Chart all the
route and the wrecks and I told Captain Cassidie again that I did
not like the job in the dark. He then said "If you don't like to
go, Captain, give me a course to steer and put the boats in the
water and I'll take them across". I felt that was a challenge to
our ability, so started to heave up right away and was underweigh
by l.a.m. on the 29th. I picked our way through the Downs,
narrowly missing one of the wrecks to the westward of the Goodwin
Sands. At 3.30 a.m. we heard an S.O.S. -"Unknown steamer tor-
pedoed at Kaempfe Bouy" and, as our route was to pass south of
that buoy, I wanted to avoid the area and asked permission from a
Patrol Vessel to steer direct for Dunkirk across a "Forbidden to
Anchor" area, but he said "No". I spoke to Captain Cassidie and
he/
All the Engineers dia excellent work at
and we understand the 4th Engineer (A.M. Rivett) manned a Bren
Gun, by permission of the Chief Engineer, with effect on enemy
planes.
The Chief Steward E.u.Onions, 2nd Steward J.F.Brown and
Purser D.D. McMahon we understand aid heroic work in tending to
the woundea, there being no Doctor on board.
ALL the medical Supplies and other consumable stores
of our Catering Department were used to give Medical Comfort to
the rescued.