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 Dolphin. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

4 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 215–299 of this collection

A note about image and OCR quality

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

284

COPY!/3
2024
OPERATION DYNAMO
NARRATIVES BY PERSONNEL OF SMALL CRAFT.
INDEX
NAME OF VESSEL
WRITTEN BY
1. TUG 87
Sub.Lieut. H.M. Davis, R.N.R.
2. M.B. BLUE BIRD
If
G.B. Eyre, R.N.V.R.
3. M.B. AURA
#
M.A. Chodzko, R.N.V.R.
4. M.B. BRITANNIA
If
S.D. Ward
5. M.B.'s CAVERSHAM and QUISISIANA
If
A.V. Weaver
6. M.B. LADY CABLE
Lieut. B.S. Fidler, R.N.R.
7. M.B. EMPRESS
Sub.Lieut. T.W. Betts, R.N.V.R.
8. M.B. SKYLARK
#
M.J.R. Yeatman, R.N.V.R.
9. M.B. SOUTHERN QUEEN
"
Demattos
0. M.B. PRINCESS LILLY
#
K.E.A. Bayley
1. M.B. SKYLARK VI
Ct. Rating G.R. Price
2. H.M.M.B. WHITE BEAR
Cd. Gunner E. Deacon, R.N.
3. H.M.S. DOLPHIN's Motor Boat
Sub.Lieut. E.F. Cornish-Bowden, R.N.
4. WALTON and FRINTON Life Boat
P.O. Tel. Cooley.
5. M.B. CORDELIA
Sub.Lieut. C.A. Thompson
6. M.B. PELLAG II
Lieut.
Martino, R.N.V.R.
STATEMENT BY
7. M.B. SKYLARK (Southend)
Pensioner P.O. R.A. Smith
8. BOURNEMOUTH Life Boat
L. Sea. H. Huntington
9. M.B. BONNY BELLE
Sto. I. G.H. Rose
O. EASTBOURNE Life Boat
(Sto. J. Strangeways P/KX.95036 and
(Sto. A.H. Shaw P/KX.94553
1. M.B. (Unknown)
A.B. M.J. Stallard P/JX.154107
2. M.B. SEA FALCON
L.Sea. A. Westbrook P/JX.131401
3. M.B. SKYLARK
Sto. G. Bramhall P/KX.88343
4. M.B. COMMODORE
Sto. Beech P/KX.90016
5. NEWHAVEN Life Boat
(A.B. W.J. Morris P/JX.126097
(Sto.I W. Spray P/KX.87052
(o.s. T.E. White CDX.133
6, M.B. YSER
Act. P.O. W.H. Achin JX.149919

Aura Blue Bird Boat Britannia Caversham Commodore Cordelia Dolphin Empress Falcon Lady Cable Newhaven Pellag II Princess Queen Rose Sea Falcon Skylark Skylark VI Southern Queen White Bear Bayley Betts Bramhall Chodzko Cooley Cornish Davis Deacon Eyre Fidler Huntington Martino Morris Rose Shaw Smith SMITH R.A Spray Strangeways Thompson Ward Weaver Westbrook White Yeatman

298

2186
OPERATION DYNAMO.
ICLOSURE NO. 13.
SHIP: H.M.S. DOLPHIN's MOTOR BOAT.
OFFICER REPORTING: SUB-LIEUTENANT E.F. CORNISH-BOWDEN, R.N.
In company with H.M.S. EXCELLENT'S Power Boat, this boat sailed from Dover harbour at 0240 on Friday,
31st May.
2.
Soon after passing the North Goodwin Light Vessel,
EXCELLENT's boat signalled to the effect that she was very doubtful whether she could get to the French coast at maximum speed owing to lack of petrol and so speed was reduced to about 8 knots, the speed over the ground being considerably less owing to considerable yawing in a following sea.
3.
The two boats were routed to leave the usual course for Dunkirk some 20 miles from that place and proceeded through shallower water to La Panne and Bray.
About 15 miles N.W. of Bray an enemy floating mine was seen and an attempt was made to sink it by rifle fire.
This, however, failed, and the position of the mine was later reported.
4.
Owing to an error in navigation, caused largely by an inaccurate boat's compass, DOLPHIN arrived at Bray at
1100 and after enquiring as to our whereabouts proceeded to La Panne and attempted unsuccessfully to obtain petrol from H.M.S. HEBE.
5. Owing to the shortage of petrol I returned to
Bray and to try and fill my tank. However, this again proved impossible and so I decided to use what petrol I
had and ask for a tow home when the tank was dry.
6. EXCELLENT's boat had damaged herself on a submerged object and was close inshore. I was about to go to her aid when I was informed that the depth of the water was only 3
feet and I was ordered not to go in tooclose. I therefore was unable to be of any assistance in embarking troops from the improvised pier. I therefore asked ships present if I
could be of any assistance to them, but unfortunately they were already getting all that they needed.
7.
I then proceeded back to La Panne but when almost there the enemy started shelling the ships which immediately weighed and proceeded to Bray. On return to Bray, I
consulted the Senior Officer present as to my usefulness and it was decided that I should obtain a tow back to Dover to refuel when I hoped to obtain a tow back to Dunkirk with a full tank and where I believed I could be more usefully employed.
SARGOSSA, 8. arriving at Dover Harbour at about 1930, since
I left Bray at 1415 in tow of the dan-laying yacht when I have been employed towing and carrying despatches in
Dover harbour.
(Signed) E.F. Cornish-Bowden
Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.
[OVER

Aid Boat Dolphin Excellent's Hebe Cornish Dover Light May Miles Senior

299

217
The following crew from H.M.S. DOLPHIN
were manning the motor boat:-
Leading Seaman A.R. Cobley,
P/JX 130128
Leading Stoker H.A. Saunders,
K 22903.
Leading Stoker A.J. Morris,
XX 84267
Able Seaman R.W. Rowlands,
P/JX 146949
Able Seaman P.B. Stephans,
SSX 90361

Boat Dolphin Cobley Morris Saunders