Marceau

Details

Details

MARGAUX (1462 tons) French cargo vessel
25th May
-
The Margaux and the French S.S. Hebe
were escorted to the Downs by the
sloop Belfort.
26th May
Anchored in the Downs.
There is no further information, but
according to D.R., on 31st May, the
"Margeaux" landed 369 troops in
England. (1)
4th June
Sailed from Dover for Brest escorted by
the sloop Belfort, the Normanville
and Fronsac in company.
Total 369
Phote by film fros of french In see)
Margaux left
Dunkirk with
1343 troofs
one of them died.
(night of 30 ,H/3/50
of May)
Ican't precise
if she Panded them
in U.K. os in France.
(1) D.R. "Margeaux" among the French destroyers; The
there places the not one of that name. named destroyer
Marceau larceau is took given no in D.R's list of French
was, however, part in Dynamo, but a vessel warships.
236

Details

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 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 which,        tion and Admiral Nord agreed that the opera-
might be .beyond the limit of human endurance,     tion should be considered as completed, observ-
and requesting that fresh forces should be         ing that all ammunition at Dunkirk had been
used if evacuation had to be continued after       expended and that the numbers left behind
the coming night, with the acceptance of any       were small consisting principally of non-
consequent delay.                                  combatant troops. This decision was agreed
                                                   to by the French Admiralty at uoo, and the
   87. The evacuation plan was communicated        operation " Dynamo " terminated by Ad-
to Units taking part at 1440 and was briefly as    miralty Message 1423/4.
follows: —
Commence 2230/3, withdraw 0230/4. From                92. It was realised that in all probability
East Pder evacuation by Personnel Vessels,         there might be a number of open boats, barges,
Destroyers and Paddle Minesweepers. From           etc., drifting a'bout in the Channel with troops
West Pier, new outer port, by other Milne-         on board.       It was accordingly decided to
sweepers, Corvettes, Skoots and French vessels.    have an air reconnaissance over the Channel.
Drifters and smaller craft into the inner har-        It was reported that a Transport was lying
bour, LOCUST remaining outside entrance re-        on its side between Dunkirk and Gravelines
ceiving loads ferried out 'by small boats. Tugs    and also a barge east of the Goodwins with
available outside entrance to assist ships in      survivors on board.
berthing and in leaving.                              C. in C. Nore despatched 2 M.T.B.s to find
                                                   the transport with no avail. On the 5th the
   88. In the evening the Vice Admiral was         R.A.F. speedboat did a sweep south of a line
informed by the B.N.L.O. Marceau that it was       Goodwin/Boulogne and recovered 33 French
estimated 30,000 French remained and that          troops and two Naval ratings.       In addition
the French Admiralty agree that evacuation         French troops were picked up by patrols and
should be terminated that night if possible.       brought in to Dover, Margate and Ramsgate.
Force -used was to consist of nine Personnel       Troops also arrived in French and Belgian
Vessels with one in reserve, nine Destroyers       Trawlers totalling in ail some additional 1,100.
(maximum, number available), four Paddle              Air reconnaissance was also carried out on
Minesweepers, seven Fleet Minesweepers, nine       the morning of the 5th but nothing was re-
Drifters, LOCUST, two Corvettes, four French.      ported.
Destroyers and a -number of organised motor
boat flotillas including lifeboats from Ramsgate   REMARKS ON THE INSHORE FLO-
and Dover, together with a large number of              TILLAS       AND       NAVAL        SHORE
French and Belgian fishing vessels. The lifting         PARTIES,
capacity of this force, if used to the full, was      93. About 400 small craft, ranging from
more than 30,000 but it was certain that the       Dutch Skoots to 30 ft. Motor boats, set out at
facilities within Dunkirk could not .permit more   various times to the Flanders Coast. In addi-
than a'bout 25,000 to be embarked in the time      tion scores of pulling boats, merchant ship
available, and this number only if the French      lifeboats, Naval cutters and whalers, were sent
troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all     off in tow. Only a proportion—particularly of
points of embarkation. This point was im-          the pulling boats—succeeded in reaching the
pressed upon the French Liaison Officers and a     coast and taking active part in the evacuation.
number of French officers and ratings added        Fewer still were able to remain off the coast
to the augmented pier parties which were de-       for more than one period. Nevertheless, these
spatched to Dunkirk at 2200 in advance of the      small craft, in conjunction with the pulling
evacuation force.                                  and power boats of HjM. Ships off the coast,
                                                   were responsible for lifting more than 100,000
   89. The movements commenced according to        Allied troops direct off a stretch of open beach
plan. The weather conditions at Dunkirk,           in shoal waters between 1600/27/5 ano^
although favourable as regards tide were ad-       0400/2/6.     Further, a large number of the
verse with a north easterly wind tending to        •power boats operated within Dunkirk Harfbour
blow Personnel Vessels and Destroyers off the      on the last three nights, working principally in
vital East Pier making berthing difficult. The     the inner harbour, which was continually
MANXMAN, the seventh Personnel Ship due            under artillery fire, ferrying a further large
to sail failed to sail, and her place was taken    uncounted number out to the comparative
by the ROYAL SOVEREIGN.                            safety of ships lying off.
Tuesday, qkh June.                                    94. Throughout the period all these craft
   90. At midnight when the earlier vessels had    of the inshore flotillas were subjected at one
commenced the return voyage fog was reported       time or another to intense attack from the air,
in mid-channel and off the Thanet coast and        both by bombing and machine gun, and a
a number of ships had to anchor before enter-      large proportion also to sporadic bombard-
ing harbour. The EXPRESS and SHIKARI               ment by German artillery. Under this fire
were the last ships to leave Dunkirk at 0318       no case occurred of boats ceasing work as long
and 0340 and carried approximately 1,000           as troops w'ere in sight on shore, and move-
troops and the British pier parties. Except        ments of boats westward away from the fire
for an air attack on SHIKARI this final pass-      zone only occurred as dictated by the military
age was made without interruption by the           situation ashore.


Details

102
101
M.011883/40
hdeart
CNS.
Ttte Service offer
102
Diva that 100
drawed W.W. received following for CNS
We canst refuse to Evacute Harchmin That
table then off with on own troop. Ae s however
to repeatedly upst thet Fail and of providing
transport failities Jo the Lada Les stick to
beat the Franch.
N.S Telephond to MARCEAU at 1600 telly
them the they mot Shed way available weft 70
Cracting are.
S
Spoke tome on telephne of 1610 + 2111
him the Three qwiws what for CNS +
to MARCEAN was has dealt with
spoke of CIGS Mather in same sense
spoke to V.A Doa - for him the what as
for tow.w.

Details

CONFIDENTIAL.
153
Page 32.
151
152
4/6
150
its
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 31
it of
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
he
3/6
at
S
ed 33
h
Monday, 3rd June (continued).
d
93.
In the evening the Vice Admiral was informed by the
B.N.L.O. Marceau that it was estimated 30,000 French remained
and that the French Admiralty agree that evacuation should be
terminated that night if possible. Force used was to consist
of 9 Personnel Vessels with one in reserve, 9 Destroyers
(maximum number available), 4 Paddle Minesweepers, 7 Fleet
Minesweepers, 9 Drifters, LOCUST, 2 Corvettes, 4 French
Destroyers and a number of organised motor boat flotillas
including lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover, together with a
large number of French and Belgian fishing vessels. The
lifting capacity of this force, if used to the full, was more
than 30,000, but it was certain that the facilities within
Dunkirk could not permit more than about 25,000 to be embarked
in the time available, and this number only if the French
troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all points of
embarkation. This point was impressed upon the French Liaison
Officers and a number of French officers and ratings added to
the augmented pier parties which were despatched to Dunkirk
at 2200 in advance of the evacuation force.
toots
94. The movements commenced according to plan. The
weather conditions at Dunkirk, although favourable as regards
ere
tide were adverse with a north easterly wind tending to blow
the
Personnel Vessels and Destroyers off the vital East Pier makin
berthing difficult. The MANXMAN, the seventh Personnel Ship
king
to
due to sail refused to sail, and her place was taken by the
theless,
ROYAL SOVEREIGN.
power
4/6
or
Tuesday, 4th June.
tretch
00/2/6.
95. At midnight when the earlier vessels had commenced
thin
the return voyage fog was reported in mid-channel and off the
cipally
Thanet coast and a number of ships had to anchor before
entering harbour. The EXPRESS and SHIKARI were the last ships llery the
to leave Dunkirk at 0318 and 0340 and carried approximately
1,000 troops and the British pier parties. Except for an air
attack on SHIKARI this final passage was made without inter-
e
ruption by the enemy and though the fog made navigation
r to
extremely difficult it undoubtedly served to shield the Armada
ne gun,
from enemy aircraft.
German
ceasing
96. When the count was taken later in the day it was
ements
ascertained that 27,000 troops had been evacuated as a result d as
of the night's operation and Admiral Nord agreed that the
operation should be considered as completed, observing that
all anmunition at Dunkirk had been expended and that the
olunteer
numbers left behind were small consisting principally of non-
combatant troops. This decision was agreed to by the French
1
Admiralty at 1100, and the operation Dynamo terminated by
Admiralty Message 1423/4.
97. It was realised that in all probability there might
be a number of open boats, barges, etc. tsmouth, bout in the
channel with troops on board. It was accr
scided
to
inary/
have

Details

CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 32.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 31
Operation "DYNAMO" - Narrative of Events.
Monday, 3rd June (continued).
93. In the evening the Vice Admiral was informed by the
B.N.L.O. Marceau that it was estimated 30,000 French remained
and that the French Admiralty agree that evacuation should be
terminated that night if possible. Force used was to consist
of 9 Personnel Vessels with one in reserve, 9 Destroyers
is
(maximum number available), 4 Paddle Minesweepers, 7 Fleet
Minesweepers, 9 Drifters, LOCUST, 2 Corvettes, 4 French
Destroyers and a number of organised motor boat flotillas
including lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover, together with a
large number of French and Belgian fishing vessels. The
lifting capacity of this force, if used to the full, was more
than 30,000, but it was certain that the facilities within
Dunkirk could not permit more than about 25,000 to be embarked
in the time available, and this number only if the French
troops moved with the greatest rapidity at all points of
embarkation. This point was impressed upon the French Liaison
Officers and a number of French officers and ratings added to
the augmented pier parties which were despatched to Dunkirk
at 2200 in advance of the evacuation force.
94. The movements commenced according to plan. The
weather conditions at Dunkirk, although favourable as regards
tide were adverse with a north easterly wind tending to blow
S,
Personnel Vessels and Destroyers off the vital East Pier making
berthing difficult. The MANXMAN, the seventh Personnel Ship
due to sail refused to sail, and her place was taken by the
ROYAL SOVEREIGN.
Tuesday, 4th June.
95. At midnight when the earlier vessels had commenced
the return voyage fog was reported in mid-channel and off the r
Thanet coast and a number of ships had to anchor before
entering harbour. The EXPRESS and SHIKARI were the last ships
to leave Dunkirk at 0318 and 0340 and carried approximately
1,000 troops and the British pier parties. Except for an air
attack on SHIKARI this final passage was made without inter-
ruption by the enemy and though the fog made navigation
extremely difficult it undoubtedly served to shield the Armadas
from enemy aircraft.
I
96. When the count was taken later in the day it was
ascertained that 27,000 troops had been evacuated as a result
of the night's operation and Admiral Nord agreed that the
operation should be considered as completed, observing that
all anmunition at Dunkirk had been expended and that the
numbers left behind were small consisting principally of non-
combatant troops. This decision was agreed to by the French
Admiralty at 1100, and the operation Dynamo terminated by
Admiralty Message 1423/4.
97. It was realised that in all probability there might
be a number of open boats, barges, etc. drifting about in the
channel with troops on board. It was accordingly decided to
have
val

Details

SIGNALS
APPENDIX M
6. ADMIRALTY to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
The Air Ministry are fully in the picture as to requirements at Dunkirk and are
doing all they possible can. If any particular requirements turn up, such as group
of ships being attacked, report to Admiralty as soon as possible.
1240/28
7. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to S.N.O. DUNKIRK
Can personnel ships still go alongside Dunkirk.
1135/28
8. B.L.O., Reply C.-IN-C. NORTHERN NAVAL FORCES to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
Your 1135. Yes when fighters are actually keeping off bombers.
1337/28
APPENDIX M
SIGNALS RE EVACUATION 26TH AND 27TH MAY
(Additional to those in Appendices D to L)
26th May
1. ADMIRALTY to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER C.-IN-C. NORE, C.-IN-C. PORTSMOUTH
Operation Dynamo is to commence.
1857/26
2. ADMIRALTY to C.-IN-C. NORE, VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER, C.-IN-C. PORTSMOUTH, B.N.L.O.
MARCEAU, B.N.L.O. DUNKIRK
Captain W. G. Tennant has been appointed S.N.O. Dunkirk. He will proceed
to take up his duties tomorrow Monday, May 27th.
2321/26
27th May
3. S.N.O. DUNKIRK to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER (R) Admiralty
Port continuously bombed all day and on fire. Embarkation possible only from
beaches east of harbour A.B.C.D.¹
Send all ships and passenger ships there to anchor. Am ordering Wolfhound to
load there and sail.
T.O.O. 2005/27
T.O.R. 2025
4. S.N.O. DUNKIRK to VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
Please send every available craft east of Dunkirk immediately. Evacuation
tomorrow night is problematical.
T.O.O. 1958/27
R.O.T. 2055
[Here see Apps. D3 to D8].
- Note: See p. 23, footnote¹.
175

Details

SIGNALS
APPENDIX W
2. ADMIRALTY (1ST SEA LORD) to B.N.L.O. MARCEAU (R) V.A. Dover
Pass to Admiral Darlan from 1st Sea Lord.
I urge most strongly that evacuation be completed tonight, as after nine days
of continuous work of this nature officers and men of both H.M. Ships and merchant
ships are completely exhausted. Request early confirmation that evacuation will
be completed tonight, and number to be evacuated.
1512/3
3. B.N.L.O. MARCEAU to ADMIRALTY (1st SEA LORD), VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER
French Admiralty agree that evacuation should be terminated tonight, if possible,
and estimate approximately 30,000 men remaining.
In French opinion, only competent authorities are now Admiral Abrial and V.A.
Dover.
Captain de Revoir¹, and officer from V.A. Dover are en route Dunkirk to inform
Admiral Abrial of plans for termination evacuation. These officers should keep
V.A. Dover informed of numbers involved as French Admiralty unable to com-
municate Dunkirk.
1651/3
APPENDIX W
SIGNALS RE THE BUILD-UP OF SHIPS
FOR THE NIGHT OF 3rd/4th JUNE
I. DESTROYERS
Monday, 3rd June
1. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to DESTROYERS, MINESWEEPERS, AUXILIARY VESSELS
I hoped and believed that last night would see us through but the French who
were covering the retirement of the British rearguard had to repel a strong German
attack and so were unable to send their troops to the pier in time to be embarked.
We cannot leave our Allies in the lurch and I must call on all officers and men
detailed for further evacuation tonight to let the world see that we never let down
our ally.
The approach will be made later and the retirement earlier. The night pro-
tection of our fighters which stopped all bombing of the harbour last night will be
repeated.
1009/3
[Here see Appendices Y.18, Y.19 and Y.22.]
V. DISPOSITION OF SHIPS
2. VICE-ADMIRAL, DOVER to FORCE K, MINESWEEPERS, Locust, Guillemot, Kingfisher
Dunkirk evacuation tonight Monday.
From East
Pier by personnel vessels, destroyers and paddle minesweepers.
From West pier
New outer port
by other minesweepers, corvettes, skoots and French vessels.
Inner harbour
Drifters and small craft.
All ships to leave by 0230/4. Locust will remain outside entrance receiving
loads ferried out by small boats. Tugs will be available outside Dunkirk.
1440/3
I French Naval Attaché.
189

Details

Page 8.
s OF SHIPS WHICH TOOK PART IN OPERATION "DYNAMO" - 26TH MAY - 4TH JUNE, 1940
PART II - FOREIGN WARSHIPS
POLISH
BLYSKAWICA
FRENCH
AMIENS
DILIGENTE
MARCEAU
AMIRAL MOUCHEZ
EPERVIER
MISTRAL
ARRAS
FLORE
M.T.B. 24
BELFORT
#
FOUDROYANT
SIMOUN
BOUCLIER
IMPETUEUSE
SIROCCO
#
BOURRASQUE
INCOMPRISE
T. 112
BRANLEBAS
LEOPARD
T. 113
CYCLONE
T. 143
DUTCH
NETHERLAND MOTOR-BOAT M 74
# Sunk

Details

Page 8.
LIST OF SHIPS WHICH TOOK PART IN OPERATION "DYNAMO" - 26TH MAY - 4TH JUNE, 1940
PART II - FOREIGN WARSHIPS
POLISH
BLYSKAWICA
FRENCH
AMIENS
DILIGENTE
MARCEAU
AMIRAL MOUCHEZ
EPERVIER
MISTRAL
ARRAS
FLORE
M.T.B. 24
BELFORT
#
FOUDROYANT
SIMOUN
BOUCLIER
IMPETUEUSE
#
SIROCCO
#
BOURRASQUE
INCOMPRISE
T. 112
BRANLEBAS
LEOPARD
T. 113
CYCLONE
T. 143
DUTCH
NETHERLAND MOTOR-BOAT M 74
#
Sunk