St Malo 1940

[Chris497]

For some reason that I still don't completely understand, my late father, a civilian with some sort of communications role, found himself in France after the Dunkirk evacuation, and ultimately escaped back to Blighty on "the last ship to leave St Malo" (his words).  I take this to mean part of the lesser-known "Operation Aerial" that recovered thousands of troops and civilians from the western French ports before they fell into German hands.  Are there any records of the ships involved, and can anyone actually identify "the last ship to leave St Malo".

[old rowley]

I don't know anything about "the last ship to leave" but the destroyer HMS Wild Swan was involved in the evacuation of St Malo as were members of the St Helier Yacht Club who took their own boats into St Malo and ferried out troops etc to the ships that waited off the coast. A quick search on the internet comes up with various sites that make mention of St Malo, too many to add here, I placed "evacuation of St Malo" in my search engine and the first one to come up was an entry on the BBC People at War site which had the memories from a former redcap who said that he was on one of the last boats out of St Malo before the Germans entered, no doubt there would be many who claimed to be on the last boat out so it may mean going through many sites to get a proper answer to your question.

OR

[Chris497]

Useful leads.  Thanks.

Chris

[Ady B-)]

Does anyone have any more info. on the boats that left St Malo please ?
I am looking for embarkation info. on:
Hull Trader,
Prince Baudouin
 and
St Briac
as I know my father was on one of these and would really like to find out which one.
Many thanks
Ady B-)

[Jon Blair]

Hi Chris

I just came across the Rootschat site with your query about St Malo in 1940.
I have recently acquired an old British Powerboat Company Express Cruiser built in 1938 which was in use as an Air Sea Rescue boat in 1940 stationed at Jersey.  The boat was named RFC113 (after its original owner who was in WW1 in the RFC, Squadron 113). On May 31st, the boat was ordered to join the Fleet at Portsmouth for the Dunkirk evacuations and thence to join in the excavuation of North West France and the Channel Islands. RFC113 was, I believe, the absolute last to leave on Tuesday the 18th June, along with the Duchess of Normandie - they left as the Germans were arriving. I believe RFC113 was then used in the operation to demolish the St Malo harbour with Clarence 'Johnny' Howard Johnston on board.  RFC113 stayed to observe the effect of the demolition and then headed to mainland UK.
I don't know if this helps you at all but please let me know if you want to follow this up - I am also keen to learn about anything you might be able to add to the picture?

Cheers

Jon

[Jon Blair]

Hi again Chris
I found these stories on the islandwiki site - I my boat is probably the 'Navy Launch' and the date may be out - I thought operation to blow the dock was on the 21st June - but I may be wrong.

http://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/Another_story_of_the_evacuation

http://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/St_Malo_evacuation

http://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/A_sapper%27s_story_of_the_St_Malo_evacuation

Don't know if any of this helps ?

Cheers

Jon

[Jon Blair]

One other thought
I forgot to mention that, I have read about (what I believe to be my boat in all cases)  RFC113 as being referred to also as 113RFC and in one article, the islandwiki link below - repeated from last post, there is mention of the boat as Fleet Air Arm Launch 236 - this boat has the same skipper (named Cox) as mine had and was in the same place at the same time.  I don't think there were two boats of this type in the area, so I believe they are all one and the same boat. If anyone knows anything at all that could confirm, or deny this, please do let me know. Does anyone know what letters would go in front, or after the 236 number for a Fleet Air Arm Launch ?  ML236 was a Fairmile boat and RFA236 was a Stores Ship - so what would it be?  It may well be that the 236 number is her 'correct' wartime number as the RFC113 / 113 RFC name was her name in private ownership before the war - her owner was a Captain from the Royal flying Corps in WW1 who named his boat after his WW1 Squadron - 113.

http://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/St_Malo_evacuation

Keen to share information on the St Malo / Jersey evacuation story if anyone can help ?

Cheers

Jon

[Chris497]

There is a list of vessels involved in Operation Ariel online at:

http://ww2talk.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=64781

and a diary of events, listing ships and their movements etc.  at:

http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWDa-Aerial.htm

Apologies if this is already common knowledge.

Chris

[ScouseBoy]

Also.   There is a website which lists  all convoys and ships and ports and dates.

From memory it is called convoy.web     I maybe wrong   but try it.

From St Malo they probably returned to Portsmouth.  send me a PM   if you want any more help.