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REPORT OF 'BOUNTY' (Contd).
of The I should Petty following Officer like officers, to T.Jones draw special throughout attention Dawson, operations. to Sub.Lieuts. the magnificent Godman work 295
2
and Potter-Irwin ships accompanied and me and reported to Ramsgate,
Our names were accordingly entered on the Volunteer's List.
volunteering services on the following day if required.
June 2. Having reported to Ramsgate, we were informed
course of day, found M.T.B.101. lying idle and requested use
that only fast and shallow draft vessels were required. During
of same, but were informed that the vessel was R.A.F. property
and we were unable to obtain permission to use her.
Received instructions to stand by and later to return
to own Base.
Throughout twenty seven hours spent at Dunkirk and
adjacent beaches, were under continuous bombardment from the
air. and shelling from the land.
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REPORT OF INNER PATROL YACHT "LAHLOO" (Contd).
201
ne 1 0400 (about). Destroyer signalled us to collect various
empty boats which were drifting about and tow them inshore
While doing this we were bombed and continually shot at by
enemy fighter aircraft. It occurred to me as poetic
justice that I who had been on night bombing duty at
Dunkirk in the last war should now be well bombed myself
in this war.
It should here be mentioned that my crew behaved splendidly
throughout. None of them had been properly under fire
before and they took the almost continuous bombing,
shelling and shooting up without a trace of nerves. My
Engr., D. Brewer was invaluable in sending and receiving
signals under these circumstances.
Collected several boats as ordered and also picked up
several boat loads of soldiers from shore again, putting
them aboard a sloop. While putting the last of these aboard
a bomb fell right alongside and a splinter broke the fore sky-
light and hit one of my crew on his steel helmet. This
ship seemed to bear a charmed life and though we had several
bombs alongside I can only think that they were so close
as to be ineffective.
While carrying on the work I have mentioned, we were closed
by BOUNTY with the Commodore aboard who was good enough
to express pleasure at finding that we were still carrying
on. He told SERIOLA to take BOUNTY in tow and ordered me to
slip the boats I was towing and to lead him back to Ramagate.
0815. Set course over Route X for Ramsgate. On the way
back we were again attacked, being bombed, and shot up by
fighter aircraft. Off the North Goodwin Light a launch
came alongside and bold me to return to Dunkirk, but I
had the Commodore's orders to precede him to Ramsgate and,
in point of fact, my crew and I were almost all in for we
had had no sleep for five nights, as before we left Hamble
we had been on patrol under special circumstances which
had made us do without sleep for two nights.
1500. Made fast at Ramsgate.
ine 2 Refuelled at Ramsgate. We were told that our boats were
not fast enough for further duty. I stayed aboard my
boat as leg was so swollen with what I am told was
BOUNTY that I volunteered and put my name down with theirs
shock, my could not walk, but the 00.'s of SERIOLA,
to take AND a fast NONETA boat over to Dunkirks but none was available.
une 3 & 4. In Ramsgate awaiting orders.
(Continued).