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II.
62
(NARRATIVE OF THE COMMANDING OFFICER H.M.S. FRISO DURING
61
OPERATION DYNAMO)
Friday 31st May (contd) During the moráing one of the Beachmasters
came off to me and endeavoured to persuade me to beach the ship
so as to lead quicker, pointing out that two other smaller skoots
(HEBE & SURSOM CORDA) were doing so very successfully. As it was
now a falling tide with an onshore wind I refused. For this I
was later very glad as both other skoots shor tly afterwards
became stuck on the beach and were unable to get off. (HEBE came
off at the next high water. During the forenoon I hailed a large
motor driven pleasure boat, got him alongside me and transferred
250 men to him. By about 1230 I had onboard 648 men and space
was extremely cramped. I had delayed my departure hoping that a
destryyer or other fast craft would appear and take my load from
me so that I could fill up again. However as another skoot appeared
I slipped my anchor (the capstan being again defective) and sailed.
Just as I was about to leave Dunkirk Roads I was hailed by a Fleet
Minesweeper and ordered to tow a Drifter full of troops to Dover.
By 1330 the Drifter was in tow and we were proceeding at about
5 knots. At approximately 1400 a Heinkel appeared out of the low
cloud and at a height of 350 feet released a large bomb, probably
500 lbs, and as he passed over he opened fire with machine guns.
The bomb fell on my Port quarter between me and the Drifser.
Luckily the Bomb exploded below the surface and beyond violently
shaking both ships no xjer major damage was done. The force of
the explosion caused my compass to jump out of its gimbals.
Certain damage was dome to Auxiliary Machinery in the Engine Room.
After we had been proceeding for about half an hour we were shelled
by the Nieuport Battery. As the third salvo straddled us I decided
to risck the navigational dangers and cut across the snadbanks so
as to present the minimum target and to open the range as fast as
possible. Luckily the Enemy never found the range again. Thick
fog was encountered at about 1830.
On making the North Goodwin Light Vessel I discovered
that the Shaking up had caused a 30 dgree error in the compass.
During the oassage through the Downs the tow parted on several
occasions due to the wash of fast moving vessels.
At about 0100 on Saturday 1st June I was about 1
cable from the entrance to Dover Harbour when I was bombed again.
This time it was only a very small bomb, which although a very
near miss only wetted the troops on the port side aft. There
were no casualties from machine gun fire. At 0130 I secured
alongside Admiralty Pier Dover. At 0230 we shifted billet and
secured for the night for which I was very grateful as we had
been running continuously for over three days and I had had no
to the Engine and provisions and water were embarked. At
sleep for 90 hours. On Saturday temporary repairs were effected 1700
I proceeded to Ramsgate with HEBE in company arriving Harbour. at 2000,
where as I could not anchor I secured in the Inner
On Sunday and Monday 2nd & 3rd June respectively
permanent repairs were effected to the Engine and Capatan. were When
all skoots were brought to immediate notice in case they
required again it was decided that FRISO was not sufficiently
reliable and so was left in the Inner Harbour.
I cannot speak too highly of my crew who worked
without break. The 0 nly men being onboard at the were
continuously, and on Friday were in the Boats for 7½ time hours
my First a Lieutenant one seamen and the E.R.A. and myself.
I have the honour to be,
VICE ADMIRAL
Sir,
0JUN1940
Your obedient servant,
*
*
DOVER
B
Gene Lymmus.
Lieutenant.
To the Vice Adminal
Royal Navy.
Dorn.