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TNA / Unclassified 1

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

1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 722–722 of this collection
Page ImageOCR textOCR tags
722 Page 722 Log in to enlarge

I William Watson am Master of the auxiliary barge "PUDGE".
We were requisitioned on the 29th May whilst lying outside the
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Millwall Dock, towed to Tilbury, given three days rations, and then to Southend. The "OCEAN COCK" towed us to Ramsgate and subsequently to Dover with the barges "DORIS" "ENA" and "TOLSBURY".
We arrived at Dover at about 2.30 on the 30th May. We lay alongside the Prince of Wales Pier for the rest of that day and were told we should probably load in the morning.
On May 31st at about 8.30 a Naval Officer called the Captains ashore and asked for Volunteers to go over to Dunkirk and said that nodody could be forced to go but he would be very grateful for any volunteers and preferred the auxiliary barges.
There were about 17 barges lying at Dover and all volunteered.
Six barges were selected, three auxiliaries and three sailing barges,
"PUDGE" "LADY ROSEBERRY" "DORIS" "H.A.C." "DUCHESS" and "THYRA".
The three auxiliary barges "THYRA" "LADY ROSEBERRY" AND "PUDGE"
each proceeded forthwith out of the harbour with the other three
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barges in tow and were picked up by a. big tug. The tug which picked us up was the "ST. FABIAN" and the "PUDGE" was on the hook with the
"DORIS" next and the "LADY ROSEBERRY" third.
The tug which had just arrived from the South Coast gave us as big
7" wire which was made fast round the mast case, under the windlass and through the fairlead in the bowboard, and we arrived under the shore close to Dunkirk during the hours of darkness that night ( I
am not sure of the time).
We had some trouble in locating the inshore channel as the Captain of the tug did not seem to know the locality and apprently had no chart. By the time of daybreak on Saturday, we were about