small-vessels-pool

Mike visits the Commander and inspects the Lady Jane, a small boat in poor condition, unsuitable for a Channel crossing. The Commander criticizes the modern Navy's softness and bureaucracy, reminiscing about past naval toughness, while Mike struggles to find transportation to Dover and realizes many small vessels have already departed, likely for the Dunkirk evacuation. The chapter highlights the urgency and chaos of the early war period, contrasting old naval traditions with the current crisis.