compartments were dry.  This proved afterwards to be a torpedo which had struck the bilge keel and failed to explode.
We hailed a small sloop which as proceeding towards the end of the Eastern Channel and asked if Dunkirk was clear.  On being told what ship we were, he told us to proceed cautiously towards the entrance.  He added "you are very badly needed".  On this I decided to go on and do our utmost to relieve the situation.  the small craft all along the pier were shifted so as to enable us to berth.
We berthed about 1.30am close to the light, East pier.  Immediately the vessel was alongside the Embarkation Officer requested that I should take as many troops as possible.  This I did.  The counter showed 2,700 but many more had been taken aboard of whom no account could be taken.  The Scotia I estimated had fully 3,000 troops on board, as every available space had been taken up.
The troops (British) were very exhausted, and many of them could hardly walk along the pier.  The Embarkation Officers duty was a very strenuous one, and in passing I should like to express my admiration of the manner in which this difficult work was carried out by them.  I gathered that some of these officers had been on duty, unceasingly, for thirty-six hours.
Having embarked the troops we left berth at 3.55am (Wednesday 29th).  It was now getting light and just after leaving Dunkirk and proceeding east along the channel I saw a troop ship of the  tramp type, aground - it was full of troops who were being disembarked into several small craft.  We also saw a destroyer which had been sunk.  I could not say if they were there on our outward trip as it was then dark.
The Scotia completed its returned voyage without further incident.  On our way we passed a large number of vessels of every description -  large and small, some proceeding towards Dunkirk and others returning carrying as many troops as their craft would hold.  It was quite inspiring to see these vessels doing their best to render help.
We arrived at Dover at 10am having waited outside until a berth was clear.  Berthing was rather difficult as the ship had a heavy list owing to the troops crowding to the shore side.  However, disembarkation went on smoothly, and 3,000 of our gallant B.E.F. found themselves safely on British soil.
We spent some hours during the day coaling, part of which was done at Dover to enable us to proceed to Sheerness.  We left for Sheerness on Thursday May 30th at about 3am.  We arrived alongside coal hulk "Agincourt" about mid-day and shipped 90 tons of coal.  We were then ordered off the hulk to No.13 buoy until 7am Friday.  I was then ordered to Margate Roads to complete bunkering.  Coaling was a difficult proposition as there were no facilities at Margate Roads.                  Continued .......