TNA Unclassified 1

487
SPECIAL FLEET ORDER No. 1.
458
8th June, 1940
EVACUATION of the BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE from DUNKIRK
The undermentioned ratings of the War Department Fleet are commended for the gallant part they played in connection with the evacuation of the
British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk - 30th May to 3rd June, 1940
W.D.M.L."GROUSE"
T/Mate i/c
Mason, W.T.
T/A.B.
Taylor, J.R.
T/3/Engr.
Hewett, C.
W.D.M.L. "HAIG"
A/1/Cl.Mr.
Wales, F.J.
A.B.
Allen, 8.
A.B.
Farmer, 7.
1st Engr.
Walter, R.
3rd Engr.
Crabb, S.
W.D.M.L. "KESTREL"
Mate 1/c
Cains, A.B.
A.B.
Vine, A.E.
T/3/Engr.
Spain, J.H.
W.D.M.L. "MAPLBOROUGH"
A/1/Cl.Mr.
Matthewa, J.
T/A.B.
Ferrier, C.
T/O.S.
Durrant, K.
T/3/Engr.
Stone, A.L.
T/3/Engr.
Stewart, R.
W.D.M.L. "PIGEON"
T/Mate 1/c
Yealland, E.L.
T/A.B.
Brenton, J.
T/3/Engr
Rowe, S.B.
W.D.M.L. "SWALLOW"
T/Mate i/c
Clarke, W.R.
A.B.
Hay, H.
3rd Engr.
Cherry, F.
T/2/Cl.Mr.
Beard, E.L.
W.D.M.L. "WOLFE"
Thompson, A.
A.B.
T/3/Engr.
Hodgkinson, D.
Mate i/c
Bell, L.C.
W.D.M.L. "VULTURE"
T/A.B.
Parry, A.J.
3rd Engr.
Bygrave, F.

522
C.B.O.
Sir,
6x Imday the 31" M May. are the S. Jug Vincia left Ramagah in taw of three skiffs for Duskin at
2.45pm.
544
2
514
This operation of holding the bifeboats end on to the beach, combined with the continuous bombing from the air, proved too difficult a task for the crews. After doing it twice
I had only one lifeboat remaining, the others having broached to and swamped themselves. Also, there was continuous shelling from the batteries from the Western side. So the only alternative left to me was to ferry troops from the piers to the trawler.
Atlantic
With the trawler filled we set out for home but we had not been under way long before the trawler struck a wreck. I sent out an S-0-S on the siren. It was quickly answered by a Dutch 'scoot' which came to our rescue, took off our troops and leaving the trawler "FAIRBREEZE" to sink, landed us back at Ramsgate at about 7.30am.
That night I comandeered a fast motorboat
"VERNON 1" and set out again for Dunkirk to ferry troops off the piers out to the Destroyers and waiting transports.
I continued this operation until dawn when the starboard engine or the launch fell to peices and I had to be towed home to Ramsgate rull of troops.
The next boat I got was the "PIGEON" one of the
War Dept. boats which continued to run magnificently for the remainder of the operations. From now on I did not try the beaches any more but ferried troops from the piers to the waiting transports outside Dunkirk. This seemed my best

Statement from S.Y. Vincea: (Re, Dankish
C. B.O.
522
Sir,
7
6n I mday the 31" M May. we the S.Jug Vincia left Ramagah in taw of three skiffs for Dunkich at
2.45 2.45pm.
545
-
3
515
courseas, for one thing, I was now aquainted with the majority of the wrecks in the vicinity of the piers and the entrance of the harbour and was able to quide in the arriving transports on each of my return journeys.
The "PIGEON" carried approx. 25 troops. Between midnight and dawn each night I made on an average 20 trips, arriving at Ramsgate usually at 7.30 a.m. on the last lap with the PIGEON full of troops.
I continued this every night until Monday when
3.4 having ferried all night Monday when having forried all night, and the last transport had sailed with approx.
3,500 troops aboard I waited alongside the pier for
Commander Troupe (8 spelling) who was on the pier embarking the men into the ships. Eventually he came aboard with the French General and his staff (very relieved at the coming I was to, for having heard the Jerries had arrived in the town, the wait and the time they took to get down the ladder from the pier(being low tide) seemed interminable. It was about 3.45 a.m. when we finally cast off and made for theentrance of the harbour. With such &
important personages abound, my one mortal fear, considering there was not another craft to come to my assistance in the harbour or outside, all having left previously, was losing the three propellers in the tremendous amount of wreckage and floating baulks of timberete. which had now spread out