THE LITTLE SHIPS AT DUNKIRK

Evening Star, Issue 24004, 1 October 1941, Page 8

THE LITTLE SHIPS AT DUNKIRK

U.S. HONOUR FOR BRITISH YACHTSMEN The., little ships that shared in the rescue from the Dunkirk beaches-last year have been honoured by the Cruising Club of America. That club awards its Blue: Water Medal annually for the most.meritorious feat of seamanship by, an amateur ya'chtsman;^-The medal 'for 1940 was conferred on the Royal Cruising Club, to be held on behalf of all the British yachtsmen who were at Dunkirk. The medal was handed over by Captain Charles Lockwood, the United States Naval Attache in London, in the Old Hall of Lincoln’s Inn. The Board of Admiralty was represented; at the ceremony by Admiral , Sir T. Vaughan Phillips, and the Free French' navy by Vice-Admiral Muselier. Captain Lockwood, before : making the presentation, read out the citation —“not a tale of one voyage, but of many men and a nondescript fleet acting in a great emergency to perform a patriotic service.” It recalled how over 600 craft were collected at Sheerness, Ramsgate, and Dover, and went on:— “ They arrived without charts, with? out fuel, and without food!. - All had to be supplied and given instructions. In the end they proceeded to the beaches at Dunkirk, where their crews acted mostly on their own initiative; “ There were open boats and motor cruisers, auxiliaries, and ships’ lifeboats, barges with brailed sails, riverlaunches, pinnaces and picket boats, dirifters and dinghies, beach boats,tenders and tugs, yachts and fishing boats. • “ They acted under almost incessant attack by bombs, machine-guns, and shellfire, in areas-that were mined, in shallow waters, narrow channels, and strong tidal currents. “ Naval forces, fishermen, yachtsmen,’ shipyard workers, men of all callings, left their shops or their desks, _ soma without change of clothing, and! joined in this gallant effort to evacuate the apparently doomed Army. “To the British yachtsmen who took part in this rescue, both those who survived the hazardous undertaking arid those who gave their lives in the attempt, the Cruising Club of America awards its Blue Water Medal for 1940.2 “ A JOB WELL DONE,” Captain Lockwood added the congratulations of the United States Navy on “a job well done.” The medal was accepted in the name of the Royal Cruising Club by Mr T. N. Dinwiddy, vice-commodtore. Then followed a little speech by one of the yachtsmen who took part in the evacuation—Dr B. A. Smith, a char-, tered accountant, who holds the D.S.M. for his services at Dunkirk, having been called from, his office to. go there, “ I feel rather a fraud standing here. ■ he said, “ because I had the time of my life at Dunkirk. We worked fairly hard, and we learned more seamanship than we should have learned in years of yachting round the coast, and I think we ought to be very grateful for the chance. I only hope there mav be a return match one day.” The same hope for areturn match ”* was also expressed by Admiral Sir Lionel Preston, who was in charge of the Small Vessels Pool, from which were drawn the boats that went to Dunkirk, “We heartily appreciate.” he said, “ the fine sporting gesture of our American friends who made the award.” , Before parting, the company stood for a silent moment in honour of those who lost their lives at Dunkirk.—‘The Times.’