Search found 501 matches

Go to advanced search

by Admin
Mon Aug 29, 2016 8:26 pm
Forum: General Organisation
Topic: Combined Operation Training HMS Arbella
Replies: 1
Views: 16557

Re: Combined Operation Training HMS Arbella

Hello I don't hold any information on this topic but as the former British Power Boat Trust restored some RAF boats, and also collated a deal of information which I believe they handed over to the Portsmouth Naval Boatyard Trust, on handing over ownership of those boats they used to maintain, which ...
by Admin
Mon Aug 29, 2016 5:09 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 253
Replies: 13
Views: 38766

Re: ML 253

Thanks for the additional info Roy. I recall learning the crews lived onboard even at Great Yarmouth, which surprised me as I imagined they would have got ashore to billets, and twenty-eight men with washing etc all created a fair bit of condensation apparently, with water dripping off the ceiling i...
by Admin
Mon Aug 29, 2016 3:38 am
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Searching for information on great uncle Leonard 'Lennie' Lincoln
Replies: 3
Views: 18061

Re: Searching for information on great uncle Leonard 'Lennie' Lincoln

Hello Michael Thanks for your enquiry. I've taken the liberty of removing your other post as it was a duplicate of this, to prevent replies to the one enquiry ending up in two different places. During the period of the Second World War, Vosper and Thornycroft were two separate companies, both manufa...
by Admin
Fri Aug 26, 2016 9:39 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Sidney Davis
Replies: 3
Views: 20490

Re: Sidney Davis

Hello Rob Unfortunately there's no one of that name in the old membership list for the CFVA, which might have provided a head start on the boats he was on. If he was in Africa (West or East) then it would have been on MLs or HDMLs, with the main base of operations in West Africa being Freetown, Sier...
by Admin
Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:00 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384821

Re: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?

Hello Mark Thank you for your enquiry. I can provide some clarification with respect to ML 916 but possibly not to your father overall. ML 916 was part of the 19th ML Flotilla, along with 'chummy' boat ML 906, and I believe MLs 212, 300, 345, 473, 914 & 915. ML 906 along with ML 916 are understo...
by Admin
Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:01 am
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 763 & 770 ... action 23 Feb, 1945
Replies: 5
Views: 21763

Re: MTB 763 & 770 ... action 23 Feb, 1945

Sorry Herve, I don't have anything relating to MTB 763 at the moment. Thanks for the other plaque. Who has that do you know?
by Admin
Fri Aug 26, 2016 9:26 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 253
Replies: 13
Views: 38766

Re: ML 253

Thanks Roy, it was interesting to learn of engines other than Gardiners in HDMLs which I hadn't known about. Today it does seems like an incredibly wasteful period in history with the number of boats used to acquire overwhelming numerical superiority being dispensed with so casually. It seems on the...
by Admin
Fri Aug 26, 2016 2:59 am
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: United States Navy PT Boats
Replies: 0
Views: 11161

United States Navy PT Boats

These are some of the many photographs of USN PT Boats available from the Naval History and Heritage Command Collections which include several from the European Theatre.
NH 101278-KN.jpeg
USS PT 505 Under tow, after she struck a mine off St. Marcouf Island in the English Channel on 7 June 1944. She had settled heavily by the stern, as indicated by the dirty water line on her hull. Note the inscription Portland or Bust on her side. PT 505 was towed back to Portland, England, on 11 June 1944.
NH 101278-KN.jpeg (74.59 KiB) Viewed 11161 times
80-G-253230.jpeg
Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN, commander of the invasion task force, (under left leg of mast), and Admiral Harold R. Stark, USN, commander, U.S. Naval forces, Europe, (under right leg of mast) en route to Normandy on a PT boat, on 14 June 1944. This boat may be USS PT 199.
80-G-254261.jpeg
U.S. Navy Elco type PT boat Escorts ships transporting salvage units to Cherbourg, France, circa summer 1944.
80-G-256074.jpeg
U.S. Navy motor torpedo boats (PT) and U.S. Coast Guard 83-foot patrol boats use the waterfront as a temporary base, while operating out of Cherbourg, 30 August 1944. PT boat at left is PT 199.
80-G-253227.jpeg
USS PT 199 speeds past invasion shipping, carrying Admiral Harold Stark, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe, to the Normandy beachhead for an inspection tour, 14 June 1944. A British hospital ship is in the left distance.
NH 100911.jpeg
MTB 263 (ex-USS PT-14) ready for delivery to the Royal Navy, circa mid-1941. She has been modified to British specifications, with R.N. Type 21" torpedo tubes, a 20mm machine cannon and other changes
by Admin
Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:31 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 253
Replies: 13
Views: 38766

Re: ML 253

Hello Roy Thank you for your interesting insight into the selling off process of these boats. I dare say there must have been one or two mixups between pendants and sales receipts, since there were so many boats mothballed in such a short space of time and disposed of. Does the official paperwork gi...
by Admin
Wed Aug 24, 2016 2:13 am
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 763 & 770 ... action 23 Feb, 1945
Replies: 5
Views: 21763

Re: MTB 763 & 770 ... action 23 Feb, 1945

http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib/467/media-467123/large.jpg?action=e&cat=photographs LA COMBATTANTE, NEW DESTROYER FOR FIGHTING FRENCH NAVY BUILT IN BRITISH SHIPYARDS. 14 JANUARY 1943, LA COMBATTANTE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED IN THE PRESENCE OF REAR-ADMIRAL AUBOYNEAU, C-IN-C, FIGHTING FRENCH NAVY.....
by Admin
Wed Aug 24, 2016 2:04 am
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 763 & 770 ... action 23 Feb, 1945
Replies: 5
Views: 21763

Re: MTB 763 & 770 ... action 23 Feb, 1945

23 Feb, 1945 : Free French Ship "La Combattante" hit a German mine in the North sea, and sunk. Most of the crew was rescued by MTB 763 & MTB 770. MTB 770 & MTB 763 had been on patrol with La Combattante on the night in question, and Lieutenant Marquis, Senior Officer on MTB 770 ha...
by Admin
Sun Aug 21, 2016 4:04 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 377
Replies: 7
Views: 17665

Re: MTB 377

Len Reynolds in Mediterranean MTBs at War shows one of the dockside photos and gives the officers as belonging to the 7th and 27th flotillas, which would make the boats some of, 375, 376, 377 & 378 (US Vospers); 419, 420, 421, 422 & 423 (US Higgins); 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402 & 4...
by Admin
Sun Aug 21, 2016 2:00 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 377
Replies: 7
Views: 17665

Re: MTB 377

I believe this is part of the same series and identifies one of the Vospers as 401. I recall that the American boats used to pair up with the 'Dog Boats', functioning as their eyes and ears, so it may well be every boat with the American radar here is one of the US boats. The gunboats were the ones ...
by Admin
Sat Aug 20, 2016 2:58 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: Lend-lease Vosper MTB 281
Replies: 19
Views: 53985

Re: Lend-lease Vosper MTB 281

Yes, Len Reynolds in Mediterranean MTBs at War cites the two flotillas as having operated from 1943–44, so the reference to 1942/43 may be an error in recalling the details, or there may have been some early arrivals towards the very tail end of 1942, though they would have struggled to have been in...
by Admin
Sat Aug 20, 2016 2:11 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Bertie on MGB 503
Replies: 3
Views: 18297

Re: Bertie on MGB 503

Norman Hine, the other survivor, in an addition to that letter, requests Bert to "ask old Turner to write and tell the boys to make sure there's some corned dog in your Carley rafts we almost starved to death." Norman Hine is down as having received an award as part of the crew of MGB 503,...
by Admin
Sat Aug 20, 2016 12:39 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: Lend-lease Vosper MTB 281
Replies: 19
Views: 53985

Re: Lend-lease Vosper MTB 281

I would assume any materials used during construction of some of the American-built Vospers, if different from those specified in the plans, would have been cleared beforehand, and deemed serviceable before the boats were accepted from the yard for commissioning, but it's possible that flaws in a pa...
by Admin
Fri Aug 19, 2016 3:32 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: HM MTB 90 ... adoption plaque.
Replies: 2
Views: 10168

Re: HM MTB 90 ... adoption plaque.

Thanks Herve As there are potentially many of these I may create a thread specifically for Adoption Plaques later, at which point I'll move your post into it. I was previously chasing photos for two myself which I gave up on, but must take up again. One was for MTB 79, which used to be in the Workin...
by Admin
Wed Aug 17, 2016 11:27 am
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: Lend-lease Vosper MTB 281
Replies: 19
Views: 53985

Re: Lend-lease Vosper MTB 281

Owing to their limited operational range and absence of targets for their torpedoes, it was decided by the Admiralty that M.T.Bs were of no practical value in the South-East Asia Command and therefore in July 1944 both flotillas were paid off and placed in care and maintenance." Three flotilla...
by Admin
Mon Aug 15, 2016 12:54 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Peter Douglas BARLOW, DSC ... MGB 659
Replies: 6
Views: 27655

Re: Peter Douglas BARLOW, DSC ... MGB 659

Do you know where I could have a chance to find pictures of MGB 659 and a portrait of Mr Barlow? A photo of MGB 659 has proved hard to come by. It's possible that it features in one of these photos, but I couldn't say for sure. The boat nearest the quay in the first photo is MGB 658, and in the sec...
by Admin
Mon Aug 15, 2016 12:06 pm
Forum: Coastal Forces Models
Topic: Vosper 363-378 Annapolis Yacht Yard
Replies: 14
Views: 40897

Re: Vosper 363-378 Annapolis Yacht Yard

Hello Arjan Yes the IWM have been steadily digitising more of their collection. For those interested in the subject it's worth searching on 'MTB' or 'MGB', but also 'Motor Torpedo Boat', 'Motor Gun Boat', 'Motor Launch', 'Coastal Forces', 'Felixstowe' etc as although each of the search terms can bri...
by Admin
Fri Aug 12, 2016 12:05 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 253
Replies: 13
Views: 38766

Re: ML 253

One of our veterans, Peter Bickmore, has pointed out that Medyna was actually the name used for the former J Samuel White built MTB 253. Has there been a mix up here between MTB 253 and ML 253? MTB-253-MV-Medyna-Newhaven-1983-1.jpg MTB-253-MV-Medyna-Newhaven-1983-2.jpg MTB-253-MV-Medyna-Newhaven-198...
by Admin
Tue Aug 09, 2016 1:52 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Michael Goodworth - ML 354, ML 349 & ML 1292 & MMS 28 & 293
Replies: 10
Views: 32103

Re: Michael Goodworth - ML 354, ML 349 & ML 1292 & MMS 28 & 293

Hello CharlyArry Thanks for the posting the photo. It may just be the angle but my first impression was that this boat looks more like a First World War era Elco Motor Launch, than a Second World War Fairmile 'B'. There were many hundreds of Elcos commissioned which bore the same numbers as the late...
by Admin
Sat Apr 09, 2016 2:03 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Robert Thompson Capelle
Replies: 10
Views: 32248

Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

When logged in, if you click on the Post Reply button, you'll see a tab below the area where you would ordinarily enter text, labelled Attachments . If you select that and then select the Add files button, you should be able to select an image file (in jpg format) from your own computer. Once the fi...
by Admin
Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:28 am
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Robert Thompson Capelle
Replies: 10
Views: 32248

Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Unfortunately there is no known preserved Fairmile D 'Dog Boat'. There may be some hulls still extant somewhere forming the basis for houseboats, although several previously known about have succumbed to the ravages of time and are now lost altogether, while the prospects of any others are slim. Thi...
by Admin
Wed Apr 06, 2016 12:04 am
Forum: Personnel
Topic: Robert Thompson Capelle
Replies: 10
Views: 32248

Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Hello Mark Welcome to the forum. Attack and Midge were Coastal Forces bases at Portland and Great Yarmouth, Mercury was a signals school near Petersfield, so presumably your father was a signaller, and Valkyrie a camp at Douglas, Isle of Man. Glendower was a training base at Pwllheli. MTBs 630 and 7...
by Admin
Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:41 pm
Forum: News & Events
Topic: St Patricks Day 2016
Replies: 2
Views: 15876

St Patricks Day 2016

Today on the home page we remember all those from Ireland who fought during the Second World War, and who in some cases died serving with Light Coastal Forces.
by Admin
Fri Mar 11, 2016 11:06 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: SPO Charlie Vincent
Replies: 7
Views: 25049

Re: SPO Charlie Vincent

The pictures he has of the MTB's are in Cyprus by the looks of things except one entitled "268 on then slips Hiafa" this picture is one of the missing ones. That would likely be Mosquito I at Haifa, which would date the photo to October 1943 through to March 1944, or possibly up until May...
by Admin
Fri Mar 11, 2016 7:01 pm
Forum: Personnel
Topic: SPO Charlie Vincent
Replies: 7
Views: 25049

Re: SPO Charlie Vincent

I would imagine the information supplied on World Naval Ships to be accurate with regards to general operational detail as there are a lot of ex-servicemen on there it seems. Which would suggest he wasn't on Hecla or Orlando but rather still with Legion. Yes, I would agree with that reading looking ...
by Admin
Fri Mar 11, 2016 11:00 am
Forum: Personnel
Topic: SPO Charlie Vincent
Replies: 7
Views: 25049

Re: SPO Charlie Vincent

Hello Graham I've managed to draw up the following which will hopefully prove useful: Pembroke II was the accounting base for Chatham, which was his Port Division. Orion: three different versions served as shore establishments, but none during the period in question or during the Second World War, s...
by Admin
Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:46 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: MGB 330
Replies: 13
Views: 36368

Re: MGB 330

MGB ACTIONS SUMMER 1942 MGB 330 was one of twenty-four Fairmile C-Class motor gun boats, which were somewhat longer than the ‘short’ British Power Boat MGBs then in service with the existing MGB Flotillas. A larger variant still, the Fairmile D-Class, known as Dog Boats, were just starting to compl...

Go to advanced search