Details

Details

Details

Details

Details

Details

Details

Details

CERVIA
Tug (william
Watkins Ltd.)
W.H. Simmons, Master.
31st May
2145
Left in Dover, sailing barge Royalty
two tow, and the tug Persia towing
in company.
sailing barges Sark and Shetland]
1st June
0720
1 mile east of Dunkirk pier, Royalty
being towed at full speed, slipped the
tow, and beached herself head on, on
Malo beach.
Air attack. Nine bombs fell in a line
along the starboard side of dr.
Keith, which was outside Cervia.
Cervia got under way to avoid the
turning and twisting destroyer.
Picked up crew and boat of Royalty
and also of S/B Duchess.
0800ca
Keith began to list, and was again
bombed; her guns were going all the
time as she steamed round and round.
She then stopped and let go her
anchor. As the crew began to abandon
ship, the bombers machine gunned them.
The tug Vincia began to pick up
survivors, and the tug St. Abbs got
alongside Keith's starboard bow. A
sloop(1) also went to her assistance.
Cervia turned round and picked up
soldiers from a M/B.
0815ca
At this time, the dr. Ivanhoe, to the
westward, was seen to be disabled,
and a "small tanker" [the M/S
Skipjack] astern of Vincia, went up
in flames.
-
Cervia then took the sailing barge
Tollesbury, which had 200 troops under
hatches, in tow. The M.L.B. Orient IV
was added to the tow, and Cervia
proceeded down Dunkirk roads. When
west of the pierhead, Ivanhoe was
seen to be in tow of the Persia and
Vincia, with decks full of survivors,
At No.5 W. buoy, about 20 planes
passed the Cervia.
0900ca
appeared. Ivanhoe put up a smoke
screen, and 9 bombs fell near a
cross-channel boat which, however,
kept on Cervia's port bow, bomb
going. 5 bombs fell about lifting 100
feet tug cut of the water. A the
the between a sloop and towing
exploded destroyer she was
In disabled [M/8 the Downs Saltash Cervia towing to was dr. Ramsgate. met Havant] by the
Java brought about 230 troops( and
and ordered 2) all
"In tug
1500ca
Cervia Dunkirk, the Tollesbury and the crew
out crews of of Duchess and Royalty,
Orient IV."
(1) The sk. Hilda and that the M/S this the up survivors. troops in
(2)
It
1s
considered
Tollesbury.
170

Details

CERVIA - continued. (R7320tt
2nd June
0930
Arrived Gravesend with Tollesbury
and Orient IV.
went to to night 10t/2nd with
In
the
tug
toge.
Total 230(1)
Authority - TM. 6213/40.
W.W.
(1) It 1s considered that this figure includes the troops in
mallesbury.
171

Details

Aux. Barge
PUDGE
Lond. &
Mr. W. Watson, Master
Rochester
Trading Co.
Ltd.)
Requisitioned at Millwall and towed
29th May
to Tilbury - thence to Southend.
The Ocean Cock towed the Pudge, and
the barges Doris, Ena and Tollesbury
to Ramsgate and thence to Dover.
1430
Arrived Dover.
30th May
0830ca
Volunteers invited to go to Dunkirk.
31st May
of the 17 barges lying at Dover, all
volunteered. Six barges were
selected - the 3 auxiliary barges;
Pudge, Thyra and Lady Roseberry;
and the 3 sailing barges Doris, H.A.C.
and Duchess.
The 3 auxiliary barges proceeded
forthwith out of harbour with the
sailing barges in tow; and were
picked up by tugs.
Pudge, Doris and Lady Roseberry -
in that order, were taken in tow
by the tug St. Fagan. (1)
1st June
0130ca
Arrived off Dunkirk beach during
0350ca
The darkness. Lady Roseberry was ordered by the
tug to tow the Doris inshore.
While proceeding to do so, and while
the Pudge was starting up her engines
the St. Fagan was blown up by a bomb(2)
The Pudge picked up 1 stoker and the
Mate of the tug.
The were also sunk in the explosion, and
Lady Roseberry and the Doris
the Pudge picked up their crews.
The Pudge sailed.
After about 5 miles, the Pudge was
taken in tow by the tug Tanga.
1130ca
Arrived Ramsgate.
Authority R.O.II, p.620.
Not "St. Fabian" as stated by Mr. Watson.
Watson says 1t was a mine.

Details

ROYAL SOVEREIGN (continued)
4th June
0255
Leaving harbour, saw crew of an
(continued)
(conta)
unknown vessel Pblockship Gourko]/lhe
being rescued by small boats.
0600
Margate. Disembarked 1350 troops.
1st
June
0720
While being towed Total 6,772(1)
1 mile or Do
the Royalty clipped the tow rope,
set sail, and steared head first
on to the beach at Malo. Soldiers
began to run down the beach towards
Authority - R.O.III. p.190.
her,
but
to
TM.6213/40.
was The
crew of the Royalty and about 6
soldier atevedores, rowed off in
their boat to the tug Cervia,
0830ca
The Ceryia took the barge Tollesbury
tow and sailed for Ramagate.
The following awards were made: Royalty was
D.S.C.
Capt. T. Aldis, Master.
Mr. A. Sinclair, Chief Engineer.
D.S.M.
Ch. Stwd. T.E. Manser.
(1) "Exact number unknown, but approximately 11,000" -
Master's report.
47

Details

ROYALTY
Sailing barge
H. Miller, Master.
(F.T. Everard
& Sons, Ltd.
31st May
2145
Left Dover, with fresh water and
provisions, in tow of the tug
Cervia.
1st June
0720
While being towed at full speed about
1 mile east of Dunkirk pierhead,
the Royalty slipped the tow rope,
set sail, and steered head first
on to the beach at Malo. Soldiers
began to run down the beach towards
her, but withdrew to shelter when an
air raid alert was sounded. The
crew of the Royalty and about 6
soldier stevedores, rowed off in
their boat to the tug Cervia.
0830ca
The Cervia took the barge Tollesbury in
tow and sailed for Ramsgate.
The Royalty was abandoned.
Authority - T.M.6213.
48

Details

Tug (W.H.J. Alexander
Sun XII
and Co. Ltd.)
A.V. Mee, Master.
B.R. Mastin, Navigating
Master
2300ca
29th May
Left Tilbury Docks for Ramsgate, towing
H.A.C. and Beatrice Maud.
the A/B Thyra and the S/B's Royalty,
1210
30th May
Arrived Ramsgate. Ordered to Dover.
1500
Arrived Dover with the 4 barges.
1600
31st May
Left Dover for Dunkirk towing the S/B's
Ethel Everard and Tollesbury loaded
with water and provisions for
Dunkirk; tug Fairplay I, also towing
barges, in company. Air attack en
route.
2350
Arrived Dunkirk. Both tugs put their
barges ashore at Braye-Dunes.
Both tugs proceeded 3 to 4 miles to
the east to collect troops, but none
were available.
1st June
0400
Returned to Braye-Dunes. Proceeded to
Dover.
0410ca
Off Dunkirk. Air attack.
1030
Arrived Dover.
2030
Sun XII assisted dr. Worcester which
had been in collision with P/V Maid
of Orleans.
2155
Left Dover for W buoy.
Off the North Goodwin, Sun XII was
one of 7 tugs steaming in single
line ahead (see Sun XI)
2nd June
0300
Arrived W buoy. Ordered to return.
0920
Arrived Dover.
Nil
Authority. A.T.C.
W.W.
191

Details

TOLLESBURY
Sailing barge
R. Webb, Master
(R. & W. Paul, Ltd.)
1600
31st May
Left Dover for Dunkirk in tow of the
tug Sun XII.
2350
Arrived off Bray beach.
The ashore. Tollesbury's crew rowed the barge
1st June
Embarked about 200 troops and set sail.
Wind anchor. and tide too strong. Had to
0730ca
0830ca
Air attacks. "Two destroyers sunk". (1)
Tollesbury taken in tow by tug Cervia,
but the windlass pulled out. Another
wire was put on board.
1500ca
Arrived Ramsgate in tow. Disembarked
200 troops. (2)
Total 200.
Authority - P.L.A. Monthly.
T.M. 6213/40.
W.W.
S.T.N.4B (D.af Sea Transport).
(1) The Keith was sunk, the Ivanhoe disabled.
(2) Not mentioned in Ramsgate report.
238

Details

Details

FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
in the Bray and Malo sectors were being thinned out by movements westward
towards Dunkirk iteslf. This change of plan involved concentrating the special
tows and the minesweepers to which they were to transfer the troops, into the
stretch opposite the beach between Zuydcoote Sanatorium and one mile east
of La Panne¹, and also advancing the commencement of the operation by one
hour².
A risk was involved in this change of plan as the boat tows were not in com-
munication with the Vice-Admiral, and it would therefore be necessary for
minesweepers to see that the escorting M.A./S.B.'s shepherded the tows to the
new positions It had been explained to the Naval officers in each tow that
the minesweepers would be anchored so as to serve as guiding marks³.
" It was always impossible for me to do more than deal with the situation of
the moment", says Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker. "I did not know what ships
were coming or when-except for the pre-arranged plan of the sloops. Nor
was it possible for Dover to give me much information. Ships got back there,
unloaded, and were off again, the stream was constant but irregular and it was
not possible to see any way ahead. My policy was always to keep only sufficient
ships off the beaches and send all the others into Dunkirk, but the situation
changed continually."4
Small craft arrive in hundreds
It was in such circumstances that, at about 1900, Rear-Admiral Wake-
Walker had proceeded to Dunkirk in the Keith to see how the boat situation
was getting on. There he saw for the first time that strange procession of
craft of all kinds the story of which was to become famous-tugs, towing
dinghies, life-boats and all manner of pulling boats5-small motor yachts,
motor launches, drifters, Dutch skoots, Thames barges, fishing boats, pleasure
steamers⁶. This was indeed the first time that the small craft had come over
in hundreds⁷. Since noon Lt. Cdr. C. J. Wynne-Edwards, R.N. (of R.-A.
Dunkirk's staff), embarked in M.T.B.68, had been directing the tows to the
various beaches.
I See Appendix Q.18, observing that D.R. p.20, para. 61 says the beach between Bray
and 1 mile east of La Panne."
2 Appendix Q.19.
3 D.R. p.20, para. 61.
4 M.017978/41, p.17.
5 The following 14 tugs (their tows are shown in brackets) reached Dunkirk that evening:
The Racia (12 life-boats), Sun VIII (12 life-boats), Sun XV (6 life-boats), Vincia (3 life-
boats), Sun IV (9 boats), Tanga (6 boats), Ocean Cock (6 M/B's), Sun VII (seaplane tenders
243, 254, 276, 291 and A.M.C.3), Foremost 87 (two sailing barges), Fairplay I (sailing barge
Barbara Jean), Empire Henchman (sailing barge Aidie), Crested Cock (a lighter), Sun XI (a
lighter), and the Sun XII (sailing barges Tollesbury and Ethel Everard).
In the early hours of 1st June 4 other tugs arrived. The St. Fagan (auxiliary barges
Pudge and Lady Rosebery, and the sailing barge Doris), St. Abbs (auxiliary barge Thyra
and sailing barges H.A.C. and Duchess), Cervia (sailing barge Royalty), and the Persia
(sailing barge Glenway and Lark).
6 M.017978/41, p.19.
7 New arrivals off Dunkirk and the beaches on 31st May included the following The
yachts Amulree, Aronia, Glagla, Caleta, Christobel II and Llanthony, the nine yachts of the
Portsmouth Inner Patrol, viz the Ahola, Ankh, Bounty, Caryandra, Eilla II, Lahloo,
Noneta, Seriola and Thele and from the R.N. Air Station, Ford, the yacht Andora.
The drifters Ben and Lucy (towing 4 boats), Dorienta (towing boats), Monarda, Renas-
cent and the 13 drifters of the Yarmouth Base, viz Alcmaria, Feasible, Genius, Gula,
Jeannie MacIntosh, John and Norah, Lord Barham, Lord Hood, Overfalls, Reed, Rewga,
Swift Wing and Taransay. The drifters Fair Breeze and Ocean Breeze were again over,
the former towing a motor life-boat and 3 life-boats.
The steam hopper barges Foremost 102 (towing the Excellent's 35 ft. fast motor boat and
71

Details

THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK
APPENDIX A
TROOPS
SAILING BARGES (contd.)
TRANSPORTED
Claud (water boat)'
/
Doris¹ (F. Finbow, Master)
/
Duchess (H. J. Wildish, Master)
/
Ena
100
(A. G. Page, Master)
Ethel Everard
/
(T. Willis, Master)
F.W. 23 (dumb)
13
Glenway (W. H. Easter, Master)
213
H.A.C.
100
(R. H. Scott, Master)
Haste Away
-
Lark'
/
(R. H. Scott, Master)
Monarch
-
Queen
-
Queen Alexandria
-
Royalty
-
(H. Miller, Master)
Sark (dumb)
-
Shannon
-
Shetland (dumb)
-
Spurgeon
-
(- Haisman, Master)
Tollesbury
200
(R. Webb, Master)
Warrior1
-
Total
886
LIFE BOATS
Total 19, R.N.L.I. life boats2, of which I was lost.
Abdy Beauclerk
-
Cecil & Lilian Philpott
51
(A/B W. J. Morris, Coxn.
Charles Cooper Henderson
-
Charles Dibdin
-
Cyril & Lilian Bishop
-
(Actg. P.O. W.H. Adkin)
Edward Z, Dresden
50
E.M.E.D. (Lt. Cdr. R. W. Faulkner, R.N.R. (?Retd.) )
39
(Lieut. R. H. Mead, R.N.V.R., died)
(P.O. Tel. W.H. Cooley)
Greater London
48
(S/Lt. W. D.F. Claydon, R.N.R.)
Guide of Dunkirks
-
(S/Lt. R. H.C. Amos, R.N.V.R.)
-
Jane Holland
(S/Lt. R. H. Wallace, R.N.V.R.)
-
(Sto. J. Strangeways) (Sto. A. H. Shaw)
Lord Southborough
(S/Lt. E. R. Ponsonby, R.N.V.R.)
17
(E. Parker, Coxswain)
I Lost.
2 The Dunkirk, reserve life boat Agnes Cross carried out duties at Dover. She did not go to
3 At been the same time of Dunkirk evacuation, this boat had just been built and had not yet
named.
146

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Details

COPY OF STATEMENT.
(2)
155
HMS keith
Steam and smoke were coming away from the Destroyer, and she
n to take a list. I began to run towards her, as also did the Tug
ABBS", but the planes were bombing her again, intent on finishing
off, so we had to sheer away from her. Her guns were going all
time as she steamed round and round, but she stopped as she must
re been hit again. She let go her anchor and swing round to head
the tide, as the crew began to take to the boats and rafts we made
r her again. As the bombers came over and machine-gunned the crew
3 they were all jumping overboard and the Tug "VINCIA", which was
oming in the Bast end of the Roads began to pick them up, and the
'ST. ABBS" had got alongside her starboard bow and the sloop was also
going to their assistance, so I turned rouried to a motor boat full of
soldiers and picked them up.
lvanhoe
At this time I could see that another Destroyer had been dis-
abled to the West of the Harbour, and a 'plane had just dropped a bomb
on a small oil tanker astern of the "VINCIA" which went up in flames.
A direct hit on the stern of the sinking Destroyer blew up her depth
charges and we made to the sailing barge #TOLLESBURY" which was sig-
nalling us. We went alongside of her and were requested to tow her
out of it as she had over two hundred soldiers under her main hatch.
We passed the motore lifeboat "ORIENT IV" on to her stern and began to
tow her down the Dunkirk Roads.
A Cross-Channel boat was backing out of the Harbour full of
troops, and no more troops were to be seen on the Pierhead, when,
West of the Pierhead we saw that the "PERSIA" had the other disabled
Destroyer in tow and he was blowing for us. But we could not catch
him as the Destroyer had one engine going as well.
The "VINCIA" by this time, was passing us with her decks
laden with survivors of the sunken Destroyer, and as we all came to
No. 5 W. Buoy to turn out to sea, here the gun fire from shore batteries
and Destroyers and trawlers was terrific as about 20 planes flew towards
us to try and stop us getting away. The "PERSIA's" Destroyer put up a
smoke screen, and we watched nine bombs fall from a plane and drop
right alongside a Cross-channel boat that was bound in, but she kept
going. Then a plane over us released five bombs and we watched them
fall and they dropped in to the sea about 100 feet on our port bow,
lifting the Tug bodily out of the water. Another bomb was aimed at
the "PERSIA" which missed and must have put water on her deck, and yet
another was aimed at the "VINCIA" which also missed. The Lewis gun
on our barge was going all the time with ours.
A squadron of our planes was coming over and the Enemy 'planes
began to turn away. A bomb exploded between a Sloop towing a disabled
Destroyer, and I think it must have parted the towrope as I could see
they were trying to get connected again soon afterwards. The "PERSIA"
and Destroyer began to draw away from us, also the "VINCIA", and we
continued on our tow.
A mine was exploded near us by a navy motor boat and when we
arrived in the Downs we were met by the examination Tug "JAVA" about
3-0 p.m. and were ordered to Ramsgate. "e hove barge up alongside and
anchored at Quern Buoy 4-45 p.m. where a motor boat launch came off
and took ashore about 100 troops and returned for the others, with orders
for us to tow barge to Gravesend.
In all, we brought about 230 troops out of Dunkirk, the Barge
"TOLLESBURY" and crew, and crew of "DUCHESS" and crew and Soldier steve-
dores of "ROYALTY" and Motor boat "ORIENT IV". We andored at Southend
10-0 p.m. and proceeded to Gravesend at 7-0 a.m. on Sunday 2nd June,
arriving at Lobster Buoy with "TOLLESBURY" 9-30 a.m. Went to Pier and
handed "ORIENT IV" over to Custom House,
(Signed) W.H. Simmons.
Master of Tug "CERVIA".

Details

and
and
TO
Two
STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN T.WILLIS, MASTER OF THE SAILING BARGE
15 л
Drink
"ETHEL EVERARD
can
I
ITSP
249
We loaded Dynamite shells, and small arms
Jon
ammunition and packed stores in Dover, and towed away
a
acts
FTS
with the barge Tollesbury" at 2.30 p.m. on Friday
SEALL
the 31st May.
STREET
We had no definite instructions where we were
to proceed to, but after towing up through the Downs the
tug shaped his course for Dunkirk, and we were off Gravelines
about 11.30 p.m. on Friday night. From then onwards we
were continually machine gunned and bombed.
About 1 a.m. on Saturday morning when about one
mile east of Dunkirk we shortened towrope and the tug master
informed us we were to steerfor the beach and await orders.
We sailed on to the beach, and it was now about
half ebb, and the smallswell which was on knocked us round
broadside, and by this time we were being continually attacked.
21
We had a sergeant and five soldiers on board, and
va
fo
he hailed the troops that were on the beach thinking they
were the working party to discharge us, but they turned out
yp
to be troops waiting to be evacuated and they soon swarmed
on board. They were suffering badly from thirst so they
soon emptied our water tanks, and a naval cutter from the
th
va
Gun boat lying off then took them on board the Gun boat.
Shortly after an Army Officer came on board and
asked me to allow my crew to row him off to the Gun boat,
28
and we were still being badly bombed, and about thirty
3
minutes after a naval pinnace came up to us, and instructed
in
us to go back to the Gunboat with the crews of the other
th
barges that were on the beach.
On boarding the Gunboat a naval officer informed
er
me they had decided to abandon our vessels, and were going
to fire them.