Duperre

Details

DUPERRE
THE
French trawler
0/14. D.A
8
say See under Pierre & Marie for Ronegate.
30th May
1700
Ramagate.
2000
To Dunkirk by X roote,
31st May
0300
6 miles N.W. of Dunnirk. Waited 0131
deylight before entering the buoyed
channel to Donkirk.
0500ca
Arrived Dunkirk - ordered to La Panne,
on the way, the motor barge Viking
hailed for assistance. She had burnt
out her clutches, and could only go
astern. She had 150 troops on board.
&
The Dwarf transferred 34 troops from
the Viking and took her in tow.
-
The tow parted. Again took her in tow
but tow rope fouled the Premis
rudder. Proceeded at about 22 knota.
p.m.
Half-way back, the tr. Olvina took the
Viking in tow and the proceeded
alone.
2000
The Dwarf arrived off Dover herbour.
2130
Arrived Dover Vilitary 10857
Disembarked 34 troops. (1)
lot June
0800
Bailed for Dunkirk.
1500
Fired on by Oravelines batteries,
153008
orr Dunkirk. Air attacks. The Com.
P.O. Coussens, was shot through both
kneen but remained at his poet.
The steering was damaged. Small
boots aunk nearby. A large bomb
lifted the must out of the water
and seriously damaged engines.
Taken in tow by a drifter. Another
air attack.
2300
The drifter anchored with Dyset natern,
off Ramagate.
200 June
0500
The drifter neggeeded into harbour
vin to:
Total 34
Authority - R.O.IIT, 2435+
award was
Consone.
263

Details

LEON
Belgian drifter
Cupitaine as Credite
30th
may
See under Pierre & Marie
2015
Cherbourg.
Eneryter. in the Downe, with the dr.
May
0900
1335
The Epervier sailed.
The Leonard routed the following ships
to bunkirk under the ordern of Lieut.
Drogout 8 stomm truelers (mong them
the Chasse Maree and the Amile
Marie) and 6 small motor traviers
(the D,692, Die 1213, P.O.220. 0.300,
11.63 and the H.BO), and
1930
7 small Belgian trawlers (the 142,
11,43, 3.4. 0.210, 4.2 and 11.49)
under the orders of pilot Malet.
101 June
0930
The D.692 returned to the Downs having
been unable to unload her munitions.
She was ordered to trensfer the
munitions to another vessel (the
Surville) and return to Dunkirk.
1630
The sporvier returned to the Downs.
2000
After loading with food, the following
steam trawlers were ordered to
Dunkirk: the Duperre, Pierre et
Encia, D.0.910, 2.41 and H.64
the June
0430
The Leopard and Epervier having sailed
at 0310 in accordance with orders,
took station off V and U buoys
respectively, and carried out petrols
for the protection of vessels re-
turning from Dunkirk; the 02%
Calontia performed the name service off
W buoy.
1035
112 attack on the Calcutta (q.v.)
A bomb fell about 1000 metres astern
of the Leopard.
1100
The Leopard rejoined the Epervier
and both ships proceeded to the Downs.
1210
Anchored in the Downa.
1830
Received the following signal from A.
Dover: "To Vanquisher, Epervier,
Leonard: Search for submarine which
torge doed the nisckburn Boyers(
as Y havy at 1618".
1910
Proseeded accordingly. This order,
however, was later cancelled, and the
Leopard and Epervier were ordered to
enrry out patrol duties 0.0 before in
the vicinity or V and U buoys.
2055
The 2 Fronoh asstroyers anchored in the
Downs.
3a
4sta
0500
0430
The Leopard patrolled in vioinity or
Weighed and processed.
0715
Picked up 18 French troops and an
V buoy.
English cadet from 8 damaged motor
0810
Returned launoh. to the Downs by order of the
Noervier-
to small crutser - 2,126 tons displacement.
WOD sunk by a mine.
162

Details

LEOPARD
French destroyer( 1)
Capitaine de fregate
C. Loisel
30th May
1600
2315
Sailed from Cherbourg.
Anchored Epervier. in the Downs, with the dr.
31st May
0900
The Epervier sailed.
1335
The Leopard routed the following ships
to Dunkirk under the orders of Lieut.
Drogou: 8 steam trawlers (among them
the Chasse Maree and the Angele
Marie) and 6 small motor trawlers
(the D.692, D1. 1213, D.G.910, 0.308,
H.63 and the H.80), and
1930
7 small Belgian trawlers ( the H.42,
H.43, 2.4, 0.210, M.41, 2.2 and N.49)
under the orders of pilot Malet.
1st June
0930
The D.692 returned to the Downs having
been unable to unload her munitions.
She was ordered to transfer the
munitions to another vessel (the
Surville) and return to Dunkirk.
1630
The Epervier returned to the Downs.
2000
After loading with food, the following
steam trawlers were ordered to
Dunkirk: the Duperre, Pierre et
Maria, D.G.910, 2.41 and H.64.
2nd June
0430
The Leopard and Epervier having sailed
at 0310 in accordance with orders,
took station off V and U buoys
respectively, and carried out patrols
for the protection of vessels re-
turning from Dunkirk; the cr.
Calcutta performed the same service off
W buoy.
1035
Air attack on the Calcutta (q.v.)
A bomb fell about 1000 metres astern
of the Leopard.
1100
The Leopard rejoined the Epervier
and both ships proceeded to the Downs.
1210
Anchored in the Downs.
1830
Received the following signal from V. A.
Dover: "To Vanquisher, Epervier,
Leopard: Search for submarine which
torpedoed the Blackburn Rovers( 2)
at T buoy at 1618".
1910
Proceeded accordingly. This order,
however, was later cancelled, and the
Leopard and Epervier were ordered to
carry out patrol duties as before in
the vicinity of V and U buoys.
2055
The 2 French destroyers anchored in the
Downs.
3rd June
0300
Weighed and proceeded.
0420
The Leopard patrolled in vicinity of
V buoy.
0715
Picked up 18 French troops and an
English cadet from a damaged motor
0810
Returned launch. to the Downs by order of the
Epervier.
(1) (2) Practically a small cruiser - 2,126 tons displacement.
Blackburn Rovers was sunk by. a mine.
163

Details

PIERRE & MARIE( 2)
French and trawlers( (1)
EMPERRE( 2) [337 tons]
Royer in charge of
Enseigne de valseeau
the convoy.
GERARD
Belgian drifters
LEON MARIE
in convoy.
THERESH COMPAS
1700ca
31st May
The with convoy arrived at Dunkirk, loaded
munitions and food.
Commenced to unload at the railway
left jetty. When nearly unloaded, they
artillery bombardment.
the harbour because of the heavy
1900
The Pierre Marie picked up 3 English
2200ca
sailors from a drifting M/B.
Anchored daylight. off the N. Goodwin to await
1st June
0600ca
Arrived Ramsgate with the convoy.
2200
The Pierre & Marie sailed for Dunkirk
alone, none of the other ships having
rendezvoused as ordered.
-
Near N. Goodwin anchored in fog.
2nd June
0400ca
Proceeded.
[Ramsgate report states that at 0955,
the "Emma Lion" landed 29 Allied
troops. This may have been the Emma]
1000ca
Arrived off Malo beach. No troops seen.
Entered the harbour. Saw no ships
and only some distant troops.
The Belgian drifter 2.40 entered the
harbour. Asked her to bring off
some troops.
Saw a M/L going towards Gravelines.
Went after her and found 50 English
troops on board "nearly dead with
fear". Took them on board. The 4.40
brought about 50 troops; she then
loaded up again.
-
Proceeded 2.40 in company.
-
Arrived Ramsgate.
Presumably disembarked 100, and the
2.40 about 50. 3)
3rd June
1445ca
Sailed for Dunkirk.
-
Near V buoy saw a periscope, moving
Entered Dunkirk harbour and overloaded
E.N.E.
-
the ship with 350 troops.
Proceeded.
[on June, D.R. records that the
"Dupene" the 3rd [?Duperre] landed 307 troops]
(1) (2) The port or was Boulogne
(3) D. were (Lloyds R. states gister) origin of these 3 trawlers drifter ierre Marie
Not mentioned sunk. that in Ramsgate the Duperre or Dover and the Reports.
393

Details

PIERRE & MARIE( 2)
French trawlers (1)
and
Enseigne de valsseau
DUPERRE( 2) [337 tons]
Royer in charge of
the convoy.
GERARD
Belgian drifters
AHNE LEON MARIE
in convoy.
THERESE COMPAS
1700ca
31st May
The convoy arrived at Dunkirk, loaded
with munitions and food.
Commenced to unload at the railway
jetty. When nearly unloaded, they
left the harbour because of the heavy
artillery bombardment.
1900
The Pierre Marie picked up 3 English
sailors from a drifting M/B.
2200ca
Anchored off the N. Goodwin to await
daylight.
1st June
0600ca
Arrived Ramsgate with the convoy.
2200
The Pierre & Marie salled for Dunkirk
alone, none of the other ships having
rendezvoused as ordered.
-
Near N. Goodwin anchored in fog.
2nd June
0400ca
Proceeded.
[Ramsgate report states that at 0955,
the "Emma Lion" landed 29 Allied
troops. This may have been the Emma]
1000ca
Arrived off Malo beach. No troops seendr-
Entered the harbour. Saw no ships
and only some distant troops.
The Belgian drifter 2.40 entered the
harbour. Asked her to bring off
some troops.
Saw a M/L going towards Gravelines.
Went after her and found 50 English
troops on board "nearly dead with
fear". Took them on board. The 4.40
brought about 50 troops; she then
loaded up again.
-
Proceeded 2.40 in company.
-
Arrived Ramsgate.
Presumably disembarked 100, and the
7.40 about 50. (3)
3rd June
1445ca
Sailed for Dunkirk.
-
Near V buoy saw a periscope, moving
Entered E.N.E. Dunkirk harbour and overloaded
-
the ship with 350 troops.
Proceeded.
[on the 3rd June, D.R. records that the
"Dupene" [?Duperre] landed 307 troops]
(1) The port of origin of these 3 trawlers was Boulogne
(2) D. R. (Lloyds states Register) that the Duperre and the drifter ierre Marie
(3) Not mentioned sunk. in Ramsgate or Dover Reports.
were
393

Details

PIERRE & MARIE - Continued
-
4th June
Arrived Dover. Disembarked 293
troops. (1)
Totals - Emma Pierre & Marie 393
Duperre
29
307
Authority - French Admiralty record, Folio No.26.
to
the
4b
(1) D.R. states that the "Puisse Marie" landed 293 on 4th June.
394

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SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 JULY, 1947                                             3317

                            APPENDIX III TO P.O. DOVER'S DESPATCH
                            Summary of Aircraft Data concerning R.N.
Naval Aircraft Employed                              Enemy Aircraft       Destroyed by Ships' fire off
  Squadron No. 801")                                    Dunkirk
                      Y' Skuas"                       (between O3oo/27th May and 20oo/ist June)
             No. 8o6J
  Squadron No. 815 "|                                  27th May                              4
                      Y" Swordfish "                   28th „                                3
             No. 825J                                  2Qth „                                4
                                                       30th „                                Nil*
  Squadron No. 826 " Albacore "                        3ist „                               ii
   These aircraft were the only available British      ist June                             13
" dive bombers," the R.A.F. possessing none
at the time.                                                      TOTAL                     35
   These squadrons operated under the orders
of Coastal Command and carried out attacks on           In addition over the same period 21 others
tanks, transport, batteries, gun emplacements        were heavily damaged by ships' fire and seen
and enemy positions in the Calais and Dunkirk        in distress but not seen to crash definitely.
areas as well as attacks on E-Boats.
   In spite of their relative inadequacy for the          Notes.—* On 3oth May flying conditions were
                                                                   bad and few enemy aircraft operated.
purpose the " Skuas " were also detailed for                     After ist June evacuation proceeded
fighter-escort of ships.                                           only between evening dusk and dawn.




                APPENDIX IV TO OPERATION " DYNAMO "—NARRATIVE OF EVENTS
                                   Co-operation of the French Navy
  (a) The following French warships and other vessels wearing the French flag were employed
evacuating French troops from Dunkirk harbour, and on the last three nights, from the beach
i£ miles eastward from Dunkirk :—
     Destroyers (9)     BRANLEBAS                   INCOMPRISE                SIROCCO
                        BOUCLIER                    BOURRASQUE                CYCLONE
                        FLORE                       FOUDROYANT                MISTRAL

     Avisos (4) AMIENS             BELFORT              ARRAS               AMIRAL MOUCHEZ

     Fast Motor Boats     ... 3

     Sub Chasers               3

     Auxiliary Minesweepers 6            „

     Small Cargo Vessels ...   3 or 4 carrying munitions to Dunkirk returning with troops.

       Trawlers, Drifters and other small craft. 167 concentrated from the French coast between
 Boulogne and Cherbourg, and employed mainly off the beach. - In addition the French mail
 packets COTE D'ARGENT, COTE D'AZUR, NEWHAVEN and ROUEN were transferred to
 the orders of the Vice-Admiral, Dover, and were employed as required side by side with the British
 personnel vessels.
    (b) The French losses included :—
       Destroyers : BOURRASQUE and FOUDROYANT sunk by bomb, and SIROCCO by torpedo.
            CYCLONE badly damaged by torpedo, and MISTRAL by bomb.
     Trawlers, etc. : EMILE DESCHAMPS and DUPERRE, the drifter PIERRE MARIE and
         15 other small craft were sunk, including the Dutch yacht DEMOG I under French orders.
     French packet: COTE D'AZUR sunk by bombs before her first trip.

    (c) Covering patrols, mainly in the Dyck, were provided by the two small cruisers LEOPARD
 and EPERVIER, and when not employed evacuating troops, the four avisos acted as escorts
 along " X " Route.


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FRIDAY, 31ST MAY
CHAP. VIII
Later on 2nd June, on instructions from the N.O.I.C., the original crew took
charge of the Marsayru, but she did not, apparently, make a second trip to Dun-
kirk. Her skipper (G. D. Olivier) received the D.S.M. for his services, and her
engineer (C. Coggins) a mention in despatches.
The Cockle Bawley boats
Of the small craft that went over on this day, Admiral Ramsay speaks in
the following terms of the Cockle Bawley boats²:
"The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all
volunteers who were rushed over to Dunkirk in one day, probably none of them
had been under gunfire before and certainly none of them under Naval discipline.
These boats were Thames estuary fishing boats which never left the estuary, and
only one of their crews had been further afield than Ramsgate before. In spite
of this fact perfect formation was maintained throughout the day and night under
the control of a Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.³ in command of the Unit, and all orders
were carried out with great diligence even under actual shell fire and aircraft
attack."
One of these cockle boats, the Renown, was blown up by a mine while returning
to England disabled and in tow of the drifter Ben and Lucy. Her skipper,
W. H. Noakes, and his crew⁴ were killed. The Ben and Lucy had been towing
the drifter Feasible (disabled by a shell hit), 3 life-boats and the cockle boat
Letitia. At 0115 on the 1st June the Renown, by then disabled, attached
herself to this tow, but an hour later she was blown to pieces and a hail of wood
and splinters came down on the Letitia's deck. The Letitia's skipper (A. J.
Dench) says, In the pitch dark we could see nothing, and after the explosion
we hard nothing and we could do nothing, except pull in the tow rope, which
was just as we passed it to the Renown about 3 hour before.
French and Belgian ships arrive
Early on the 31st it became known that the Belgian Government were anxious
that several small Belgian fishing craft lying at Brixham should take part in
the evacuation and steps were taken to arrange this.
At 1335 the French destroyer Léopard routed from the Downs to Dunkirk
two French trawlers5, three French motor fishing vessels⁶, and ten Belgian
trawlers⁷.
The Belgian trawlers were under the orders of Pilote Malet; the remainder
of the ships under Lieutenant de vaisseau Drogou.
Other Allied ships that sailed for Dunkirk on this day were the French cargo
ships Ingénieur Cachin and Margaux, the trawlers Pierre et Marie, Emma and
Duperre, and the patrol vessel Diligente; the Belgian trawlers Lydie Suzanne
and Yvonne, and the drifters Gerard-Léon (H.64), Anne Marie and Thérèse
Compas. On her return journey the Pierre et Marie picked up 3 English sailors
from a drifting motor boat.
I The Marsayru's skipper says that throughout 31st May, and the days and nights that
followed (its all a complete jumble in my mind) we were
under constant fire
but
the
ship was not hit by anything." It seems, however, that Mr. Olivier was only in the evacu-
ation for 5 hours, i.e. from 1600 to 2100, 31st May.
2 Defender, Endeavour, Letitia, Reliance, Renown and Resolute.
3 S/Lt. M. H. B. Solomon, R.N.V.R.
4 L. V. Osborne, Mate, and F. W. Osborne, Engineer.
5 Chasse-Marée and Angèle Marie.
6 Margaux (D.692), Jeune France (Di.1213) and Du Guesclin (D.G.910).
7 Indépendence (0.308), Victor-Erna (H.63), Louise-Irène (H.80), Pharailde (H.42)
Raphael-Raymonde (H.43), O.L.V. Van Vlaandeven (N.49), John (O.210) Anna Marguerite
(Z.2), Buffalo Bill (Z.4) and the M.41.
73

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INDEX
Discipline. See British Expeditionary Force and French troops.
Disembarkation ports, 25.
Docksey, Capt. T. E., 21.
Doggersbank, 20, 29n, 32, 45, 47n, 64, 72, 107n.
Dolphin's power boats, 72n.
Donald, Lt. Cdr. C. G. W. Died of wounds, 10.
Dorienta, 71n.
Doris, 71n, 94 (sunk).
Dorrien Rose, 24, 29, 62.
Dove, Cdr. J. S., 50n (reports Dunkirk blocked), 59.
Dover, mined, 38.
Dowling, Lt. Cdr. D. B., 82.
Drifters, 23, 24 (flare burning).
Drogou, Lt. de V., 73.
Duchess, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Duchess of Fife, 28n, 54n, 101, 107n, 109.
Du Guesclin, 62n, 73n.
Dundalk, 86, 107я, 109.
Dunkirk, S.N.O. See Tennant, Capt. W. G.
Dunkirk: water supply destroyed, 8; demolitions, 8, 19, 106; inundations, 12; bridge-
easier, munications 27, 30; limitations, 48; reported blocked, 50; ships not to close, 51 ; com-
head, 15, 18, 35; damaged, 15, 18; out of action, 23 ; reported fallen, 24; conditions
established with Dover, 51; reduced number of ships sent, 61-2 bom-
barded, 70; harbour deserted, 87; harbour full of ships, 88; growing number of
wrecks described, off, 117. 94; pier damaged, 97; blocking of inner harbour, 111-112, 119-20 piers
Duperre, 73.
Dwarf, 60.
Eastbourne Queen, 74.
E-boats, activity). 27-8, 36, 37n, 49 (fail to discover change of route), 68-9, 85 (recrudescence of
Edmond René, rams Kingfisher, 116.
Edvard Nissen, 111-12.
Edward Z. Dresden, 114n.
Eggington, Ldg. Sea., 119.
Eileen Emma, 23n, 83n (damaged), 95 (sunk).
Eilla II, 71n, 74.
Elizabeth Green, 53, 114n.
Ellwood, Cdr. M. 0. D. (i/c Communications), 67.
Emerald Wings, breaks down, 111.
Emile Deschamps, sunk, 119.
Emma, 73.
Emperor of India, 28n, 47n, 54n, 100.
Empire Henchman, 7In.
Endeavour, 73n.
Enterprise, 72n, 75n.
Epervier, 99.
Escaut, 60.
Esk, 28n, 49, 79 (takes across R.A. Dover and Beach parties), 54n, 55, 58, 64n, 92, 97,
102, 107n.
Ethel Everard, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Evans, W. L., 110.
Excellent's A/A M.B., 72n, 75n.
Excellent's 35 ft. M.B., 71n, 75n.
Exhaustion of ships' crews, 29, 113.
Express, back 28n, 41-2, 54n, 55, 59 (flag of R.A. Dover), 62n, 83 (slightly damaged), 109 (sent
empty), 112n, 114n, 118.
Fagalde, General, 12, 68, 85.
Fairplay I, 71n.
Fair Breeze, 60, 71n, 95 (sunk).
Feasible, 71n, 73 (disabled).
Fenella, 34, 43 (sunk), 46.
Fidget, 32n, 51n.
"Fifth Column", 24, 100.
198

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