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SOUTHERN RAILWAY
138
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1008.
GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE,
WATERLOO STATION, S.E.1
MONTHLY'
100.
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46
47
please
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DIRTOR
the
.XG.1929/40
22nd October, 1940
to
September, 1940.
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OF
SIR,
OF
Q1, my if you are yet in a position to letter of the 20th September and to
I beg to draw your attention to
STATE
as become available ion of British and French ves
BOOM
enquire return to us the original reports made by the Tilbury Contracting on the Masters of our vessels engaged in ch are normally employed the Dunkerque evacuation.
ne engaged upon contract he appeal for volunteers vice was answered by all st to the last man.
oppers proceeded to
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
K
each of the five vessels
Viey e general picture is that to
25
B. Missender
, dropped anchor, launched of the B.E.F. and French heavy aerial attack as theck
Lit
3, left Dunkirk again with ark hours of Friday night, during the course of
1st.
The Director of Sea Transport
Ministry of Shipping, he crews was John Tarry,
Berkeley Square House, dier on board out of the
Berkeley Square W.1
was transferred to ters varied only in vy swell running and
Iment, one salvo of ad the opportunity of
; some shrapnel falling to the unavoidable or troops picked up and brought back by ner could not be ascertained. During the operations one ship's boat with troops on board was blown clean out of the water and capsized by a bomb which fell close alongside withoutinjury to any one. She sailed about 9.0.p.m. and just after leaving she with odd pieces of wood, who were rescued. During her passage sighted a small dinghy manned by five French soldiers rowing back, enemy ships and aircraft were encountered. An air fight took place overhead, and she was forced to make several detours finally disembarking the troops at Ramsgate.
By way of recognition of their gallant services, the owners have been able to obtain the special consent of the Board of Trade to the issue to all the officers and men concerned of the Merchant
Navy Badge. It is understood that several individual names have been mentioned in despatches.
S

STAM
JANSINGO
138
EXTRACT FROM THE 'P.L.A. MONTHLY'
47
September, 1940.
asd
ECHOES OF DUNKIRK.
3
The following further information has become available
STATE
regarding the part played in the evacuation of British and French soldiers from Dunkirk by the vessels of the Tilbury Contracting
9AY
THE
& Dredging Company, Limited, most of which are normally employed in the Port of London but were at the time engaged upon contract work for the Admiralty at Portsmouth. The appeal for volunteers for despatch on secret and dangerous service was answered by all the crews (some 76 officers and men) almost to the last man.
On Friday morning, May 31st, five steam hoppers proceeded to
Dunkirk.
Upon their arrival off the Beaches, each of the five vessels had different individual experiences. The general picture is that they all got as near in-shore as possible, dropped anchor, launched life-boats to assist in embarking members of the B.E.F. and French troops indifferently, and after enduring heavy aerial attack as well as an artillery bombardment for hours, left Dunkirk again with the rescued troops on board during the dark hours of Friday night, landing her troops at Ramsgate or Margate during the course of
Saturday, June 1st.
The only casualty of any kind among the crews was John Tarry, a deckhand, who in assisting to pull a soldier on board out of the water unfortunately ruptured himself, and was transferred to hospital upon returning to England.
The experiences of the individual Masters varied only in detail. One vessel on arrival "found a heavy swell running and was subjected to very severe aerial bombardment, one salvo of bombs falling only a few yards away. She had the opportunity of seeing several German aircraft brought down; some shrapnel falling on the ship without hurting anyone. Owing to the unavoidable confusion the exact number of troops picked up and brought back by her could not be ascertained. During the operations one ship's boat with troops on board was blown clean out of the water and capsized by a bomb which fell close alongside withoutinjury to any one. She sailed about 9.0.p.m. and just after leaving she sighted a small dinghy manned by five French soldiers rowing with odd pieces of wood, who were rescued. During her passage back, enemy ships and aircraft were encountered. An air fight took place overhead, and she was forced to make several detours finally disembarking the troops at Ramsgate.
By way of recognition of their gallant services, the owners have been able to obtain the special consent of the Board of Trade to the issue to all the officers and men concerned of the Merchant
Navy Badge. It is understood that several individual names have been mentioned in despatches.
S

VI
2.
dnesuay 29th May. 9.0 am. Proceeded to Dover for Orders.
235
.0 pm. proceeded to Dunkirk by North Route. When off Ostend we came under gunfire from Shore Batteries, also from the Air all the way to Dunkirk. Our guns were in action all the time. 1
can only describe it as a Cavalcade of planes.
About 6.30 pm. we arrived off Dunkirk Pier to find it damaged and ships sunk on both sides of it. We got orders to embark troops from the Beach, but in the meantime the H.M.S. "Crested
Eagle" was bombed and set on fire.
We lowered the Dinghy 1/c of 2nd Officer with other men, and
1 took charge of our remaining Lifeboat with four Naval Stokers. We proceeded to the rescue of the men from the Burning Ship and brought them aboard.
After we got everybody that it was humanely possible from the burning ship we went to the shore.
On our approach to the Shore we were received with Six
Revolver Shots in quick succession from the direction of Dunkirk.
1 proceeded to where the first batch of the B.E.F. paraded, and indeed
I am proud to say their discipline was wonderful. An Officer waded out to meet the boat and inquired how many men I wanted to go into the boat. I tola him 1 could take about 50 but to let them come
10 at a time, so that we could keep the boat afloat. After the boat was loaded the boys on the beach pushed her into the deep water.
So we continued until I was ordered to come on board. We received order to proceed to Dover to get medical attention for the wounded men on board. in the meantime the Crew were doing everything possible with the Timi ted medical stores at their disposal. On our way back to Dover sometime about 1.0 am Thursday the Vessel came in contact with something which caused her to shake, also about this time we were in the Company of Seaplanes. I presume they were laying mines. About 3.0 am we let go Anchor in the Downs during thick fog.
5.0 am. Weighed Anchor, proceeded to Dover where we arrived about
6.30 am. After reportingwe had wounded on board we were allowed to proceed to the Admiraity Pier where we were met by the Medical Staff.
Sir, + have made this report as brief as 1 could in so far as my memory would carry me back.
Yours obediently.
Joseph McNamee.
Chief Officer. H.M.T. "St. Seiriol"