Hi my Dad was in the 11th Durham Light Infantry and to the best of my knowledge he was evacuated by a destroyer from Dunkirk. Does anyone know the names of the destroyers used for the evacuation and where the troops were disembarked in England. It will be a big ask to establish his exact ship but knowing all the possibilities will be a great help in understanding my Dads war journey. Your help is very much appreciated
My dad was evacuated on June 1 on HMS Codrington D65. HMS Codrington D65 28th May 1940. With HMS Jaguar and Javelin, Picked up 33 survivors from the Belgian ship Aboukir. 28th May - 4th June 1940. Evacuated troops from Dunkirk beaches bringing back 5,821 men. On 28 May she embarked 866 troops from the beaches, and took on survivors from the SS Abukir with Grenade and Anthony and took them to Dover. On 29 May, embarking 766 troops. On 30 May, embarking 799 troops. A fourth trip followed on 31 May, when she embarked 909 troops, landing 440 at Dover. 1 June saw her taking 746 troops back to Dover, and her final run on 2 June brought 878 troops back to the UK. Codrington was one of the few destroyers that had escaped major damage and was able to continue supporting operations after the evacuation had been completed. Codrington was deployed at Dover on 3 June, carrying out patrols in the Channel, and covering the evacuations from the French Channel ports. On 12 June, she was deployed as the base of the Senior Naval Officer (Afloat) during Operation Cycle, the troop evacuation from Le Havre, returning to Portsmouth once it had been completed. On 15 June, she was supporting the continuing military evacuation from French ports, and remained on patrol against attempts to intercept allied shipping in the North Sea and English Channel. 1st June 1940. Embarked General Montgomery at Dunkirk and brought him back to Dover. Attacked by aircraft and shelled from shore batteries but was not hit. 12/13th June 1940. Evacuation of Le Havre. 11,000 men saved brought to England. 1 June - (Saturday) The 1st and 2nd Battalions Grenadier Guards embark off the beaches between La Panne and Bray Dunes; the 3rd at Dunkirk. By the evening of 1 June, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, now split up into many parties along the length of the beaches, had all embarked, and arrived off the cliffs of England next morning. “There was a squad of us we stayed together all the time, we was good mates. We all carried Bren gun magazines with 30 rounds in each, we carried at least 3 or 4 in a pouch and we also carried some in our haversacks. We also were issued with bandoleers. We came back to England together. A lifeboat took us out to a whaler; I was pulled up by the arse of my britches into it. We were taken out to a Destroyer. (HMS Codrington D65). We was attacked by aircraft and shelled from shore batteries but was not hit. I had my pockets and kit full of ammunition; I couldn’t bear to see things go to waste. There was ammo all around on the beach that is how I picked it up. I had this bloody tip mentality in those days. I couldn’t bear to see anything lying around and not being picked up. I picked a lovely hairbrush set that had been thrown away. So I had all this ammo on me which was gratefully received by the crew of the Codrington. They needed it for their guns; they had ammo for their big guns but were short of the smaller stuff.”
