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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 Formidable. 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 326–505 of this collection
Page ImageOCR textOCR tags
326 Page 326 Log in to enlarge
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
492 Page 492 Log in to enlarge

404
(
382
TUGS
EL
SUN N
C.11.
c.9.
FORMIDABLE.
Sr, CHEARS.
LADY GRASSEY
FOREMOST BY
Sr. OLAP
T
(
C.9 Formidable Sun
503 Page 503 Log in to enlarge

418
CONFIDENTIAL.
#
394
The Formideble
9 12/6/40.
H.M.S.J "Formidable",
Graft Carrer
030/48/40.
Construction
C/o G.P.O.
Noh 41 Dunknik
Sir, mesuries Commanderm Jug SPINGE
I have the honour to submit the following report of certain minor duties carried out during the evacuation of the
British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk on June 1st./2nd, and
June 3rd./4th. 1940.
I arrived at Ramsgate about noon on the 1st. June with orders to organise 2 convoy of motor and nulling hoats. tn he towed over
CONFIDENTIAL.
Jug
- 393 ats ry mesuries in Jug Sun
From...The Commanding Officer, H.M.S. "Formidable", C/o G.P.O.J
Date...12th. June, 1940.
Ref. No.030/48/40.
To.....The Naval Officer-in-Charge, Ramsgate, Kent.
ng
J
Subject...Report of Minor Operations Carried Out Off Dunkirk.
r
VAL OFFICER 3207 IN CHARGE
15JUN1940
to
*
212
AMSGAT
Submitted.
1 her
Herewith are forwarded two copies of my nt report on Minor operations carried out off Dunkirk on 1st./2nd. last.
and 3rd. June, 1940.
-
#
2.
I understand that such reports are required and à
this is forwarded for transmission to the appropriate authority. ble
1
khurumis rs, igin-
Commander.
ach
2
The
1 a a
at
Formidable Sun Kent Last
504 Page 504 Log in to enlarge

CONFIDENTIAL.
394
The Formideble
9 12/6/40.
Geft Carm
H.M.S.J "Formidable",
030/48/40.
Comherston
C/o G.P.O.
Noh
Sir,
I have the honour to submit the following report of certain minor duties carried out during the evacuation of the
June 3rd./4th. 1940.
British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk on June 1st./2nd. and
I arrived at Ramsgate about noon on the 1st. June with orders to organise a convoy of motor and pulling boats, to be towed over to Dunkirk that night by tugs, the convoy to sail about 1400. Not all the pulling boats then at Ramsgate were suitable for work on the beaches, being too large and heavy, nor were all the motor boats in running order. At about 1530, the tug "SUN" arrived from Tilbury with some 20 more pulling boats in tow. I took this tug under my orders, and sailed about 1730 with one motor boat and five of the most suitable pulling boats in tow.
2.
I took with me Lieutenants JIVI WILKINSON and R.E.J LLOYD (R.N.)
who had had previous experience on the beaches. The Tug "TANGA"
under Lieutenant Commander SHERWOOD, R.N.JRJ sailed about the same e difficulty in obtaining
393A
CIA was quite evidently
A
IS left behing, The tug
LER, R.N.J sailed earlier
1.
18 boats were swamped -
3 in a hurry to get over to red at Dunkirk at about
Forwarded in continuation of my 3172/212 of 11.6.40
Naval Officer in Charge.
ge; the tug "TANGA" with her anchored at a point about akirk, and sent in the little further to the East.
CAPTAIN R.N.,.
take off troops from the nole joined; on the first to the tug. While these om an officer ina fast proceed alongside the mole r ships and that I would fore they went in again, eet them again. I then about 50 French soldiers, ii.
en and 4 English naval then returned to the originmonstrance r from the French about an hour. During
No. 3207/212.
Flag Officer Commanding Dover.
way. The boats returned
$ (having done one or two ad East by lighter guns. The from the West by what nearer G down the mole, At and a be the mole, and towards to appendix 3.
e
Ramsgate.
15.6.40.
Boat Formidable Sun Tanga Dover English Little Lloyd Tilbury West Wilkinson
505 Page 505 Log in to enlarge

CONFIDENTIAL.
394
The Formideble
D 12/6/40.
Graft
H.M.S. "Formidable",
030/48/40.
comherston
C/o GJP.O.)
Noh Dunknik
Sir,
Le mesures
I have the honour to submit the following report of certain minor duties carried out during the evacuation of the
June 3rd./4th. 1940.
British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk on June 1st./2nd. and to organise a convoy of motor and pulling boats, to be towed over
I arrived at Ramsgate about noon on the 1st. June with orders to Dunkirk that night by tugs, the convoy to sail about 1400. Not all the pulling boats then at Ramsgate were suitable for work on the beaches, being too large and heavy, nor were all the motor boats in running order. At about 1530, the tug "SUN" arrived from Tilbury with some 20 more pulling boats in tow. I took this tug under my orders, and sailed about 1730 with one motor boat and five of the most suitable pulling boats in tow.
2.
I took with me Lieutenants J.VI WILKINSON and R.E.J LLOYD (R.N.)
who had had previous experience on the beaches. The Tug "TANGA"
under Lieutenant Commander SHERWOOD, R.N.JRJ sailed about the same time with two pulling boats. I had had some difficulty in obtaining another tug, and the master of the tug "RACIA" was quite evidently most unwilling to sail, and this vessel was left behing. The tug
"SUN IV" under the command of Commander TYLER, R.N. sailed earlier independently with either one or two boats.
3. On the way to Dunkirk, three of the pulling boats were swamped -
probably through towing too fast, as I was in a hurry to get over to
Dunkirk - and had to be abandoned. I arrived at Dunkirk at about
2330, after an otherwise uneventful passage; the tug "TANGA" with her boats arrived a little earlier. Both tugs anchored at a point about
} % mile East of the Eastern Mole at Dunkirk, and sent in the boats; the tug "SUN IV" was, I believe, a little further to the East.
4.
The boats from my tug "SUN" proceeded to take off troops from the
East mole at a point where the beach and mole joined; on the first trip they brought about 45 British troops to the tug. While these were being embarked, I received orders from an officer ina fast motor boat (possibly Commander MAVND) to proceed alongside the mole and embark troops, so I told my boats, before they went in again, to carry on taking troops off to the other ships and that I would return to the position I was then in to meet them again. I then proceeded alongside the mole and embarked about 50 French soldiers, subsequently embarking another 28 Frenchmen and 4 English naval ratings from a broken down motor boat. I then returned to the original anchorage, and waited for the boats for about an hour. During this time there was a slight amount of remonstrance from the French troops on board who were anxious to get away. The boats returned about 0300 with another 50 British troops (having done one or two trips in the meantime to other ships.)
5.
During the night Dunkirk was being shelled from the West by what seemed to be a heavy battery, and from the East by lighter guns. The lighter shells appeared to be directed at the mole, and towards
0300 the shelling was coming nearer and nearer down the mole, and a fire was started either on the mole or just to the Westward. At about 0300 there was an outburst of rifle fire apparently just on the mole where the boats had been embarking troops, and Lieutenant
Boat Formidable Racia Sun Sun IV Tanga Westward English Le Little Lloyd Tilbury Tyler West Wilkinson