|
Date of Arrival |
Place |
Date of Departure |
Orders,
Remarks etc |
|
|
|
6.2.40 |
With Convoy HGF18
Convoy HGF18 consisting of 32
ships left Gibraltar at 13:30 on Feb 6-1940 and formed up 5 miles
180° from Carnero Point at 14:30, 6 knots while forming up. Escorts
were HMS Vortigern, Gossamer, Folkestone and sub. Otway
and also an aircraft. The weather was fine, with a southwesterly
breeze and slight sea.
All the ships were still in sight at 06:00 on
Feb 8, and zig-zagging was recommenced at sunrise, in a southwesterly wind and confused sea and swell. HMS Enchantress
joined at 07:45 that morning, taking over command from Gossamer
- position 36 29N 11 38W, convoy speed: 8.25 knots. The night leading
up to Feb 13 was extremely dark, with a strong east wind, and at
dawn 3 ships were found to be missing, namely Alma Dawson,
Dagmar and Bruse Jarl
(the latter 2 fell astern in approx. 49 30N 4 00W and were not seen
again). Zig-zagging was commenced at 07:10 and 20 minutes later the
speed was reduced to 8 knots in an attempt to give the missing ships a
chance to catch up. The escorts Gossamer and Otway
parted company at 07:40 in 49 00N 07 12W
Source:
http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hg18f.html |
|
|
|
|
12/2 From C in C W A :
GOSSAMER and Otway are to leave convoy. GOSSAMER is to escort Otway to
Portsmouth and then proceed to Chatham |
|
14.2.40 |
Portsmouth |
14.2.40 |
|
|
15.2.40 |
Chatham |
3.3.40 |
15/2 GOSSAMER should be
taken in hand for D.G. Request ships company meanwhile be given 7 days
leave to each watch. On completion request GOSSAMER should be sailed
to join 5th MSF, Rosyth Command.
17/2 From A S Chatham:
GOSSAMER taken in hand for fitting degaussing coil on 16/2, completion
24/2. Work in hand will prevent vessel sailing at 24 hours notice |
|
4.3.40 |
Humber |
19.3.40 |
D of D 21/2 Completes
29/2 |
|
20.3.40 |
Dover |
5.4.40 |
CLICK
HERE for reports on mine clearance |
|
5.4.40 |
Harwich |
5.4.40 |
|
|
5.4.40 |
Harwich |
6.4.40 |
|
|
7.4.40 |
Humber |
16.4.40 |
|
|
16.4.40 |
Tyne |
10.5.40 |
|
|
13.5.40 |
Humber |
14.5.40 |
|
|
14.5.40 |
Tyne |
27.5.40 |
On Sunday afternoon 26th
May the 5th MSF arrived back in harbour at North Shields
having been out on a routine sweep since 0430 that morning.
|
|
25.5.40 |
North Shields – Routine
sweep 0330 to 1930 |
|
26.5.40 |
On Sunday afternoon 26th
May the 5th MSF arrived back in harbour at North Shields
having been out on a routine sweep since 0430 that morning, a welcome
early finish after the previous day’s long session.
1900 Signal received to
recall all libertymen ashore and prepare for sea by 2230. |
|
27.5.40 |
Harwich |
28.5.40 |
First stop was Harwich
where the flotilla spent the night before coaling and sailing for the
French coast. |
|
Source: Orde
HMS GOSSAMER at Dunkirk
|
|
28.5.40 |
1230 |
GOSSAMER (Cdr R C V Ross,
Senior Officer 5th MSF ) sailed from Harwich for Braye‑Dunes
with all ships of the 5th MSF in company (except the Saltash) viz: the
Kellett, Albury Ross, Lydd, Pangbourne and Leda.
|
|
|
2115 |
The
Kellett and the Leda stopped off Braye‑Dunes: the remaining ships went
on to Dunkirk. Thereafter the ships of the flotilla acted
independently. The ships had hoisted their battle ensigns.
GOSSAMER secured alongside
the east pier and embarked troops |
|
|
2215 |
GOSSAMER sailed with 420
on board
Just outside the
Zuidcoote Pass, the P/V Manxman was seen aground. The P/V Prague was
stopped without charts; a chart was sent over to her.
In the vicinity of Kwinte
Bank buoy, the survivors of the destroyer Wakeful were seen In the
water. Her Captain (Cdr. R. L. Fisher) said she had been torpedoed.
GOSSAMER lowered 3 whalers and a skiff which picked up a few survivors
in the darkness, The skiff was left alongside a drifter; the whalers
eventually found their way back to the GOSSAMER.
Proceeded. |
|
29.5.40 |
0655 |
Arrived Dover.
Disembarked 420 British troops |
|
|
0850 |
Sailed from Dover.
Carried out an ‘A’ sweep and then a double Oropesa search sweep of the
new direct channel route which was to be used in the future. |
|
30.5.40 |
0040
|
Arrived off Dunkirk,
which was lit by the red flames of burning oil tanks. Embarked troops
from Braye‑Dunes in the ship's boats and canvas punts. |
|
|
0515 |
Proceeded, having left
all boats on the beach as ordered. |
|
|
1015 |
Arrived Dover.
Disembarked 487 British troops |
|
|
1330 |
Sailed from Dover with a
party of signalmen for La Panne |
|
|
1830 |
Arrived off Bray.
Embarked Rear Admiral Dover (Admiral Wake Walker) |
|
|
1930 |
Arrived La Panne.
Transferred Rear Admiral Dover to the destroyer Worcester. Anchored
and embarked troops. |
|
31.5.40 |
0118 |
Proceeded. |
|
|
1015 |
Arrived Dover. Disembarked
502 troops. |
|
|
1800 |
Requisitioned the
motorboat Handy Billie and sailed for La Panne. |
|
|
2207 |
Anchored 1 mile west of
La Panne, 4 cables from the shore. Sub Lieutenant M. Phipps, R.N.
searched the shore in Handy Billie, but received no answer to his
hails. |
|
|
2301 |
Thousands of troops now
massing abreast the ship. The destroyer Ivanhoe lent a motorboat to
assist in the embarkation of the troops. |
|
1.6.40 |
0200 |
Lt Cdr J W McClelland
swam off from the shore with a situation report for Rear Admiral
Dover.
The troops, forced out of
La Panne, were marching west. Among those GOSSAMER embarked was a
major, the 2nd in command of the 2nd Battalion
Coldstream Guards.
Continued to embark
troops and some wounded. Ivanhoe was also embarking troops. A Paddle
Minesweeper (probably the Oriole) beached herself to facilitate
embarkation.
Account of a survivor
from Middlesex regiment:
“A
lifeboat is drawing near. I hail it. There are already some troops on
board. I walk out and after a few breast strokes—I am glad I unlaced
my boots as I can now easily kick them off—I am hauled aboard by
Captain Porter! He is sitting in the prow. We all help to row to
H.M.S. GOSSAMER— no more fair minesweeper has ever put to sea. We
are given a cabin in which to remove our clothes, and wrap ourselves
in blankets."
|
|
|
0500 |
Machine-gunned by
low-flying aircraft. |
|
|
0600 |
Captain
(D) (Codrington) ordered GOSSAMER to Dunkirk to “fill up”. Proceeded
there with 675 troops on board. En route went alongside minesweeper
Skipjack who required medical supplies.
Berthed on Dunkirk east
arm. Embarked 170 French troops. |
|
|
0800 |
Proceeded. Air attack.
Destroyer Ivanhoe hit by bomb. |
|
|
0906 |
Near 5 W buoy, attacked
by 5 Ju87 dive-bombers; they were followed by 9 or 10 more. The
destroyer Havant received a bomb hit. Five misses near GOSSAMER; the
troops between decks could not tell whether the ship was hit or not.
P.O. Steward Hockney calmed them; he sat on the ladder to the mess
deck and sang to the French soldiers. |
|
|
0915 |
R.A.F. fighters passed
the ship. |
|
|
1345 |
Arrived Sheerness.
Disembarked 845 troops. |
|
2.6.40 |
Afternoon |
A trip was made this
night to Dunkirk harbour and 470 troops embarked and landed. |
|
3.6.40 |
Afternoon |
A final trip was made
this night to Dunkirk harbour and 490 troops were embarked and landed
at home.
|
|
|
|
Total: 3214 |
|
|
AWARDS |
|
|
|
DSO |
Commander R C V Ross
awarded DSO |
|
|
DSM |
P.O. E W Higgs |
|
|
DSM |
Asst Cook T H Ward |
|
|
Mention in Despatches |
P.O. Steward A Hockney |
