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As far as I could see the beach I had left (opposite the
Sanatorium) was the only one which was properly organised and
where the troops could consequently beembarked much quicker
than elsewhere, so I boarded H.M.S. Codrington and explained
the situation asking if a Destroyer could be sent down with
me. The Codrington came down herself and ordered another
Destroyer to join her. After this the Sanatorium beach was
well attended by larger craft.
7.
Whilst I was reporting to Codrington I sent my boats
inshore to bring off some of the Frenchmen who were assembled
there. They immediately mobbed and capsized the boats,
threatening my sailors with revolvers when they tried to evict
some. I sent in another boat with an armed party and rescued
three of my four seamen the other being taken off by a XXXX:
Destroyer's motor boat. Later in the day I saw the French
soldiers still crowded in my boat which was then high and dry.
8
I transferred another load of soldiers to Destroyers
during the day and was much assisted by Codrington leaving à
her boats behind with me. During the night at IS hours
before low water I ran the ship aground as by this time my
crew who had all worked continuously since our arrival wer
almost on the point of collapse and could no longer work
the boats. The soldiers were able to walk out to the ship
for about an hour either side of low water and during
this time I collected a full load of between 300 & 350 men.
About 2 hours after low water I managed to float offf and as
by this time there were plenty of pulling boats and motor
boats to tow them I decided to take my load to Margate where
they were disembarked at about noon on Thursday 30th.
On arrival all gear left behind by the evacuees was cleared
out of the ship and quantities of stores placed onboard. I
was very much impressed by the efficient organisation of the
Pier staff.
9.
After refuelling and filling my fresh water tank
I sailed for Dunkirk where I arrived that night and embarke
another load with which I sailed next morning. On arrival at
31°
Margate P.M. on Friday I was told to remain there till
further orders. At about noon on Sunday the second Iwas told
2th
to tow & four motor boats to Dunkirk. On the way across we
were waved back by some ship whose name I could not see but
decided to go on in fulfillment of my orders. I found a
number of Frenchmen on the beach but very few would embark
as they said we would be bombed, this was probably due to the
fact that we were the only ship working on the beach and
thereforethe only target for aircraft who came our way, most
of them however dropped their bombs on a French gunboat
which had been grounded opposite the harbour. I tried two or
three places along the beach but without much
success, I did however manage to collect some British soldiers
from boats which they had salvaged. I then proceeded towards
Dunkirk but when I saw there was a paddle steamer secured a
alongside and only a few men coming down to her at considerble
intervals I decided to return with what men I had. There Hae
were no other ships moving in the channel on the way back
so we received the undivided attention of I8 german aircraft
who carried out high level bombing attacks on us in groups
of 3 for fourty minutes without getting any salvos very close.
They were driven off by 7 British fighters. I can only
surmise that the Germans were amusing themselves at our
expense as they were dive-bombers and did not once carry ouT
a dive-bombing attack despite the absence of A.A. fire.