This episode is dedicated to my brother, Donald Harris, of the United States Army, a hero

in every sense of the word.

Hello, and thank you for listening to a history of World War II podcast, episode 28,

those level ships.

The military ships of the British Navy had done all they could, but there simply weren't

enough of them to save the men and the time estimated the Allies had left before the

Germans broke through, so word went out and hundreds of privately owned ships of all kinds

answered the call.

At 10 p.m. on May 29, the first convoy of little private ships left Ramsgate.

In tow were 8 ships with no navigational instruments, but Lieutenant R.H. Irving, skipper

of the motorboat Triton, you the way.

But before they had gone too far, three boats had to turn back due to engine trouble.

The rest made it to LePon.

Fortunately, this was not a sign of things to come.

At 1 a.m. on May 30, another convoy left Ramsgate.

This contained 19 ships, led by the Belgian ferry Eser, and the flow of privately owned

ships only increased, but the late afternoon of May 30, it was hard to tell one convoy

from another, and discontinued.

All during the night of the 30th and the day of the 31st, the little ships went back

and forth, picking up grateful men.

Most convoys had one armed tug or scoot for protection, and although the English Channel

is known for being nasty, it had remained calm for the last three days.

...