Braved
PIC WORK OF
ches
ST. SEIRIOL
Steamer's
SEVEN TRIPS TO
23
cuation
DUNKIRK
Making seven trips to Dunkirk in the d them on to waiting other ships, and then midst of heavy bombing, the North Wales iol herself with about 900
pleasure steamer St. Seiriol (1,586 tons), f the seven voyages.
now on Admiralty service, played a
FICER'S GALLANTRY
brilliant part in the rescue of 335,000
rvived was a miracle in men, in which a thousand ships of all dozen aircraft flew over sizes took part last May.
circled round to make
Only now is it possible to reveal the full
D with their missiles, and story of her gallant work-as told by Mr.
cks with machine-gun
E. Keble Chatterton. the well-known naval n the Crested Eagle, an writer, in The Epic of Dunkirk (Hurst
0, became a furnace after and Blackett, 10s 6d). Merseyside was well
Seiriol got as close as represented among the rescuing craft. The about 5½ hours her crew
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. for pick up survivors.
instance, had eight of their ships engaged.
ficer, Mr J. McNamee, and lost three of them-iKng Orry, Mona's ulean service. Immedi-
Queen, and Fenella. The North Wales
Company's vessels were St. Tudno, St. Silio he was at the beach, and St. Seiriol, but it was the last-named the boats, helping men that won particular notice from the naval id ferrying them to the essel.
authorities.
"On arrival in partially paralysed below
Exhausted Crew
1 that he asked was per-
According to Mr. Chatterton she proved one back and do one more of the most useful vessels engaged, and her two masters during this crew, subject to the immense strain of aerial
Morris and Captain R.
attack, and without rest during her continual journeys to and from the historic beach, were finally in an advanced stage of physical and
MINED CREW
nervous exhaustion. A week before her first nal courage and endurtrip sho had already managed to enter Calais and, defying bombs. had reached the quay and says Mr. Chatterton, got away safely. Then. on May 27 she went impressed the naval over to assist at Dunkirk.
uch trips also strained
At first she was at the jetty, but afterwards etermined crew, so that lay off the beach, where her boats did ver the military doctor invaluable service. She would send three boats hands were unfit to to the beach, bring off an average of about ger. They were sent to forty-seven men in each, though bombs rest and another crew dropped from the planes like rain. and load them on to waiting destroyers or other ships, continue the brave duty and then fill up St. Seiriol herself with about be associated with this
900 men on each of of the seven voyages.
Later on, in June,
How she survived was a miracle in
Iready published, was itself." says Mr. Chatterton. Often a dozen ees from Le Havre, aircraft flew over simultaneously, circled beril from fierce enemy round to make careful direction with their air, and again got back missiles. and raked the decks with machinegun bullets."
When the Crested Eagle, an oil-burning who will sail on this ship, became a furnace after a direct hit. St.
e should be spared to
Seiriol got as close as possible, and for about ce-time duties, will be five and a half hours her crew were toiling wledge of the brilliant to pick up survivors.
in "the most difficult
Her chief officer, Mr. J. McNamee, nd military operation performed herculean service. Immediately as the Admiralty after this he was at the beach, wading in comparable with the from the boats, helping men on to them, and amers' part at Zeeferrying them to the nearest large vessel.
On arrival in port he became partially nd, if Royal Daffodil paralysed below the waist, yet all that he why not Royal St.
asked was permission to go back and do one more trip. She had two masters during this time, Captain R. Morris and Captain R.
D. Dobb.
The Royal St. Seiriol?
The exceptional courage and endurance of
St, Seiriol," says Mr. Chatterton, consider.
ably impressed the naval authorities. Such trips also strained and shook her determined crew, so that on arrival at Dover the military doctor decided that all hands, were unfit to carry on any longer. They were sent to their homes for rest and another crew took the ship to continue the brave duty that must ever be associated with this pleasure vessel."
Later, in June, St. Seiriol was evacuating lement each time. Our refugees from Le Havre, again in deadly peril from fierce enemy assaults from the air, and bombed and shelled ahea again got back safely.
The part played by St. Seiriol in the most t from a few shell spli difficult combined naval and military operaamage.
tion ever carried out" recalls the epic exploit of the Mersey ferry steamers, Royal Iris and
Royal Daffodil, at Zeebrugge in 1918. When peace comes, perhaps St. Seiriol will achieve icer, Mr Macdonald, had
Royal fame.
and smashed the glass o standing.
It seemed an unluc
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