TNA Unclassified 1

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

221
209
OPERATION DYNAMO
ENCLOSURE NO. 7.
SHIP: EMPRESS, RIVER LAUNCH. LUCY LAVERS 4/B.
OFFICER REPORTING: SUB-LIEUTENANT T.W. BETTS, R.N.V.R.
Leaving H.M.S. KING ALFRED on Friday, May 31st, I
proceeded to Sheerness, to await the arrival of Motor Boats for the purpose of evacuating troops from Dunkirk. On Saturday, 1st
June, I was placed in command of the River Launch EMPRESS with a crew of 6. The clutch of the starboard engine had been giving trouble before I left, but I decided that, at any rate,
I could make Ramsgate. In this assumption I was wrong, as I
broke down when about half the distance was covered.
The trawler escorting the motor boats took me in tow to
Ramsgate, and thence to Dunkirk, where, having had my engineer repairing his engines on the journey over, I left the trawler and prepared to pick up troops. Nearing the beach West of
Dunkirk, and judging the water too shallow for further progress inshore, I rang down "Hard Astern" to the engine room, in order to take the way off my ship.
The starboard engine, then, not only refused to go astern, but refused to assume the neutral position, with the consequence that the ship was carried high and dry on to the beach. Upon examination I found that it would be quite impossible to salvage the ship until between 9 and 10 a.m. on the next day.
After having placed an anchor out well astern, I and my crew swam out to deep water where we were soon picked up by a launch and put aboard a drifter.
The drifter proceeded to Dunkirk Harbour, and I and my crew assisted in the embarkation of troops, after which we returned with the drifter to Dover and reported to H.M.S. LYNX.
2nd June, 1940 at 1400 approximately, I was placed in charge of the R.N.L.I. Motor Lifeboat LUCY LAVER and proceeded to Dunkirk under tow with the Drifter GOLDEN SUNSHINE.
After/

- 3 -
357
five bombs falling all roud us - within 50 to 70 yards at one time
During our three hours there we were bombed continuously, without doing any material damage. The crew behaved with great and we set course for Sheerness, anchoring at 0005 June 1st off the coolness and determination throughout. Anchor was weighed at 0720 1920/31
North Goodwins L.V. and proceeding at 0300, arriving at Sheerness at 0830. The troops were landed and I proceeded ashore to report.
At 1223, acting under orders received, we slipped from
Sheerness to escort a secong convoy of motor boats to Ramsgate. At
1240 we picked up and took in tow motor launch "Empress" and a naval launch. The rest of the convoy proceeded via Gore Channel, but as we ZX
could not follow by this route, I ordered course to be set via the
Princes Channel keeping the convoy in sight to starboard. We hove to off Margate and when the convoy came up, proceeded to Ramsgate where we arrived without incident at 1650. The motor boats went inside and we anchored outside. I went ashore in the launch to report to the
N.O.I.C. I suggested to him that we might be allowed to tow the
"Empress" and the launch over to Dunkerque where they could ferry for us and after loading both the trawler and themselves, we could tow them home. He agreeing; we sailed at 1805.
We had no trouble with the tow on this occasion, but on approaching Dunkerque we were endeavouring to pick up a buoy, which,
( so we had been told at Ramsgate) should have been lit, but which, we afterwards found to be extinguished when we went ashore.
It was necessary to slip the tow in order to go astern and the "Empress" drifted ashore, although she had previously reported that one of her engines was running. We do not know what eventually happened to her. As we were succeeding in drawing the trawler from the shore, we blew a certain prearranged signal on our siren to call the
"Empress", but only succeeded in attracting thereby the attentions of a searchlight ashore which endeavoured to pick us up. After about ten minutes it was extinguished. I ordered the launch which had been assisting in getting us away to go to the assistance of the "Empress"
and later in Dunkerque harbour, the launch reported that he was going to assist on the beaches. Whether she had rescued thatthe crew of the
"Empress" or not, I cannot say.
We eventually reached Dunkerque at 2310 where we went alongside the inner jetty. The tide was very low and we had great difficulty in getting the men aboard and at 0115 on June 2nd the Skipper reported that owing to the increase in draught due to the number og men aboard, we were in dagger of settling on the mud. Consequently at 0130 we slipped and stood out of the harbour. During our two and a half hours there we were shelled incessantly - shells striking the cranes and buildings around the harbour, but no casualties or damage were sustained.
Outside the harbour there was only one buoy lit and we made a little too much across the channel before turning down it, sothat owing to our draught we went aground again fortunately getting away again about 0215.
At 0340 we sighted a floating mine about 20 yards on our starboard beam and reported this to an escort vessel aster, asking her to report it as our R/T was out of order.
It was impossible to assess the number of troops aboard, but it was certainly in excess of three hundred and possibly three hundred and fifty - all French and including a General Nicolle and his staff.
We arrived off Ramsgate at 0745 where the soldiers were landed.
I went ashore for orders and was ordered to return to Sheerness where we eventually arrived at 1330 coming to anchor on the West Shore.
I then came ashore and reported.

4.
I
.
37194
33.
back R.N.R. to Weymouth. - Took "Filleul" yacht
/.
MB
34.
Lieut. J.S. Seal, R.N.R. - in "Queen Boadicea
Dunkirk picked up three seamen survivors from' Janis"? II"
R.N.V.R.? and a stoker had been killed outright
Pier. The latter's Captain Sub Lieut. off Bell by a bomb on Friday may 31. The survivors were landed at Ramsgate.
35,
Mr. C.V. Cogger - signed in "Seine" at Rochester.
Left her on Wednesday full of water for the beaches
( Lieut. Cdr Filluel in command). Brought hack
350 British and French troops to Ramsgate. Sailed again for Dunkirk and brought back 300 troops.
36.
Sub Lieut. W.E. Mercer, R.N.V.R. of "Strathelliot" -
saw the Mary Rose" and "Skylark" sink in mid ocean, crew all brought back. Following were seen abandoned as Dunkirk:- "Malden" "Annie IV" and "Empress".
The former was used as a pier.
37.
"Scene Shifter" was swamped by French troops on
Wed. June 29th. "Triton" was cast off while in tow with foul screw.
38.
Lieut. W.B. Whitworth, R.N. did 6 trips in "Aeger".
39.
Mr. R. Brown - went over in "Madame Sansgene" on night of Monday June 3rd. Elgar H. Jefferey and his brother were also in the boat. Towed over by "Tanjar"
(Tug) with another Motor boat. On way back boats fouled a rope, which had been veered by the "Tanjar"
to stutch it as it was new, and the boats had to be abandoned. The "Madame Sansgene" claimed to have shot down a bomber.
40.
P.O. E. Wells, R.N.R. - went over in "Nanette II", who had a Lieut. R.N.V.R. in charge. They went to
Ostende an then to Dunkirk and brought back mostly
French troops, some of whom had been in the water for 12 hours. "Nanette" was finally returned to
41.
Dover.
Sub Lieut.
Church, R.N.R. - In "Portsdown"
see separate report.
42.
Coxn. George Senior, O.N. 239990 - In YC 73
(Lieut. Mortimer R.N.R. 1/c). Left Sheerness on
Wed, May 29th for Ramsgate. Sailed from Ramsgate at
2245 on Thursday night and arrived at Dunkirk at
1100 on Friday. The only soldiers on the beaches there, 45 of them, were ferried off in the vessels skiff. They left Dunkirk about 1830 towing YC 71
and a Thornycroft motor boat. The YC 72 broke down herself about midnight and anchored. H wever, the
Thornycroft boat managed to start up again and must have informed Ramsgate for a tug came out about 0700
and towed YO 78 and YC 71 back to Ramsgate.