TNA MT 40 66

S
Ptd
This Sir is what I feel concerned about a fine letter of b ongratulation d Thanks was issued to
70
each Master but owing to me being on my return transferred from the 5/3 Sun XV to the % Sun IV
1940,
I have been unable to obtain my letter which is now on board the s/s Sun XV which vessel has gone away for duration and the crew have decided to keep it on board. Theirfore
Sir as an officer of the Mercantile Marine I am taking the Liberty of asking you if it is possible that I might have another letter of b ongratulation + Thanks for myself which
I can assure you will he greatly heasured by me hoping that this meets with your kind approval I am Sins mine has been JYB-ellon
Yours Faithfully he forms
Master lld
Trusting you
& Obtige
6213 1401 result
There
States master of Ing Gcean Cock

68
The General Iteam Navigation Company Ltd
TELEGRAMS-GLYCONIC TELEX LONDON
TELEPHONE-ROYAL 3200.7 (23 LINES)
CODEs-PRIVATE
15, Trinity Square,
BENTLEYS PHRASE
SCOTTS 10TH EDTN.
A.B.C. 5TH EDTN.
BOE
London.x.c.3 July 27th. 1940.
OUR REFERENCE
D.
YOUR REFERENCE
The Right Hon. Ronald H. Cross, M.P.,
Minister of Shipping,
Berkeley Square,
LONDON, W.1.
Dear Sir,
I understand you are anxious to get further particulars of the achievements of the Merchant Service vessels during the
Dunkirk Evacuation.
The General Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., together with its subsidiary New Medway Steam Packet Company, had eight vessels engaged.
Reports from the other seven will follow, but in the meantime I take the liberty of sending you a cutting with a description of the voyage of our little vessel, m.v.
"BULLFINCH" of 433 tons, which brought about 1500 troops over.
I beg specially to draw your attention to the action of the Bren gunner who, with two Bren guns aboard, brought down two enemy dive bombers. An important particular of his technique was in with-holding his fire until the dive bomber was within very short range. It is the Master's definite opinion that the skill, coolness and method adopted by the Bren gunner saved the ship and all aboard.
If this view is correct, it suggests that all merchant vessels that now have to pass through the English Channel should have aboard several guns manned by skilled gun crews. This would be much more effective than having such guns and gun crews only aboard accompanying escort vessels.
butting T.M. reports - which an collected being all
They To
I beg to remain,
Yours faithfully,
Patelso
These se
7/8/40
Chairman.

NE
Temporary Addres
TELEGRAMS:
CONSTANT MIDDLESBROUGH
Telephone:
AMOUNT NUMBER &SCOTTISH PATIENT
L.M.S. Headquarters,
TELEPHONE 3445
17
WATFORD,
HERTS.
EUSTON 1234.
TELEPHONE WATFORD 6051-8
***
Ext.29
GLYNNE ROBERTS,
Secretary of the Company
Custon Station, London, P.OULI.
YORK HOUSE,
&Assistant to President.
MIDDLESBROUGH.
20th June, 1940
1
20th June 1940.
Dear Sir,
3
I desire to acknowledge and thank you for your letter of yesterday's date transmitting sealed letters from the Minister of
Shipping to the Officers who had command of the "Princess Maud" and
"Scotia" in the recent evacuation from Dunkirk, which I have had much t of your letter of the pleasure in passing forward to the
O note that the Minister
Officers concerned.
e the services of the ng the evacuation from
Yours faithfully,
Oseyme Robert
1 appreciated by the ws of these vessels.
aged for Chartering
Secretary.
aken the liberty of
#
vest Shipping Co., Ltd., r. to forward this to their
The Private Secretary to
The Minister of Shipping,
The Ministry of Shipping,
Berkeley Square House, ly,
Berkeley Square,
LONDON, W.1.
MSHIP LINE LTD, for
SECRETARY.
(J.LAMB.)
Is
CITY
LORINA
WORTHTOWN
3, Lime Street
London, E.C.3.
Capt. E.
NORMANI
John Stewart & Co. Shipping Ltd.,
/CANTERI
MAID OF
YEWDALE
308 Clyde Street,
John stewart & Co. Shipping Ltd.,
Glasgow, C.1.
Capt R.
/BIARRIT
/AUTOCAR
YEWGLEN
308, Clyde Street,
Glasgow, C.1.
(4182)
Wt.15908/5536

CONSTANTINE LINE
TELEGRAMS:
JOSEPH CONSTINTINE PING C Lip LINE LTD
CONSTANT MIDDLESBROUGH
TELEPHONE 3445
17
LONDON OFFICE
YORK HOUSE,
JOSEPH CONSTANTINE & NS,(LONDON) LTD.
BALTIC EXCHANGE BUILDINGS,
19-21, BURY STREET,
MIDDLESBROUGH.
LONDON, E.C.3.
CANADIAN OFFICE.
JOSEPH CONSTANTINE STEAMSHIP LINE LTD.
309, BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING,
MONTREAL,P.Q.
S/A.11
20th June 1940.
The Private Secretary,
Ministry of Shipping,
LONDON, W.1.
Dear Sir,
We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the
19th June, and we are very pleased to note that the Minister of Shipping has seen fit to recognise the services of the
Ships "Levenwood" and "Corinia" during the evacuation from
Dunkirk.
This letter will be very much appreciated by the
Captain, Officers, Engineers and Crews of these vessels.
The "Corinia" being only managed for Chartering purposes by this Company, we have taken the liberty of sending your letter on to The Northwest Shipping Co., Ltd., the
Workington, who will no doubt prefer to forward this to their
Master direct.
Yours faithfully,
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF
JOSEPH CONSTANTINE STEAMSHIP LINE LTD,
(J.LAMB.) SECRETARY.
Is
Comben 1
LORINA
WORTHTOWN
3, Lime Street Square, enemy acti/
NORMAN
London, E.C.3.
Capt. E.
/CANTER
John Stewart & Co. Shipping Ltd.,
MAID OF
YEWDALE
308 Clyde Street,
Glasgow, C.1.
Capt R.
/BIARRIT
John stewart & Co. Shipping Ltd.,
/AUTOCAR
YEWGLEN
308, Clyde Street,
Glasgow, C.1.

DEPARTMENT SEAL
- 3 -
179
ships, while at the same time the Transport "SCOTIA", which was
20
overtaking, was attacked by small motor torpedo craft. On this
GREAT STATE
occasion, the tide being high, it was possible to make zig-zag courses, and return to Dover over the Banks.
Orders were to anchor in the Downs, which were reached at
6.30p.m.
On Monday, the 27th May, at 11.0a.m. left. Downs in convoy with "ST.HELIER", "KYNO", "ROYAL DAFFODIL", "ST.JULIEN", and two escorting Destroyers, this time by the North Sea route, making the coast in the vicinity of Ostend. While on passage, planes approached the convoy, and passed first over the "ST.ANDREW", releasing many bombs which fell very close, and off the port bow, and which subjected the ship to great shock from under-water explosions. Shortly after another salvo was dropped, which fell close to the "ST.JULIEN'S" starboard quarter. Shortly after 3.30p.m.
the French coast was sighted, and from then until our arrival off
Dunkirk Pier Heads enemy planes were constantly over head.
About 4.20p.m. the Port was reached, and the ST.HELIER"
and the "ROYAL DAFFODIL" entered; and this appeared to be the signal for enemy planes to heavily bomb the harbour, while another flight passed over us and the other ships that were waiting outside.
Countless bombs were dropped, and with such rapidity that it was impossible to take any action to avoid them. Later the "ST.
HELIER" came out of Harbour and informed the JULIEN" and the
"ST-ANDREW" that the S.T.O. had ordered that no ships should enter for fear of blocking the Harbour, the quay walls of which had already collapsed. Thus the convoy re-formed under a covering fire from the escorting Destroyers, and returned to the Downs, which were reached at 10.30p.m.
On Tuesday, the 28 May, at 11.50p.m. and while at anchor in the Downs, one or more enemy planes passed over the anchorage, and dropped several bombs all of which Dell clear.
At 3.30p.m. orders were received to proceed to
Southampton, which was reached at midnight.
On Wednesday, the 29th May, the vessel oiled and stored, while Harland & Wolffe commenced to put concrete shields on the navigation bridge. The ship was on short notice, and no liberty was given to the crew.
On Thursday, the 30th May, the ve sel sailed in the late afternoon for Dover, which was reached shortly after midnight, and vessel sailed shortly after mid-day for Dunkirk, this time alone, although the "ST. DAVID" was to follow shortly afterwards.
On the arrival of the "ST. ANDREW", a Destroyer instructed her to berth wherever she could find room, and this was done alongwe side the pier. At ordinary times this would have been considered
1g impossible, and at that time was doubly difficult owing to the ad
, large number of sunken vessels.
n esc
After berthing, which was done during a heavy air raid, t
the Authorities requested the ANDREW" to move to another part cra of the Harbour, where a portion of the quay was still standing.
When the vessel arrived at this berth, it was discovered that the ambulances had been bombed, and that they were either empty or contained dead men, while the quay was in such a state

Mr. Dilke
36
COPY FOR - MR. W. G. HYNARD,
Director of Sea Transport,
Ministry of Shipping,
Berkeley Square House,
Berkeley Square, W.L.
197
WJP/LK
13th August, 1940.
The Right Hon. Ronald H. Cross, M.P.,
Minister of hipping,
Berkeley Square,
LONDON, W.L.
Dear Bir,
EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
Further to our Chairman's letter of the 27th ultimo, we understand that you wish to collect information
Navy in connection with the evacuation of the B.E.F. from regarding the services rendered by the ships of the Merchant for THE GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION CO. LTD.
e
Northern France and Flanders and we, therefore, take the
,wo which liberty of attaching copies of a few confidential reports we have received from various sources. If it would
Yours faithfully, be of interest to you we should be pleased to forward the
Company when we are able to obtain same.
similar information regarding other vessels owned by this so perience coasting and home trades, and the special knowledge and passenger vessels of this Company operate chiefly cargo in the
As you are aware, in normal times the and tense ming and which our Masters and Officers have of the channels exut under them to find their way to the beaches and berths coasts, enabled approaches to the Northern French and Belgian
15.0
y to and their ships, their shallow draft was also of the pleasure the difficult conditions. In the case of a
journeys good bunker capacity enabled these vessels assistance make backwards and forwards with a minimum of delay. to
O t.
The copies of reports enclosed, refer to:-
ship)iight m.v. "ROYAL SOVEREIGN"
m.v. "QUEEN OF THE CHANNEL" (cross channel
O.
ch the
19
p.s. "GOLDEN EAGLE
(cargo vessel managed by G.S.N.
(Passenger paddle steamer
" passenge cut
S.S.
"ABUKIR"
rd in-
Lowed for the Ministry)
ing the is and
Newman of th an escort our entrance bombs. enemy A waiting for me aircraft off the the consisting British the the the half be an hour when the port. returned to Ostend.

The General Iteam Navigation Company Ltd
ALEGRAMS-GLYCONIC TELEX LONDON
ELEPHONE-ROYAL 3200.7 (23 LINES)
CLORE
CODEs-PRIVATE
15, Trinity Square,
BENTLEYS PHRASE
SCOTTS 10TH EDTN.
A.B.C. 5TH EDTN.
BOE
London.E.c.3
Bofons
20mg
OUR REFERENCE WJP/LK
only
NUTOP
YOUR REFERENCE
13th August, 1940.
199
SECTO
The Right Hon. Ronald H. Cross, M.P.,
Minister of Shipping,
Berkeley Square,
LONDON, W.1.
Dear Sir,
EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
Further to our Chairman's letter of the 27th último, we understand that you wish to collect information regarding the services rendered by the ships of the Merchant for THE GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION M.Philpott CO. LTD.
Navy in connection with the evacuation of the B.E.F. from
Northern France and Flanders and we, therefore, take the liberty of attaching copies of a few confidential reports
Yours faithfully, which we have received from various sources. If it would be of interest to you we should be pleased to forward e
Company when we are able to obtain same.
similar information regarding other vessels owned by this
,WO
As you are aware, in normal times the cargo and the passenger vessels of this Company operate chiefly in the
10
coasting and home trades, and the special knowledge and perience and which our Masters and Officers have of the channels exenabled approaches to the Northern French and Belgian coasts, tense them to find their way to the beaches and berths ming under the difficult conditions. In the case of the ut and pleasure ships, their shallow draft was also of
15.
journeys backwards and forwards with a minimum of delay. to their good bunker capacity enabled these vessels assistance make y to
L a
The copies of reports enclosed, refer to:-
)
m.v. "ROYAL SOVEREIGN"
m.v. "QUEEN OF THE CHANNEL" (cross channel to
"
o t.
p.s. "GOLDEN EAGLE
(cargo vessel managed by G.S.N.Co.
(Passenger paddle steamer)
" passenger ship)
S.S. "ABUKIR"
for the Ministry)
ch the cut
.rd in-
Lowed ing the agreed. my cluding out entrance lines of the crew, and enemy A port sailed soldiers the and British Belgi S.S. was dopping "MARQUIS" sent informed waiting out Verey as me for Mr. that lights me Newman an off and escort the of bombs. the consisting British the be an hour when the aircraft port. returned to Ostend.