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.

Showing only pages tagged with the vessel name Bystander. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

5 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 215–224 of this collection

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Every reasonable effort has been made to present these document images as flat, straight and accurately cropped as possible. Historical records can be difficult to photograph or scan because of tight bindings, deep gutters, page curvature, folds, creases, fragile paper, uneven edges, shadows, glare, skewed pages, fading, stains, tears, attachments and restrictions on how a document may be handled. These conditions can distort parts of an image and consequently affect the OCR transcription.

Considerable post-production work has been undertaken to crop, align, flatten and enhance the images where practicable, but the results represent our best effort rather than exact facsimiles. Text showing through from the reverse of a page, printed backgrounds, stamps, ruled lines, marks and text visible from neighbouring pages may confuse or spoil OCR output. Handwriting is not reliably recognised and, in most places, may be missing, incomplete or incorrectly transcribed. Always check the page image and, where accuracy matters, consult the original record held by the identified archive.

OCR is not a transcription. It is machine-generated text used to create research tags and help locate names and references within the source images; it should not be read as a verified narrative.

Page

Image

OCR text

OCR tags

215

OCR table 1 from document page 215
page BYSTANDER Lei	tage QUISISIANA/ 219
LLANTHONY / 165	LADY CABLE 220
CHRISTOBEL 2 178	EMPRESS 221
[X] CALETA 176	SKYLARK 223
[X] [ ] GLALA 173	224 SOUTHERN QUEEN
[X] AMULREE 172	PRINCESS LILLY 225
R 182 MASAYRU	SKYLARK VI 226
184 LAROC ,	WHITEBEAR 227
JONG 187	DOLPHIN'S M.B.V 228
3 R.A.F. M.B.43 191	WALTON & FRINTON LIFEBOAT 1230
SILVER QUEEN 192 boo	[X] CORDELIA 239
REDA 194	PELLAG II. 14
[X] SKYLARK 195	SKYLARK 241
MARY ROSE 196	BOURNEMOUTH LIFEBOAT 243
SINGAPORE 197	248 BONNY BELLE
MOTOR BARGE SHEFFIELD	EASTBOURNE LIFEBOAT 125
Ex LIGHTER Y.C.63 /	216 M.B. Unknown 198
Ex LIGHTER X.95	SEA FALCON 249
[X] M.L. NANETTE 2	219 SKYLARK,

Amulree Aura Bluebird Britannia Bystander Caleta Caversham Commodore Constant Nymph Cordelia Dolphin Empress Falcon Glala Jong Lady Cable Laroc Llanthony Mary Mary Rose Newhaven Pellag II Princess Queen Reda Rose Sea Falcon Silver Queen Singapore Skylark Skylark VI Southern Queen Triton Barge May Page Rose

217

Deprover 162
15
The Commanding Officer,
HMS "Vernon".
From. Commanding Office
HMS "Bystand lsv. June 1940.
leport upon the action of seaman cook J.H.N. Elton (RM.
Patrol Service) in reseuring survivors from Hins King
Deparms 1,62 152 157
The Commanding officer.
From
HMS "Vernon"
HMS "Bystander"
1-6- 40.
in of this
I beg to submit the enclosed report to you upon the word riseworthy action of one of my ctew, I. Elton, cook on about rd this ship, in diving into the water to assist in cuing twenty survivors of the troop transport "King
1 off Dunkisk in the early hours of Thursday 30th process y.
dens for
As this man was manily responsible for the saving these officers and men, I submit his name be at sidered for an award.
to HARS
I am. yours obsedintly, ger of
H.J. Bange ( Lub. lt., RNVR)
the dog
Commanding Office.
attempt

Bystander Vernon Cook Elton King

218

Dyram 162
158
153
The Commanding Officer,
HMS "Vernon".
From Commanding Office,
HMS "Bystander."
Isv. June 1940.
Report upon the action of seaman cook J.H.H. Elton (RM.
Patrol Service) in reseuring survivors from Hims King
Orry on 30st cllay 1940.
"
Sir,
I beg to submit the following report upon the action of man cook J.H.H. Elton. a member of the of this ship, when this ship was engaged in reseuring survivors
HMS "King Orly: when she foundared off Dunkirk at about
+5 30 th ellay, 1940.
This ship. an echo-sounding vessel was in the process refitting at Ramsgate when she was given route orders for unkink to assist in transporting troops to England.
During this operation. I arrived at Dumkink at
30 of 29th ellay 1940 I was instructed to proceed to HMS
ing Pry" and take off her arew as she was in danger of bundering as a result of a bombing raid earlier in the day.
the Commanding officer of King Drry: however, decided to attempt

Bystander England Vernon Cook Day Elton King

219

159
154
beach thank her outside the harbow and I therefore left and proceeded to take on board my ship 72 soldiers
Dunkirk for transporting to england
I left Dumkirk hasbour at 0130, 30sh ellay 1940 and ountered "King Qry smiking in the fairway. The ship turned
S and pundered in about fifteen minutes, but I was le to approach her and launch the 8 ft boat with a w of two - seaman cook Elton and seaman R. Scott.
These men found that the crew of King Only were impting to swim to my ship but that they were in a ak state owing to the effects of the bombing vaids they had enienced and toof the very cold water. Elton thereupon ed into the water and supported as many of the survivors he could find while Scott rowed boatboads of men back
"Bystander: In my estimation Elton remained in the water a half-hour at first supporting swimmers and then swimming and endeavouring to recover chose who could be heard roning. On the last trip back to "Bystander, eight 02 ten were recoured as Elton was able to put survivors on
-rafts and tow them across.
I regret there was not more time at my disposal to over more men and I was aware of at least two presons

Boat Bystander England Cook Elton King Last Le Scott

224

I
-164
8.
158
7
hand. In this way we were able to reserve about twenty.
Officers and men. Only five more could he heard calling d no more could be heard in the water. A motor boat ad arrived by this time and I left the scene of the week.
Elton busied himself on board and in about half an our had dry doths issued to the survivors and hot tea a all men on board. The crew of this ship is normally six.
I moored in Ramsgate harbour at 0830, 30th allay, lisembarded troops and survivous and proceeded to clean lown ship and prepare for a second voyage.
S
on:
I left harbour at 1715 and proceeded towards Dunkisk in in company with the olline-recously Flotilla At 1840, a section the water-cisculating systym of the starboard engine failed with the result that no water could reach the engine. I signalled the defeat to Lt. Amitage and proceeded back to Ramsgate.
A replacement could not be obtained however, until after the operation had terminated The number of troops mansported by Bystander was 72 and about 25 survivors from HMS "King Only."
11 E AUMIRA Di
11 JUN 1940
*
DOVER
E
E
yours obediently
H. I. Barge ( Lub- bent. RMVR.).
I recommend I. Elton for an award in recognition of his and resource in the reserve of 25 Officers and men.

Boat Bystander Barge Dover Elton King