TNA Unclassified 1

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At this time a terrific aerial battle was on, shells from
shore batteries were falling around and bombs dropping all over the
place in close proximity. As I was towing this boat I saw a bomb
hit the pleasure steamer "PRINCE OF WALES". I closed her and took
aboard two badly wounded Officers and two ratings.
I offered to
go aboard as she was sinking slowly, but was told only two dead
remained on board.
Just before this, ordinary seaman Purbrick fell overboard
from exhaustion and I picked him up somehow.
My Cox. was sleeping
on his feet on and off and the two others lay down and stood up as
strength permitted. The C.O. of the "PRINCE OF WALES", although
covered in blood, offered to try and steer the boat.
I then saw a man swimming naked in the water.
Stopped
and got him.
Next a heavily loaded boat of soldiers turned right
over close inshore, and left the men struggling in the water. I
got down to them and rescued the lot personally hauling them aboard
with my crews feeble assistance.
While doing this, I got a rope
round my Starboard screw and fouled the rudder. I now had a full
load of soldiers on board (six wounded) a full boat load towing
and soldiers clinging to the stern.
With what I thought was the last of my strength, I got my
launch alongside a lifeboat and from there hauled her hand over hand,
by means of a grass rope, up to the sloop "MOSQUITO". I then
discovered the lifeboat's propeller was also fouled.
Neither
I
nor my crew could clear the propeller, so I boarded "MOSQUITO" and
asked the 1st Lieutenant to send someone to do so.
Meanwhile,
I
went below for a cup of tea. I came on deck in fifteen minutes,
but the rope could not be cleared I was told.
Air battle still in progress with bombs dropping all around.
I then with difficulty closed the yacht "GALETA" and asked her to take
me in tow. The C.O.'s ship was in a very bad position with regard
to German shore batteries, nevertheless, he wanted another boat load
of troops before leaving and asked me to try and close the beach and
get one.
I said I would, but asked him to watch out for me in case
I got ashore.
I proceeded towards the beach just then coincident with
an explosion of some kind.
The launch seemed to rise from the
water, fall back, rise again and fall back.
I could only move
slowly now and I saw the yacht was drawing the fire from shore. One
of the crew called out that the yacht was signalling me. I looked
round and saw she was signalling me.
With great difficulty I got
alongside and made her fast for towing, then slumped on the yacht's
deck, stupified with exhaustion, want of sleep and food, I suppose.
Unfortunately the tow rope parted a few minutes later.
The C.O. of yacht objected and rightly so to going back to the shealed
area with his ships and troops on board.
So the "TRITON" was left
afloat with a rope round her screw and a badly damaged stem and stern.
I regret exceedingly that I did not get her home again for various
reasons.
It was about 1840 31st May, 1940, when my activities ceased.
I had been on my feet from 0700 29th May, to 1840 31st May, 1940, in
a small craft, without sleep and the only food eaten from 2000 29th
May to that time was one tin of herrings, ont tin of bully beef and
between five and two slices of bread each also four cups of tea without
sugar.
We simply had not time to eat.
A few more remarks and I finish.
I was the only
Commissioned Officer (excluding Commodore Skippers) who was constantly
in the boats at La Panne.
I took off more troops than I can
remember there - scores and scores of boat loads and I venture to say
if my boat had not remained there to the last, hundreds would never
have got away.