To lift so many men, Dunbar-Nasmith assembled the destroyers HMS Havelock H88 6 , HMS Wolverine D78 6 and HMS Beagle H30 6 and the liners , SS Duchess of York 1928 2 , , RMS , the Polish ships and and several commercial cargo ships but these had to anchor in Quiberon Bay, 20 miles north-west of the Loire estuary, despite having no anti-submarine defences.