Dear All: I have hit a research-brickwall and would welcome some help. I am interested in the flotilla of ships assembled at Newhaven for a " Dunkirk Style Evacuation" of St Valery. Some 200 vessels were assembled, many were Kent fishermen in their boats. The National Archives are not clear whether this flotilla was used or not. I understand there were three flotilla's put together ahead of: 10th/11th/12th June 1940. I have traced one Hythe, Kent fisherman who took part, but he never mentioned anything to his relations. I cannot find if he actually went across the Channel, as I understand some were not used. I would be grateful of suggestions and my interest is on the Newhaven side of the story and the crossing/or not, of the English Channel bound for St Valery. Thank you Mike Gunnill
From John de Winser's BEF ships: Vessels alredy in the area were ordered to lie off the small fishing port of St Valery-en-Caux, between Fecamp and Dieppe, in preparation for evacuation that night. Late that evening (9th June), the coasters Corina and Sandhill, ech towing a dozen small boats, set out from Newhaven. It also goes on to say that the Crested Cock and two more flotillas of boats assembled to be dispatched was cancelled.
Thank you Drew5233, I am grateful. Have you ever seen a full listing of those taking part? kind regards Mike
There is a list in the book I mentioned in my last post but the smallest boats seem to be coasters. None of those listed landed troops at Newhaven. There is another list under Op Cycle but it's not very clear what boat did what etc.
There is basic info here - HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter XX] "A naval operation 'Cycle' for the evacuation of the northern base troops had already started and shipping began assembling off the coast early in the morning. The Commander-in-Chief Portsmouth (Admiral Sir William James), arrived at Havre during the afternoon" It may lead to further avenues of research, ie papers of the Admiral etc TD
Looking deeper then you might need Drew to visit TNA for you Reference: ADM 267/126 Description: Operation CYCLE: Report Date: 1939-1940 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Reference: ADM 179/158 Description: Operation "Cycle": information on British and French troops in Havre district, including officers' reports Date: 1940-1941 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department: 0221/17 Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Not sure if Drew goes to other places, but it might entice him to holiday there for a change Reference: P426/7/11 Title: Message of thanks from Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth to all who took part in operation 'Cycle', the evacuation of the beaches at Le Havre Date: 15 June 1940 Held by: East Sussex Record Office, not available at The National Archives Language: English Reference: WO 106/1739 Description: Operation "Cycle"; reports on evacuation of British and French troops in the Harve area Date: 1940 June-Aug. Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Reference: WO 361/21 Description: Information concerning vessels involved in the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) evacuation: Operations Dynamo, Cycle and Aerial Date: 1940 Jan 01 - 1941 Dec 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department: PD 28 Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Access conditions: Open on Transfer Record opening date: 11 October 2007 Theres a few to start with, there may be more but you need to have a search of the TNA files TD
Reference: ADM 358/3691 Description: HMS Pembroke Special Party: 2 June 1940; enemy action during Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk. 12 June 1940; enemy action during Operation Cycle, the evacuation of Allied troops from Le Havre Date: 1940 Jan 01 - 1940 Dec 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department: PEMBROKE Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Access conditions: Open on Transfer Record opening date: 18 March 2017 Reference: ADM 358/171 Description: Lieutenant Commander W G C Elder, RN, Lieutenant D R Bennett-Jones, RNVR and Acting Sub-Lieutenant J S N Pryor, RN: prisoners of war; HMS Hebe II; Operation Cycle, British evacuation of France Date: 1940 Jan 01 - 1943 Dec 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department: CW 20711/40 Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Access conditions: Open on Transfer Record opening date: 17 August 2012 Reference: ADM 1/10481 Description: This file was originally catalogued under more than one subject code. These subject codes and details of this file are as follows: HONOURS AND AWARDS (85): Operations "Cycle" and "Ariel" (evacuation of troops from Le Havre district): awards to RN and MN officers and men. STRATEGY AND TACTICS (82): Operations "Cycle" and "Ariel": evacuation of troops from Le Havre district, St Valery, Veules, etc, and awards to RN and MN officers and men Date: 1940 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department: Admy479/1940 Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description TD
Some of these sources may help: https://search.proquest.com/openview/9ee312cd90ecc111d5f996db17cac675/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1817043 The above book seems to be available here: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Zqh2l7xeOokC&pg=PA408&lpg=PA408&dq=admiral+sir+william+james+%22st+valery%22&source=bl&ots=a7nFgM5ZD_&sig=klnZhtVaGOONhYcJnoo8BCuqgEQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixuIicrIzWAhWJIcAKHYUPD74Q6AEIMDAC#v=onepage&q=%22st%20valery%22&f=false http://51hd.co.uk/accounts/action_off_st_valery And previously on this site: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/st-valery-en-caux-normandy.46484/ Hope something may help.
