DO OR DIE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 248, 27 July 1940, Page 6

DO OR DIE.

THE “LITTLE ARMADA.” SEA SPIRIT MUCH ALIVE. LONDON, June 7. Stories of the Little Armada, which helped in; taking! 835,000 men off Dunkirk were told by a naval officer who took a leading part in organising the ‘ ‘Saucy Sue” fleet. When the Admiralty ordey was broadcast on May 10' compelling owners of motor craft to register their vessels, 1400 letters were received in three days. About 1200 owners had no idea, that it was an order, and imagined that they were answering a voluntary appeal. Many of the letters were of an imploring nature: “Please take my boat and me with it.” All that most of the owners knew at first was that they were to take part in a dangerous and vital enterprise. They responded because they were called for, and that gave the Navy its first taste of the do-or-die spirit that was to carry the Little Armada through the task of saving the Allied armies of the north. Six girls, used to handling yachts, volunteered to take' a boat across. They were rejected on account of their sex. One of them rang up the naval officers later and, attempting to disguise her voice as that of a man, asked for a job. Her ruse was detected. “Your sex debars you,” said the officer. “Blast my sox,” replied the girl. The naval officer said, “I have a shrewd idea she got across to Dunkirk after all.” Indeed be added, many “unauthorised” persons took part in the evacuation —officers on leave, merchant officers, oven Government officials. One man employed in the Treasury wrote and thanked him for “a very interesting week-end.” Anything that could propel itself or bc'| pulled across the Channel was taken and none wore more useful than the Thames barges, which formed piers for the troops to board the bigger ships and provided shelters in the he of which small boats anchored. Two young men brought out their canoe with a small outboard motor and although the boat was only fit for use in a river, they crossed the Channel and saved one or two soldiers from death. Vessels used in tire upper reaches of the Thames were ferried across.