Supplement 38017 — Dunkirk evacuation despatch

33io SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 JULY, 1947 79. The Rear Admiral, Dover, arrived back 81. At 1700 movement towards Dunkirk from the coast in a M.T.B. and during the fore- commenced. The Annada consisted of 13 noon a joint Naval and Military conference was personnel vessels, 2 large store carriers, n held to devise a plan for the forthcoming night's destroyers, 5 paddle minesweepers 9 fleet evacuation. The fact that evacuation traffic sweepers I special service vessel 9 drifters 6 was suspended in daylight hours ena/b'led all skoots, 2 armed yachts, I guniboat, a large transport resources to accumulate du…

17 JULY, 1947 33" executing a series of round trips without inter- enemy and though the fog made navigation mission tor several days under navigation con- extremely difficult it undoubtedly served to ditions of extreme difficulty and in the face shield the Armada from enemy aircraft. of unparalleled air attack. The Vice Admiral accordingly represented to 91. When the count was taken later in the the Admiralty that the continuance of the de- day it was ascertained that 27,000 troops had mands made by evacuation would subject a been evacuated as a result of the night's opera- number of officers and men to a test wh…

3296 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 JULY, 1947 to drag on painfully, and finally to lose nights. Not only were the Dunkirk Roads momentum and expire through the exhaustion mined, including the Zuydecoote Pass, but also of Naval personnel and the 'liquidation of Route X and the area round the Kwinte Buoy. shipping. Folkestone and Dover Harbour entrances were It will be seen, therefore, that • the initial also mined* Considering the number of mines problem called for a maximum effort over a laid, it is interesting to note that only two limited period regardless of the future, and British ships are known for c…

3300 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 JULY, 1947 for inshore work off the beaches. Very few the S.N.O., on arrival, decided that conditions of such inshore craft could be available during at Dunkirk made this impossible. the day and the main effort was concentrated on 8. At 2025 -the Vice Admiral, Dover, re- maintaining the flow of Personnel Vessels to ceived a Most Immediate message from the Dunkirk at the rate of 2 every 3^ hours. After S.N.O., Dunkirk, who had just reached his a good start during the night 26th/27th the station, as follows: '' Port consistently 'bombed effect of enemy action against these…

3312 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 JULY, 1947 95. The initial despatch of requisitioned and day, probably none of them had been under 1 volunteer small craft was controlled from— gun fire before and certainly none of them had ever been under Naval discipline. These boats Naval Control Service, London, were Thames Estuary fishing boats which never Westminster Pier, Ramsgate, left the estuary and only one of their crews ihad Gravesend, Dover, been further afield than Ramsgate before. In " Southend, Newhaven, spite of this fact perfect formation was main- Sheerness, Portsmouth, tained throughout the day and n…