Account of the wartime experiences at Dunkirk of Tom Corteen aboard requisitioned Steam Packet vessel 'Manxman' evacuating British troops

Date(s): 1981

Creator(s): Corteen, Thomas Henry

Scope & Content: Photographic copy of a first-hand, handwritten account by the last of the Bridge and Engineer personnel of Manxman who served during the evacuation of expeditionary forces from Dunkirk, northern France in 1940. Written in response to reading Connery Chappell's 'Island Lifeline' account of the Dunkirk evacuation. For another copy with slight differences see MS 11514.

Captain Corteen was both Mate and Second Mate onboard for the whole of that week 'as the original Mate had a nervous breakdown on our first run over, there was alot of action around Dunkirk, so then I had everything to see to, and organize, which was a full time job.'

He explains that Manxman did four runs to Dunkirk between Monday 27 May and Monday 3 June and one run she could not have been credited with, as on arrival off Dunkirk at daylight on 'I think the Thursday', the operation was cancelled owing to the very heavy shelling. Under thick haze and heavy drifting smoke, five other vessels were turned back but Manxman entered the harbour 'not knowing we were on our own'. A vivid description follows of conditions at the Mole, berthing without naval support, embarking soldiers and cutting the ropes with a fire-axe on leaving. Arriving back off Dover a destroyer intercepted them - their vessel had been given up, having been missing all day.

The writer acknowledges the stress to crew of extensive time spent berthed at the Mole and recalls one visit where after being alongside for about four hours her embarked troops moved over to a destroyer which had tied up alongside, meaning Manxman had to wait unprotected for replacement troops to be delivered to her. He writes, 'I told this destroyer commander what I thought about it all, and the way he had upset my crew, after what they had just been through ...' He recounts how Hugh Crennell, the lamptrimmer (who had been a Lewis gunner in the 1914-1918 war) procured a Lewis gun and ammunition from some of the troops, how it was used and its effect. He continues, 'Without that gun, I am sure that we would never have got out of Dunkirk, and I mentioned this to Admiral Ramsay back in Dover, but Lamps had cracked up on the passage and had to go ashore'.

Corteen recalls particular details, including conditions aboard with returning soldiers, witnessing 'Mona's Queen' break in two and picking up soldiers attempting to row ships' lifeboats across the Channel. He ends, 'The last time we left Dunkirk, we steamed straight out to sea, across all the sand banks (hoping that we would have enough water) as the East and West buoyed channels were strewn with wrecks, and on that course we also presented a much smaller target for the shell fire which was taking place'.

Language: English

Extent: 5 pages

Item name: memoirs

Collection: Manuscript Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: MS 15178

Record class: Private

Access conditions: No regulations or restrictions are implemented on this material. Viewable by request during library opening hours at the Manx National Heritage Library and Archives, Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man. Advance notification of a research visit is advisable by emailing library@mnh.im

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