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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.

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SECRET
Dyram 35,4
406
Jug Sun IV
H.M.S. Pelican,
384
C/o G.P.O.
18th June, 1940.
Sir, and to submit following narrative of events:-
I have the the honour to refer to Nore General Order 448/40
(Master Mr. Alexander, 12 Manager of the firm), slipped from Tilbury
At 0200 Friday, 31st May, 1940, the London tug Sun IV
Docks with lifeboats in tow. A London Pilot was embarked and remained in the tug until the evacuation was completed. Ships"
lifeboats were manned by half naval and half volunteer crews.
anchored. Provisions were embarked for boats" crews and the
2. Southend pier was hailed at 0415/31 May, 1940, and the tug opportunity was taken to allow boats" crews a hot cup of tea in the tug.
3. At 0445 anchow was weighed and the tug proceeded to
Ramsgate arriving at 1115, where she was armed with two pairs of
Lewis guns mounted either side of the wheel house.
4. The tugs were sailed for Dunkirk at 1330. Commander
Tyler came onboard as his tug had run out of coal and water.
Lieutenant Wilkinson and a further party of seamen were also embarked.
5. At 1915 a high level bombing attack took place, but bombs all fell a long way from the tug.
6. A boat was capsized when the tug met a destroyer's wake and it is regretted that one Stoker was drowned. This casualty was reported on arrival in harbour by Commander Tyler.
7. At 2230 the tug was ordered to a position one mile east of Dunkirk by verbal orders from a motor torpedo boat. By 2300
the tug was anchored three quarters of a mile from the shore and the boats were sent in with Lieutenant Wilkinson and Lieutenant Fletcher,
R.N.R., in charge. From 2300 to 0300 there was periodic shelling and one bomb from an aircraft, which was engaged by Lewis guns, was dropped about 100 yards from the tug.
been able to British, back to our tug, but the remainder of the boats"
French 8. and the tug weighed anchor. Only three boats had
At 0315/1 June, 1940, having embarked 88 soldiers both crews were either get onboard or were towed back by drifters to Ramsgate.
while this one was boat being was done a German fighter flew towards us and was
At 0445 set adrift as it was filling rapidly with water;
engaged with Lewis guns.
9. 0830/1 June, 1940, arrived at Ramsgate. Commander Tyler went inshore for orders.
10. weighed at 1615 and tug proceeded with the two North boats in tow.
A Anchor small was trawler was seen to hit a mine south of
Goodwin Light vessel at 1645.
11. Three German bombers
Boat London Sun Sun IV Alexander Crews Fletcher Lewis Light Long May Tilbury Tyler Wake Wilkinson

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Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 494.

SECRET
Dyram 35,4
406
Jug Sun IV
H.M.S. Pelican,
384
C/o G.P.O.
18th June, 1940.
Sir,
and to submit following narrative of events :-
I have the the honour to refer to Nore General Order 448/40
(Master Mr. Alexander, 12 Manager of the firm), slipped from Tilbury
At 0200 Friday, 31st May, 1940, the London tug Sun IV
Docks with lifeboats in tow. A London Pilot was embarked and
remained in the tug until the evacuation was completed. Ships"
lifeboats were manned by half naval and half volunteer crews.
anchored. Provisions were embarked for boats" crews and the
2. Southend pier was hailed at 0415/31 May, 1940, and the tug
opportunity was taken to allow boats" crews a hot cup of tea in the
tug.
3. At 0445 anchow was weighed and the tug proceeded to
Ramsgate arriving at 1115, where she was armed with two pairs of
Lewis guns mounted either side of the wheel house.
4. The tugs were sailed for Dunkirk at 1330. Commander
Tyler came onboard as his tug had run out of coal and water.
Lieutenant Wilkinson and a further party of seamen were also
embarked.
5. At 1915 a high level bombing attack took place, but bombs
all fell a long way from the tug.
6. A boat was capsized when the tug met a destroyer's wake
and it is regretted that one Stoker was drowned. This casualty was
reported on arrival in harbour by Commander Tyler.
7. At 2230 the tug was ordered to a position one mile east
of Dunkirk by verbal orders from a motor torpedo boat. By 2300
the tug was anchored three quarters of a mile from the shore and the
boats were sent in with Lieutenant Wilkinson and Lieutenant Fletcher,
R.N.R., in charge. From 2300 to 0300 there was periodic shelling
and one bomb from an aircraft, which was engaged by Lewis guns, was
dropped about 100 yards from the tug.
been able to British, back to our tug, but the remainder of the boats"
French 8. and the tug weighed anchor. Only three boats had
At 0315/1 June, 1940, having embarked 88 soldiers both
crews were either get onboard or were towed back by drifters to Ramsgate.
while this one was boat being was done a German fighter flew towards us and was
At 0445 set adrift as it was filling rapidly with water;
engaged with Lewis guns.
9. 0830/1 June, 1940, arrived at Ramsgate. Commander Tyler
went inshore for orders.
10. weighed at 1615 and tug proceeded with the two North boats
in
tow.
A Anchor small was trawler was seen to hit a mine south of
Goodwin Light vessel at 1645.
11. Three German bombers