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Dynams so. O.D.
526
TO:
COMMANDER M/S.
497
DATE: 6TH JUNE, 1940.
7
FROM: LIEUTENANT J.A. SIMSON R.N.V.R., H.M.S. "LORD GREY".
29th/30th May, 1940, at Dunkirk.
carried out ships under my command during the night of
I have by the the honour to report as follows on the operations
H.M.T's "Lord Grey" and "Clythness" left Dover at
for Dunkirk with orders to report on arrival to Captain Tennant. 1615
instead. signalled S. Foreland P.W.S.S. to use route "X" both ways, were
Instructions from were to proceed by route "Y", but we
We therefore proceeded by route "X" and arrived off
Dunkirk at 2300. The harbour was found on entering to be
congested as a number of drifters were manoeuvring in the fair- very
way and it was decided to lay off the entrance until it was
clear to proceed alongside the quay.
side the Eastern Jetty. Sub. Lieutenant Heckstall-Smith (Clythness)
At 2330 we again entered the harbour and tied up along-
and myself went along the quay in an effort to ascertain the
whereabouts of Captain Tennant, and the state of affairs inside
condition of the jetty and we therefore returned.
the harbour. It was impossible to get far owing to the damaged
going on over the town, which was ablaze.
Considerable air activity and continuous bombing was
It was decided to keep the ships moored alongside in such
before going further in to the harbour.
a way that they could slip at a moment's notice, and to await dawn
put aboard "Lord Grey".
A number of rifles and a Bren gun found on the quay were
At 0210 on the 30th May, cries for help were heard out-
side the harbour and both ships instantly left to investigate. It
was found that H.M.S. "King Orry" had sunk on leaving the harbour.
Ships' boats were launched and "Lord Grey" rescued ten men,
"Clythness" four. "Lord Grey" transferred her survivors to H.M.S.
"Vivacious", and was ordered by the Commander to return to harbour,
and if possible embark troops for transfer to his ship. "Clythness"
was signalled accordingly and both ships proceeded back to Dunkirk
harbour, and as it was now light it was possible to reach the
Southern end of the quay.
On arrival 0410 - I reported to S.N.O - Captain Tennant
was not then available - and was ordered to embark troops for
transfer to a destroyer and then to carry out "LL" sweep in a
N. Easterly direction from the harbour.
were accordingly embarked - "Clythness" 300 (approx)
350 - and were transferred at 0515 to the destroyer
At 0605 "Clythness" signalled that her dynamo was not
working and her D/G gear was consequently useless. In these
circumstances requested. a signal was passed to S.N.O. and fresh orders
(Contd. over).