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TNA Unclassified 1

TNA Unclassified 1
Collection details

TNA Unclassified 1

A working collection of Operation Dynamo source material whose definitive National Archives catalogue reference is still being identified.

Holding archive
TNA
Collection reference
Unclassified 1

Source: The National Archives, Kew, Unclassified 1. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing only pages tagged with the vessel name Lady Cable. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×
Showing only document page 274. Show all matching pages ×

1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 274–274 of this collection
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274 Page 274 Log in to enlarge

Dynams 232
205
192
LOG of H.M. Motor Boat LADY CABLE of Torquay during operations carried out June 2md and 3rd, 1940.
In command: Acting Sub-Lieutenant G.A. Cadell, R.N.
Cadet Rating G.R. Price
Stoke Worsall
Able Seaman or Ordinary Seaman Smith from Newfoundland,
Sunday, June 2nd, 1940.
Took over boat during forenoon from Mr. Gooding who operates boat for owner at Torquay. She had done one trip to the beaches near Dunkirk. Took on provisions, water, petrol, etc. Mr. Gooding showed Stoker Worsall the working of the engines Cylinder Atlantic running on petrol.
At about 1500 went over to Prince of Wales Pier and was then taken in tow by SUN VI, together with two life-boats and one other craft. Started for Dunkirk at approximately
1530, having been handed previously copy of Sailing
Instructions to Drifters, together with rough sketch map of course to follow. After uneventful trip arrived off
Dunkirk harbour at about 2230 and received orders to proceed in harbour and go a long way up the Mole to embark soldiers - fill up and return to tug, then go in for further loads. At times had difficulty in persuading
French troops to embark in LADY CABLE, the reason apparently being reluctance to break their units or to act without definite orders from their officer who was probably still in the town of Dunkirk. However, we took four boat loads off - each load containing between 40 and 50 soldiers.
Three loads I took to tugs and one to H.M.S. WISHART when tug was not in usual position. Spoke to tug after fourth trip and was informed that it would soon be light and that she could'nt wait much longer. In reply to a question if any British officers were still left on the Mole, I replied that on earlier trips I had seen one who had asked me not to leave him behind. This officer was engaged in helping the embarkation of the troops. I had not seen him on my last trip but told tug I would make another trip to see if he was there. Informed tug would be as quick as possible and if tug could not wait, would return to England under own power. Tug said she could only wait a short while.
On going in for fifth time engines began to go badly and stopped altogether before reaching point of embarkation.
Engines got going again and we went alongside and collected about 24 more French soldiers. There was no sign of British officer and Price reported to me that French on the Mole told him he had gone. I sent Price up on to the Mole to make enquiries. Owing to the improbability of tug waiting for us, I only took 24 soldiers as a greater number would have made trip back to England under own power too hazardous. Just after passing lighthouse at end of harbour, engines stopped again. Noticed we were close to W.D. craft (later found to be HAIG) who I imagined from her position was watching us and would/

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 274.

Dynams 232
205
192
LOG of H.M. Motor Boat LADY CABLE of Torquay
during operations carried out June 2md
and 3rd, 1940.
In command: Acting Sub-Lieutenant G.A. Cadell, R.N.
Cadet Rating G.R. Price
Stoke Worsall
Able Seaman or Ordinary Seaman Smith
from Newfoundland,
Sunday, June 2nd, 1940.
Took over boat during forenoon from Mr. Gooding who
operates boat for owner at Torquay. She had done one trip
to the beaches near Dunkirk. Took on provisions, water,
petrol, etc. Mr. Gooding showed Stoker Worsall the working
of the engines Cylinder Atlantic running on petrol.
At about 1500 went over to Prince of Wales Pier and was
then taken in tow by SUN VI, together with two life-boats
and one other craft. Started for Dunkirk at approximately
1530, having been handed previously copy of Sailing
Instructions to Drifters, together with rough sketch map
of course to follow. After uneventful trip arrived off
Dunkirk harbour at about 2230 and received orders to
proceed in harbour and go a long way up the Mole to embark
soldiers - fill up and return to tug, then go in for
further loads. At times had difficulty in persuading
French troops to embark in LADY CABLE, the reason apparently
being reluctance to break their units or to act without
definite orders from their officer who was probably still
in the town of Dunkirk. However, we took four boat loads
off - each load containing between 40 and 50 soldiers.
Three loads I took to tugs and one to H.M.S. WISHART when
tug was not in usual position. Spoke to tug after fourth
trip and was informed that it would soon be light and that
she could'nt wait much longer. In reply to a question if
any British officers were still left on the Mole, I replied
that on earlier trips I had seen one who had asked me not
to leave him behind. This officer was engaged in helping
the embarkation of the troops. I had not seen him on my
last trip but told tug I would make another trip to see if
he was there. Informed tug would be as quick as possible
and if tug could not wait, would return to England under
own power. Tug said she could only wait a short while.
On going in for fifth time engines began to go badly
and stopped altogether before reaching point of embarkation.
Engines got going again and we went alongside and collected
about 24 more French soldiers. There was no sign of British
officer and Price reported to me that French on the Mole told
him he had gone. I sent Price up on to the Mole to make
enquiries. Owing to the improbability of tug waiting for
us, I only took 24 soldiers as a greater number would have
made trip back to England under own power too hazardous. Just
after passing lighthouse at end of harbour, engines stopped
again. Noticed we were close to W.D. craft (later found to
be HAIG) who I imagined from her position was watching us and
would/