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DENIS PAPIN (A.D.48)
French M/S
trawlers
Lieutenant de vaisseau
PRESIDENT BRIAND
2nd Section)
J.F. Section. Raquez, S.O. 2nd
Lieutenant de vaisseau(
Le Talaer.
[Notes: (1) The times in this report appear to be
G.M.T.
(11) Movements from 29th - 31st May are as
recorded by the Venus]
29th May
0700
Sailed from Cherbourg for Dover, the
trawlers President Briand, Venus and
Moussaillon in company.
30th May
0500
The 4 trawlers anchored off Dover.
1400
The 4 trawlers sailed for Dunkirk to
evacuate French troops.
2100
Arrived Dunkirk. Entered the harbour
and embarked troops.
2120ca
The 4 trawlers sailed for Dover.
31st May
0400
Arrived Dover.
Denis Papin disembarked 177 troops. (1)
President Briand disembarked 166
troops. (2)
1000
The Denis Papin and President Briand
sailed for Dunkirk.
-
Arrived Dunkirk. Embarked troops
during an artillery bombardment;
about 30 troops on the quay were
killed by a shell burst.
-
Sailed for Ramsgate. In the Dunkirk
channel a bomb burst 50 yards to
starboard of the Denis Papin, killing
one soldier and seriously wounding
another.
1st June
0845(3)
The Denis Papin disembarked at Ramsgate
228 troops. (4)
0925(3)
The President Briand disembarked 117
French troops. (5).
1100ca
The Denis Papin and President Briand
sailed for Dunkirk by the northern
route. Three miles astern of them
were the Venus and Moussaillon.
1520
Denis Papin and President Briand, 1/01
mile north of 6 W buoy, were straddled
by shells from a battery east of
Gravelines. The Denis Papin's small
gun was unable to reply effectively,
so the two ships altered course away
with the intention of reaching
Dunkirk from the east. At this
moment, the Moussaillon and Venus,
on a southerly course, were closing
them.
1603
Eight bombers, flying low, were seen
(1) D.R. which names the ship "Devins Papin".
(2) D.R., which names the ship "president Buars".
(4) Ramsgate report, which names the ship "A.248", mention. and says
(3) B.S.T.
the troops were British. D.R. does not
(5) Ramsgate report. D.R. does not mention.
230

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a
DENIS PAPIN - Continued
1st June
1603
(contd.)
(contd.)
approaching from Dunkirk.
1605
One of the bombers broke away and
flew towards the trawlers. It
dropped 3 bombs which fell alongside
the Denis Papin's starboard side;
the ship was steaming at full speed
(10 knots), zig-zagging, and firing
all her guns, including a machine
gun picked up from the quay at
Dunkirk. The bomber was driven off.
1606
A second bomber attacked the Denis
Papin and dropped 3 bombs; one of
them burst on the boiler room hatch.
A few seconds later, 3 more bombs
fell, two alongside the port side,
one abaft the W/T room. The boiler
burst, steam was everywhere. The
Denis Papin commenced to sink.
"Abandon ship" was ordered.
The two life boats had been damaged
by the bombs, but 2 rafts were
launched over the starboard side.
1607
The Denis Papin, slightly down by the
bows and with a little forward way
on, disappeared.
The same formation of bombers then
sank the Venus and the Moussaillon;
the former sank by the bows, the
latter went down stern first.
The President Briand was not hit.
She picked up some survivors, but
Lieutenant de vaisseau Raquez
ordered her out of the zone of attack
Survivors were picked up by various
small French and English vessels.
(Denis Papin) - Totals 405
(President Briand)
- 283
Authority - French Admiralty record, Folios Nos. 25 and 27.
231

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MOUSSAILLON
French M/S trawler DE City RE
324
The
1800
Brought back 309 troops. in
Anchared ore the B. 5-g
2n
Shikari,
See under Venus STATE Noving in
03.57es
09
Caps. 106 Die of
A
600 the Nationality
wexghed to must to the
2 Illeboats
Moussaillon YORK & use mank
weing alorgodds,
AD 79 by herecur, and to #30 205 to
cheemal. the
Maite de manoeure weat and the the former, 92 and the
Bourgain of are Die Hozle- the State An (ell Mizza the mark, the
westpon
any. M/S and to the Itde of the at
14
(hate by bar brus of
Austinical Section)
-
the millowing
C.E.R.A. 0.5. Clapson,
Westton An
Lt, Cdre Lane, R.N.
307

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VENUS (A.D.76)
French M/S trawlers
MOUSSAILLON
(2nd Section of
Enseigne de vaisseau
Minesweepers)
de R. Rosec.
[Note: The times in this report appear
to be G.M.T.]
29th May
0700
Sailed from Cherbourg for Dover, in
(s.o. 2nd Section), President Briand
company with the trawlers Denis Papin,
and Moussaillon.
30th May
0500
All four trawlers anchored off Dover.
1400
The four trawlers sailed for Dunkirk
to bring French troops to England.
2100
Arrived Dunkirk and went alongside
the quay opposite the "gare maritime
Shelled by a 4 inch battery; one
shell exploded on the Venus's stern
rail.
Embarked 115 troops and 1 officer in
1 hour.
2120ca
Sailed for Dover.
31st May
0400
Arrived Dover. The Denis Papin and the
1
President Briand first disembarked
their troops. After which the Venus
and the Moussaillon disembarked theirs
The numbers disembarked were as
0
follows:
Denis Papin 177(1);
President Briand 166(2);
Venus 116 (3);
Moussaillon
1000
The Venus wastordered to wait for the
Moussaillon; the Denis Papin and
President Briand sailed for Dunkirk.
1115
The Moussaillon having disembarked her
troops, she and the Venus sailed for
Dunkirk.
2000
The Venus and Moussaillon arrived at
Dunkirk after having been delayed
at No. 5 buoy off Mardyck by an air
attack.
2045
Secured alongside the landing quay and
embarked 350 troops in all, in the
two ships.
2055
The Venus and Moussaillon sailed,
during an artillery bombardment.
1st June
0400
The Venus and Moussaillon arrived at
Ramsgate.
0955(5)
The Moussaillon disembarked 156 French
1040(5)
The troops. Venus disembarked 102 British
troops. (7)
(1) D.R., which names the ship "Devins Papin".
D.R., which names the ship "president Buars".
(3)
Not mentioned in D.R.
Estimated; not mentioned in D.R.
(6) B.S.T.
Ramsgate report, which names the ship "Mensaillon".
D.R. does not mention.
(7) Ramsgate report.
268

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VENUS - Continued
1100
1st (contd.) June
The Venus and Moussaillon sailed for
Dunkirk. [The Denis Papin and the
President Briand were 3 miles ahead,
1530ca
having sailed earlier(1 ].
Near the Ruytingen buoy, the wrecks of
two transports, sunk during the night
were seen; two torpedo boats were
heading north. The Denis Papin
and the President Briand were both
returning having been unable to enter
Dunkirk approach channel because of
gunfire from a shore battery opposite
6 W buoy.
1600
The President Briand signalled the
Venus to scatter, because of an
impending air attack.
1610
Dive bombed by 9 aircraft, which
directed their bombs on the Venus
and the Denis Papin.
The Venus received a direct hit and
sank in less than 4 minutes. Before
sinking she managed to launch one
1
raft. It was then seen that the
Denis Papin had also been sunk.
The President Briand lowered two boats
The Moussaillon picked up Enseigne de
0
vaisseau Rosec and 3 sailors of the
Venus. Hardly had she done so than
she herself was hit, and sank in less
than one minute, that is to say,
instantaneously.
Half an hour later, an English pilot
boat summoned by the President
Briand picked up 9 survivors of the
Venus including her captain.
The President Briand which had been
machine gunned by the planes, and was
damaged, did not wait.
Totals 218 (Venus)
309 (Moussaillon)
Authority - French Admiralty record, Folio No. 27.
(1) Report by the Denis Papin.
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SATURDAY, 1ST JUNE
CHAP. IX
boiler and engine rooms badly holed, the steering gear jammed with the rudder
hard over, the ship took a heavy list to port. The crew of the pom-pom were
all killed or knocked out except Acting Leading Seaman Ronald Thirlwall, who,
although shockingly badly wounded in at least four places, kept the one un-
damaged barrel firing until ammunition was exhausted. The 0.5" gun aft was
also kept in action by Able Seaman C. A. L. Hirschfield, who went aft and
brought the gun into action single handed after all the crew were wounded.
With water pouring into the ship, the Mosquito was abandoned, the survivors
being picked up by the Rapid and two drifters. Among the killed was the
executive officer Lieutenant A. H. Mainwaring, R.N.
Fifth and sixth air attacks, 1500 and 1610
Between 1230 and about 1500 there was a lull in the air attacks on shipping,
and when attacks were renewed at the latter hour R.A.F. and Coastal Command
patrols were operating and no damage occurred.
About 1600 the French minesweeping trawlers Président Briand, Denis
Papin, Moussaillon and Vénus, were approaching Dunk'rk after landing troops
in England, when gunfire from a shore battery opposite 6 W buoy caused the
two former, who were ahead, to turn back. Ten minutes later, a formation of
9 enemy aircraft dived cn them, directing their bombs on the Vénus and the
Denis Papin. The latter apparently sank immediately with total loss of her
crew, and the Vénus in four minutes, after a direct hit. Whilst the other two
trawlers were engaged in rescuing the survivors of the Vénus, the Moussaillon
was hit and sank within a minute.
Losses from mines
On this black day mines were also taking their toll of shipping. Enemy
aircraft had been mining the inshore channels during the night 31st May-1st
June, and at 0313 Vice-Admiral Dover informed the Admiralty that he was
allowing ships evacuating troops to use Route Y as well as Route X. In the
early hours the corvette Sheldrake after a night spent in dodging M.T.B.
torpedoes", was skilfully directed by aircraft to a position between the West
Hinder and Kwint buoys, where she found wreckage with men clinging to it.
This was the remains of the trawler St. Achilleus which had been mined on
patrol. The Sheldrake rescued 11 men, but 4 of them died before they could
be got to harbour. About the same time, i.e. at 0330, the little Thames Estuary
cockle bawley boat Renown was blown to pieces with her crew of 3, on the way
back from Dunkirk.
The third ship to be sunk on this day was the F.A.A. training yacht Grive a
vessel which, on account of her untiring activity, could ill be spared. Having
disembarked 374 troops at Dover at 0100 on the 1st June the Grive sailed again
two hours later for Dunkirk without waiting to replenish ammunition, of which
she had only 5 rounds per gun remaining. On the way in to the harbour she
lent assistance to the Ivanhoe after the latter was bombed and damaged, went
alongside the jetty and embarked troops under heavy bombing. At 0800 she
left again. On the way out, she passed the sinking destroyer Havant with the
Ivanhoe's troops and survivors of the crew on board; these she transferred,
and arrived at Dover with 785 persons about 1300. Three hours later, her
indefatigable Captain (Capt. the Hon. L. J. O. Lambart, D.S.O., R.N. (Retired)
sailed once more for Dunkirk. But he never arrived, for at about 2230, when
a mile or so outside the harbour, the Grive was blown to pieces by a mine.
Nineteen survivors were picked up, but her Captain was not among them.
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CHAP. IX
THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
Loadings at Dunkirk during the day
In
the
space
of
a
few
hours
the
supply cerned to shipping at at any the as losses time, during of asked the destroyers, whole the of enemy a the type previous had of vessel caused 7 which days. almost was as much damage Noremase
and services carrying used of ing personnel attack. 6 only through of power; in no vessels positions In less serious the no than short was other where damage. 15 perhaps view, of vessels they them however, Admiralty equally could could had been manoeuvre the compare serious. to effect lost give to with on The orders the thigh speed under bor them. operation, that possessed Up 9 to by date the sinking great loss the
Dunkirk Nevertheless, through and the despite growing the number increasing of difficulty of threading
was throughout day, though not without a series of setbacks. vessels
maintained the wrecks, the supply of personnel a way into
The Côte d'Argent, a French mail boat transferred to the orders of
Admiral Dover, disembarked 1,000 troops from Dunkirk harbour on the Vice-
disembarked 1,250 troops at Dover in the morning and left again about 0930
June, the King George V 700, the French vessel Rouen 800. The St. Helier. 1st
At 1530 she entered Dunkirk harbour to embark wounded and troops, and was
twice hit by shore batteries before sailing for Dover once more at 2230 with
1,334 troops.
The controlling organisation
The organisation which controlled the supply of shipping functioned in a
room below Dover Castle, known as the Dynamo Room from the codeword
of the Dunkirk operation. In charge was Captain M. M. Denny, R.N. With
him there were 20 or more officers, soldiers, naval officers and Board of Trade
and Sea Transport officials, and the work they did was marvellous. They
were controlling, organizing, fuelling and supplying, not only men-of-war, but
a variety of merchant vessels. Sometimes a merchant vessel would need a
crew to take her over to Dunkirk again, but within a few hours the Sea the
new Transport Officer would get one and the ship would sail. At Ramsgate, collected
and various other places besides Dover, ships and boats were where
Nore, and organised, but the head and control of the whole was in this room,
they worked continuously and tirelessly against time day and night.¹
for the numerous small craft, working parties, and beach small parties craft were of
provided by the Chatham serviced and controlled by N.O.I.C. to assist
Crews Depot. The great majority of the Ramsgate. At
Harwich, which exceptional called there to make a quick turn round their by vessels.
the inshore an flotillas were Naval and Military system was organised relieving the
tired those ships' ships companies of the work of cleaning and clearing
NAVAL LOSSES OF THE DAY.
SUNK BY AIR ATTACK.
Destroyers-Basilisk, Havant, Keith, French Foudroyant.
Gunboat Mosquito.
Minesweepers French Minesweeping Brighton Trawlers Queen, Skipjack. Denis Papin, Moussaillon, Vénus.
Personnel vessel Scotia.
Tugs St. Abbs, St. Fagan.
Barges Lady Robinson, Doris.
I Report of R. A. Wake-Walker, M 017978/41, p.27.
94

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