Coastal Forces Veterans

I can't help with the location specifically, but it's worth noting that the sign on the building behind the motor bike appears to say Victualling Office. What is Victualling office ???? And is this common on a navy base ?? And can you decifer the text on the tall building where the guy with the buc...

Thank you Jarrod. Your grandfather indeed gets a few mentions in the book.

Chris, I'm afraid there's not really any detail on the exhaust muffler or the linkages in this. I bet Al Ross' forthcoming book will cover those innovations in detail though.

I can't help with the location specifically, but it's worth noting that the sign on the building behind the motor bike appears to say Victualling Office.

Hi Chris, As you no doubt know, MGB 81 was a Mk V boat, whilst 466 and 488 were both Mk VIs. The most significant differences are on the deck with different bridges and changes to the armament (most notably the torpedoes!), but there were changes to the cabin space below deck, with the W/T room movi...

Hi Chris, The book comes out in September. It has more of a historical focus than some Haynes manuals, with a detailed history of the development of MGBs and a full career history of MGB 81. There is an illustrated chapter on the anatomy of 81 as she is, with some details on how she would have been ...

Brilliant footage! Looks like a pair of 63 ft MA/SBs about 1 minute in as well.

Hi Bishop775, As Reinaart says, Mediterranean MTBs at War by Leonard Reynolds and H Cooper is the best place to start. There's quite a lot on her in there, including descriptions of individual engagements she was involved in. In summary she served in the 24th MTB Flotilla, initially in Home Waters a...

There is indeed a log for May 1942, which I've attached. Not my best photo I'm afraid, and some of the words are a bit illegible, but I hope it helps. It appears that several MGBs were out on the night of 11/12, but I suspect MGB 67 is the one you're interested in. She was part of Hichens' flotilla ...

Hi Mark & Jacqueline,
I'm sure everyone else on the forum will look forward to seeing work in progress as much as me!
Steve

Hi Warrior-Researcher, I scanned the attached from the booklet Vosper MTBs in Action by Squadron/Signal Publications. Not underway unfortunately (seemingly at anchor) but it might do? As you'll see the credit is to the National Maritime Museum, although searching their (not very good) catalogue does...

Hi Mark & Jacqueline, No delays at all! I only posted a few hours ago. I had a feeling I'd seen 357 described as an MGB elsewhere - this is it. The picture certainly appears to be of a Fairmile B ML - the bridge/wheelhouse cabin is correct. It's been fitted with a Bofors gun on the bow and immed...

I've sent you an email!

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum, You have indeed got a lovely piece of history there. I remember seeing her for sale, although my better half would never have approved! To the best of my knowledge, there was no MGB 357. Off the top of my head, I believe the chronological numbers for commissioning M...

Hi Kieth, Gulp, it appears that since I bought my copy, the prices have increased a little. This is the only copy I can find of the 13th & 14th Flotillas - it's definitely more than I paid for it! I'm sure it could be had cheaper than this, but it is the only copy I can find online right now. St...

Hi Keith and welcome to the forum, Funnily enough I've just returned from Burma. Two books that might be useful are The 13th & 14th Fairmile Flotillas in Burma and From Trombay to Changi - The Story of Arakan Coastal Forces . Both are privately published and contain a large number of scanned doc...

Hi Simon,
Alas I won't be able to come to the meeting, as I'm busy that weekend. Hopefully I might eventually make one of the meetings. As the south branch has now disbanded, I think it's my closest one!
Happy New Year,
Steve

Hi Stuart - I must have missed these replies, apologies. Sadly the Dutch tweeter doesn't know where it is - someone else asked the same question. I imagine that the IWM will hold a much higher resolution print than the one online, as they certainly do for other images. But it'll cost to obtain it......

Hi David and welcome to the forum. I can't help with MTB 72 I'm afraid, but in Gunboat Command, written by Anthony Hichens about his father Robert, there is a reference to MGB 112 (A British Power Boat 71 ft 9 in Motor Gun Boat) carrying a Blacker Bombard. It's actually mentioned during the descript...

Quite a late reply to this thread, but on Twitter this morning, a Dutch user posted this image. I'm afraid that there isn't sufficient detail at this resolution to read the names, but it looks a lot like the grave marker (down to the position of the writing) posted a few pages earlier on this thread...

Hi David, I'm afraid that if her log isn't at Kew, then it probably doesn't survive. Large numbers of Coastal Forces logs, and even those of much larger ships, were simply disposed of. I saw a frightening statistic the other day that when the War Office were organising their records for deposition, ...

Apologies for my delayed reply - I was away much of the last week. Although Reynolds' book are out of print, you can find Mediterranean MTBs at War on ebay for about £25 right now and Dog Boats at War for as little as £7.40. I'd recommend them both. The third book in Reynolds' series, Home Waters MT...

I've had a good rummage in my research guidance and online, but unfortunately I've drawn a blank on these. I do wonder though - the number for nationality seems extraordinarily high for a 'code' of some sort, even if that nationality were Ireland. The same goes for rank or rating. Of course, cause o...

Hi Simon and welcome to the forum. I'm sure that Admin can help out with your queries with the branches better than I, but I can perhaps recommend some more reading material for you. All three vessels you list above get some mention in the works of Leonard Reynolds. Operations involving 84 and 406 a...

Hi David, Very brief reply as I'm on my way out. You might find this tweet thread of interest, as only a few weeks ago someone brought MTB 85 to my attention, adopted at the same time. When I have a bit more time, I'll see what I can find in my books on MTB 83's service. https://twitter.com/SeaSpitf...

That spelling makes sense, good spot. And Stoomloodsvaartuig no. 4 gives us this: https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/record/2021650/memorix_7c14f71d_ffdf_1684_1e5e_e3bf60e7f9c2.html and this: https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/record/2021650/memorix_b628b57a_d78e_755d_c8a1_4b013b85026c.html and thes...

Good research! My only observation is that my reading of the annotation in red is that it says "unable to verify whether S/S or M/V", ie. steam ship or motor vessel.

Quite strangely, I cannot find a record for this name in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission anywhere, despite them including Merchant Seaman and even civilians. I notice in the bottom right corner a small inscription in red saying "Not to be included in the R.O.H. pers Mr. Prater." I s...

You're very welcome Sid. Best of luck.
Steve

Sorry, forgot to add, Whitley doesn't mention the Dutch name/connection. But a few other sources do. This website for instance names the other vessels involved: http://worldwartwodaily.filminspector.c ... china.html

Hi Sid, I think this must be Stroomloodsvartuig 4 , also called Pilot Boat 4 , a Dutch/British (apparently) cutter that had the misfortune to be chanced upon by three German destroyers south of Cornwall on the night of the 28th. The German destroyers Lody , Galster and Beitzen sailed from Brest in t...