COPY OF STATEMENT.
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HMS keith
Steam and smoke were coming away from the Destroyer, and she n to take a list. I began to run towards her, as also did the Tug
ABBS", but the planes were bombing her again, intent on finishing off, so we had to sheer away from her. Her guns were going all time as she steamed round and round, but she stopped as she must re been hit again. She let go her anchor and swing round to head the tide, as the crew began to take to the boats and rafts we made r her again. As the bombers came over and machine-gunned the crew
3 they were all jumping overboard and the Tug "VINCIA", which was oming in the Bast end of the Roads began to pick them up, and the
'ST. ABBS" had got alongside her starboard bow and the sloop was also going to their assistance, so I turned rouried to a motor boat full of soldiers and picked them up.
lvanhoe
At this time I could see that another Destroyer had been disabled to the West of the Harbour, and a 'plane had just dropped a bomb on a small oil tanker astern of the "VINCIA" which went up in flames.
A direct hit on the stern of the sinking Destroyer blew up her depth charges and we made to the sailing barge #TOLLESBURY" which was signalling us. We went alongside of her and were requested to tow her out of it as she had over two hundred soldiers under her main hatch.
We passed the motore lifeboat "ORIENT IV" on to her stern and began to tow her down the Dunkirk Roads.
A Cross-Channel boat was backing out of the Harbour full of troops, and no more troops were to be seen on the Pierhead, when,
West of the Pierhead we saw that the "PERSIA" had the other disabled
Destroyer in tow and he was blowing for us. But we could not catch him as the Destroyer had one engine going as well.
The "VINCIA" by this time, was passing us with her decks laden with survivors of the sunken Destroyer, and as we all came to
No. 5 W. Buoy to turn out to sea, here the gun fire from shore batteries and Destroyers and trawlers was terrific as about 20 planes flew towards us to try and stop us getting away. The "PERSIA's" Destroyer put up a smoke screen, and we watched nine bombs fall from a plane and drop right alongside a Cross-channel boat that was bound in, but she kept going. Then a plane over us released five bombs and we watched them fall and they dropped in to the sea about 100 feet on our port bow, lifting the Tug bodily out of the water. Another bomb was aimed at the "PERSIA" which missed and must have put water on her deck, and yet another was aimed at the "VINCIA" which also missed. The Lewis gun on our barge was going all the time with ours.
A squadron of our planes was coming over and the Enemy 'planes began to turn away. A bomb exploded between a Sloop towing a disabled
Destroyer, and I think it must have parted the towrope as I could see they were trying to get connected again soon afterwards. The "PERSIA"
and Destroyer began to draw away from us, also the "VINCIA", and we continued on our tow.
A mine was exploded near us by a navy motor boat and when we arrived in the Downs we were met by the examination Tug "JAVA" about
3-0 p.m. and were ordered to Ramsgate. "e hove barge up alongside and anchored at Quern Buoy 4-45 p.m. where a motor boat launch came off and took ashore about 100 troops and returned for the others, with orders for us to tow barge to Gravesend.
In all, we brought about 230 troops out of Dunkirk, the Barge
"TOLLESBURY" and crew, and crew of "DUCHESS" and crew and Soldier stevedores of "ROYALTY" and Motor boat "ORIENT IV". We andored at Southend
10-0 p.m. and proceeded to Gravesend at 7-0 a.m. on Sunday 2nd June, arriving at Lobster Buoy with "TOLLESBURY" 9-30 a.m. Went to Pier and handed "ORIENT IV" over to Custom House,
(Signed) W.H. Simmons.
Master of Tug "CERVIA".
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