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 Forecast. 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 132–437 of this collection

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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

132

74
73
-2-
6. I approached a number of trawlers and other small vessels which seemed to be getting under way for Great Britain and asked them to remain until I could fill them up with troops. It seemed to me that the orders which they said they had received to return to Great Britain were not bona fide.
7. I proceeded ashore and interviewed various military officers at as many of the beaches as possible. At the request of a senior military officer I agreed to assume the duties of Beach Master and arranged to continue the organisation until all the troops on the beaches were on board. I told them that if anything went wrong during the night we would return at dawn. I learned that some of the men had been in the dunes for two or three days awaiting embarkation, and they were obviously much cheered up to learn that they would get out that night. The flat-bottomed boats which the military had been using themselves were extremely dangerous in the surf which, although not very great, was sufficient to capsize these boats.
8. I found from experience that it was much quicker to run a load of troops in a single motor boat rather than to fill up one or more lifeboats and tow the greater number. The dangers of controlling boats in tow when they were crowded both near the shore and alongside H.M. ships were considerable. During the night I acquired in one way or another five additional lifeboats, and in many cases the military themselves acted as crews.
9. The pontoon bridges which had been built by the military the previous day were extremely useful, and were largely responsible for the rapid evacuation of troops. It is interesting to note that a few moments after the last men had been taken off one of these bridges it was hit by enemy artillery.
10. All the troops that I could find were embarked by midnight and placed in ships which sailed for England. Just before midnight I went along certain of the beaches to look for stragglers. A Staff Officer informed me that no more troops would embark from these beaches but that they would march to
Dunkirk, as it was anticipated these beaches would be shelled and would probably be in German hands the following day. This, as it turned out, was a correct forecast.
11. I estimate that from pontoon bridges and beaches approximately 5,000 troops were probably embarked.
12. The soldiers, though obviously extremely tired, made no complaints of the delay or of the wettings which they got in wading out in the surf to get into the motor boats, and were more than thankful for the kindnesses which were shown them in the various ships. One could not but be impressed by the amount of friendly cheering which occurred when H.M. ships passed the troop ships at sea. The great majority of the troops were carrying their rifles and side-arms, and I insisted that in no case must they be thrown away. I was impressed to notice that the military padres were always amongst the last to leave the beach in their respective parties.
13./

Boat Dawn England Forecast Crews Day Few Last March Senior

326

OCR table 1 from document page 326
GUNBOATS 257	H.M. DRIFTERS.
LOCUST 258	DORIENTA 339
MOSQUITOV	BEN & LUCY 2339
263	KINDRED STAR 344
CORVETTES.	THRIFTY 344
SHELDRAKE 263	FLARE BURNING DRIFTERS. 319
KINGFISHER 265
GUILLEMOT 270	[X] EILEEN EMMA
	FORECAST
THAMES LOCAL DEFENCE	273 GERVAIS RENTOUL
FLOTILLA.	[X] GIRL GLADYS
	[X] GIRL PAMELA
ROYAL EAGLE 282	[X] GOLDEN GIFT
GOLDEN EAGLE /291	GOLDEN SUNBEAM 351
CRESTED EAGLE 293	LORD HOWARD
	LORD HOUSE
PORTSMOUTH INNER 299 PATROL.	MIDAS NETSUKIS PAXTON
[X] ANKH ,305	BOY ROY
315	SHIPMATES
BOUNTY	UT PROSIM
CARYANDA 303	THE BOYS
LAHLOO 311	TORBAY II.
THELE 301	YORKSHIRE LASS
SERIOLA 1308, 306	YOUNG NUN
[X] EILA II.	[X] MUN
[ ] [X] AHOLA 1304	SHEERNESS REPORTS.
[X] [ ] NONETA 1321
323 HARWICH FORCE.	RENASCENT MONARDA
PADDLE M/S.	ARONIA STRATHELLIOT
[X] WAVERLEY	ALOUETTE 2. & men.
ORIOLE	Recommendations for officers special
[X] DUCHESS OF FIFE	List of officers deserving
MARMION	mention.
M/S TRAWLERS.	Movements of officers.
LORD MELCHETT 1329 330	"A/S" & "LL" TRAWLERS.
STELLA RIGEL	LORD INCHCAPE
DRIFTERS.	OUR BAIRNS OLVINA
MARE / 331	CAPE ARGONA
SARAH HIDE TWEENWAYS 335	TUGS.
UNICITY	SUN IV. J
JACKEVE 106	[ ] C.11
THREE KINGS	0.9
RIG J	FORMIDABLE
[X] STRIVE
	ST CLEARS/

Ahola Ankh Aronia Bounty Boy Roy Caryanda Crested Eagle Dorienta Duchess Duchess of Fife Eila II Eileen Eileen Emma Forecast Formidable Gervais Rentoul Girl Gladys Girl Pamela Golden Eagle Golden Gift Golden Sunbeam Guillemot Jackeve Kindred Star Lahloo Lord Howard Lord Inchcape Lord Melchett Mare Midas Monarda Netsukis Noneta Olvina Our Bairns Paxton Renascent Rig Royal Eagle Sarah Hide Seriola Sheldrake Shipmates Stella Rigel Strathelliot Strive Sun Sun IV Sunbeam Thames The Boys Thele Three Kings Thrifty Torbay II Tweenways Yorkshire Lass Kings May Young

435

348
- 325
Flare Burning Drifters under command of Caplain Cusiliary Patrol Dover.
Eileen Emma
Forecast
Gervais Rental
Girl gladys.
girl Pamela
Golden Gift golden Sumbern
Lord Howard
Lord Howe
Midas
Netsukis
Paxton
Roy Day
/ to
Shirmates lit Prosime
The Boys.
Tosbay II
yorkshire Lass.
young Mun.

Eileen Eileen Emma Forecast Girl Gladys Girl Pamela Golden Gift Lord Howard Lord Howe Midas Netsukis Paxton The Boys Yorkshire Lass Day Dover Young

436

Confidential.
Dynam rx"
113
From:- Captain Auxiliary Patrol, Dover.
- 326
Date:- 4th. June, 1940.
To:-
Vice Admiral, Dover.
Submitted:-
Tabulated list of F/B Drifters employed between 36th. May and 4th. June 1940.
Paxton,
Roy Boy,
/Trs
Netsukis
Eileen Emma
Gervais Rentoul
Lord Howe
Golden Sunbeam
UtProsim
Yorkshire Lass
Forecast
Girl Gladys
Torbay II
Young Mun
Lord Howard
Shipmates
Golden Gift
Midas
The Boys
Girl Pamela (sunk.)
Damaged by bombing (near misses) sinking and beached:-
Paxton,
Roy Boy.
kis Burh
VICE ADMIRAL
Captain Auxiliary Patrol.
5- JUN 1940
.
*
DOVER DO

Eileen Eileen Emma Forecast Gervais Rentoul Girl Gladys Girl Pamela Golden Gift Golden Sunbeam Lord Howard Lord Howe Midas Netsukis Paxton Shipmates Sunbeam The Boys Torbay II Yorkshire Lass Dover May Young

437

-2-
--352
- 329
Malo-les-Bains, towing three Liege lake boats. Drifters of to the had been sunk by an escort vessel at
"Netsukis", "Girl Pamela" and "Lord which Howard" returned from Dunkirk with the crew
Dover Wednesday morning, landing 1600 men.
damaged transport to the Downs from "S" Buoy. Drifters returned a to entrance harbour. A/S Trawler "Kingston Olivine" towed the
"Golden Sunbeam" and "Girl Gladys" sailed for Dunkirk, three vessels
8. On Wednesday night Drifters "Yorkshire Lass", "Ut Prosim", towing motor-boats.
Thursday, 30th May.
9. 800 troops were landed at Dover during the forenoon from
Drifters returning from Dunkirk. A/S Trawler "Kingston Andalusite"
reported what was considered a successful attack on a submarine off
"T" Buoy. Drifters "Yorkshire Lass", "Golden Sunbeam", and "Girl
Gladys" filled up with troops alongside Eastern Arm, Dunkirk, and sailed for Dover. Drifter "Ut Prosim" rescued 250 men from a French
Destroyer "Barasque" sunk by shell fire. The three other Drifters landed 700 men at Dover.
Friday, 31st May.
10. A/S Trawler "Stella Dorado" reached Margate with survivors from French Destroyer "Sirocco", torpedoed off "I" Buoy.
Lieutenant T.P. Graham, R.N.R., on return in Drifter "Forecast"
reported difficult conditions, owing to swell and weather for boatwork on the Dunkirk beaches, a large number of boats being wrecked and broken down.
Saturday, 1st June.
11. A/S Trawler "Stella Dorado" was torpedoed off "T" Buoy, survivors being brought in by "Kingston Galena", as reported in my submission No.DL/250/11/AP dated 1st June 1940. All available
Drifters were ordered to sail for Dunkirk. "Netsukis", "Lord Howard",
"Lord Howe", "Golden Sunbeam", "Midas", "Golden Gift", "Girl Gladys",
"Forecast", "Yorkshire Lass", sailed. A/S Trawlers "Lady Philomena"
and "Olvina" arrived with survivors from S.S. "Prague" and H.M.S.
"Basilisk". Two Drifters, "Gervais Rentoul" and "Eileen Emma"
returned damaged and unseaworthy after collisions with other craft.
Sunday, 2nd June.
12. Drifters returned to Dover landing 1800 men. They were all brought to immediate notice for a further trip to Dunkirk.
"Shipmates", "Lord Howard", "Lord Howe", "Golden Sunbeam", "Midas",
"Golden Gift", "Girl Gladys", "Forecast", "Yorkshire Lass", sailed.
Drifters went alongside Eastern quay, filled up with troops and returned to Dover. Practically all the troops evacuated were French.
A/S Trawlers "Blackburn Rovers" and "Westella" were sunk by enemy action between "S" and "I" Buoys, as reported in my submission
No. DL/259/33/AP dated 5th June 1940. "Blackburn Rovers" had obtained a contact which was subsequently attacked by A/S Trawler
"Saon", it is considered successfully. A/S Trawler "Grimsby Town"
screened and stood by a damaged transport off North Goodwin Light
Vessel.
Monday, 3rd June.
13. Drifters returned with French troops from Dunkirk, landing at Dover roughly 1600 men. Drifters "Lord Howe", "Shipmates",
"Girl Gladys", "Midas", "Golden Gift", "Golden Sunbeam", "Forecast",
"Ut Prosim", 'Lord Howard", sailed for Dunkirk. A/S Trawler
(Par.13. "Cayton Wyke"

Boat Cayton Wyke Drifter Eileen Eileen Emma Forecast Gervais Rentoul Girl Gladys Girl Pamela Golden Gift Golden Sunbeam Grimsby Town Kingston Andalusite Kingston Galena Kingston Olivine Lady Philomena Lord Howard Lord Howe Midas Netsukis Olvina Prague Saon Shipmates Sunbeam Yorkshire Lass Dover Graham Lake Light May