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Skipper more than fifty men, and if damage became the
considered not to could embark made the return journey and instructed I
I she inspected "Polly Johnson" and although damaged
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more serious to transfer them to "Brock".
7
During this lull more wounded troops were embarked in
"Fynella" and "Canterbury" and a few other troops wandered up the
jetty. I was then told that I could try and fill up my ships
and I stationed Officers abreast each ship and instructed them to
order all unwounded men down into the trawlers. They were mostly
unwilling to embark in what they considered "fishing boats" at
first and made various excuses to try and get to the larger ships.
As the rate of filling up was so slow I asked the Pier-
master if I could send the four outside ships to sea to wait their
turns and decrease the target, but I was told that there would be
a large number of men ready as soon as the wounded had been
embarked and that the ships were to remain alongside.
I was then asked by the Piermaster if I would place a
trawler alongside the Western Jetty and light some smoke floats,
and he suggested that I might like to volunteer for the job. I
said that I was quite prepared to do the job by boat, but that I
did not consider it possible to place a ship alongside the jetty
as the foundations of the pier were shewing when I entered harbour,
and that my trawlers were all drawing over 15 feet while the rise and
fall on that day was only 11 feet.
"Jaguar" completed and left harbour during this period,
and a large paddle steamer (I think Crested Eagle) berthed shead
of "Fynella".
At about 1630 the second raid was carried out, but this
was a rather half-hearted affair. All ships opened fire as before,
and no damage was done to the ships alongside. About 20/30 bombs
were dropped as before but they were divided between three targets -
"Jaguar" leaving the harbour - the ships alongside, and two French
destroyers on the opposite side of the harbour. The "Jaguar" was
damaged.
Fighters again appeared and the raiders were driven off.
The Canterbury completed and left harbour, and a destroyer
came in to take her place.
After this raid more troops started to come down the pier
and although traffic was still hampered by the wounded and stretcher
cases quite a large number were embarked in the trawlers.
At about 1800 the third raid started. This was a very
much more determined attack, and the bombers came over in waves at
a few minute intervals fire was opened but fighters appeared and
it was impossible to tell if they were enemy or not and it hampered
the firing to a great extent.
About 100 bombs were dropped, and the attack appeared to
be directed entirely on the pier and the ships alongside.
The "Calvi" and "Grenade" received direct hits and sank
immediately. "Calvi's" masts and funnel were above water and her
ensign remained flying from the foremast. There was a Mrect hit
on the pier close to the end and "Fynella" was damaged, A cortain
amount of panic ensued and men started climbing out of one ship
into another, and some attempted to run back towards the shore.
At this time I was with the Piermaster and he instructed
me to draw my revolver to quell the panic and to load up with
survivors and troops and to get the ships out as quickly as possible.