TNA Unclassified 1

3.
31
nday
8
nd.
There was no hope of repairing the clutch which was practically burned out, for two days. I went round to Dover with two commanders and a lieutenant.-commander. S/L Clarabut volunteered to accompany me. I was sent, with one and eight ratings from
Hotspur and Ajax to ginger up the French cross-channel steamer
Newhaven. It was some four hours before we could discover from the Naval Signal station where she was. She had actually entered harbour about 1030 but they informed us she was not in. We were unable, therefore, to leave until about 2130 instead of 1830
as ordered. The master of the shop handled his vessel extremely well, in spite of her small high-speed propellors, and got alongside
East Jetty in B berth, ahead of wreck, about 0045 (,). Tynwald rammed us on entering causing slight damage. There were no troops on the jetty so I went to the inner end where I found a French colonel with about 3000 men waiting to be told where to go. I had to stand at the end telling them that their colonel was in my ship before they would follow. A paddle steamer in berth C delayed proceedings by insisting on filling up. The French would not pass by any spot where embarking was going on! Nor would the narrowness of the jetty actually allow them to pass. The French would not send word to the rear and I had to request the colonel to send two officers to the rear of his men to hurry them up. This ay rd. was at 0215. At 0245 we were ordered to proceed (from the M.T.B)
On return I reported to Captain Bisset that a loudspeaker on the jetty would be most useful. I was able to obtain one by
Captain Dawson's efforts. This was a great help the next night, both for talking to ships when entering and leaving Dunkirk harbour, and for talking to the French troops and directing the securing of ropes and passing embarkation orders.
We left harbour after oiling (very slowly owing to wrong connections)
about 1915 and reached Dunkirk entrance at 2430 (?). The strong easterly current and wind made securing very difficult but the went master on did very well and we were secured by about 2300. Embarking by no satisfactorily until an order was passed to stop. We were means from one of the officers who accompanied Admiral Abrial and a General full and I got them going again. I suspect this order came most life-belts' being provided for them the instant they came on I had board!
who solicitous for the safety of his superiors and insisted had just embarked. One of the General's staff officers was on
We left on Commander Buchanañass arrival on the jetty, him. and
We no opportunity anchored off the North Goodwin at about 0300 in fog and weight at of turning the loudspeaker set over to
0500, proceeding to Folkestone where we disembarked.
heart. Command