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Quai Felix Faure, June 3rd - 4th.
- 346
For the final evacuation, 12 of the best slow motor
boats were to proceed on tow to Dunkirk and thence to the
Quai Felix Faure some way up the main harbour. I started
in the leading motor boat but transferred to the Army fast
boat "Marlborough", in order that I might if possible get
into contact with the French Naval Authorities and make sure
we had got to the right places, and also to give us a boat to
get away in, leaving the motor boats free for ferrying.
2. Our quay was not easy to identiy, even in the light
that remained, and I was very glad that I had gone ahead of the
tow. The quay was deserted, but after a time some troops
passed along the road in rear, on their way to the Avant
Port. Sub Lieutenant Karminsky who came ashore with me as
interpreter, tried to find someone to tell me whether we
had got to the right place but received the reply # sorry
I'm a stranger" Eventually we found we were correct.
About 2300, 300 French Marines arrived and explained that
they were all we had to take off. Then followed a good rad.
half hour of waiting for the motor boats, which had been
delayed on passage. I sent the "Marlborough" to look for
them, and soon after 2330 was relieved to see them coming.
The leading boat "Mermaiden" Sub Lieutenant
Beale
had done very well to find the place in the dark. Some
of the boats had missed their way and no doubt went into
the Avant Port where I expect they did good work. My
anxieties were entirely relieved by the arrival of a large
French trawler, who took all that the motor boats could not
and had room for more. Sub Lieut. Karminsky tried to induce
the Officer of some troops returning along the road to embark,
but they said they had their orders and could not vary them.
3. By about 0200 the quay was clear and as machine-gun
fire was getting a little near I decided not to get the
motor boats alongside this part of the harbour on the chance
of another load and so re-embarked in the "Marlborough" and
started to move down harbour. In avoiding two French
vessels, we had the misfortune to strike a heap of fallen
masonry which removed our propellers and rudder. After some
adventures fully described in the attached narrative by
Sub Lieut. Edge-Partington, we got a tow and returned to
Dover.
4.
The three Officers in the boat with me were Sub
Lieuts. Don, Edge-Partington, and Pool. All did well, and
showed coolness and resource in the somewhat interesting
situation in which we found ourselves.
5.
The report from "Mermaiden" has not yet been
received. The Sub Lieut. in command did well, and his name
also deserves mention.
Rear Admiral.
D.M.O.
Sheerness.
8th June, 1940.