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by Stephen
Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:02 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Wow, that's some fascinating stuff Admin, I'm afraid I've nothing to rival it! But I thought you might find this interesting Stuart. If you scroll down to 1082 you'll find your father's name again, along with a small bit of information about the boat's movement, plus the apparent date he moved to 91...
by Stephen
Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:22 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

Yep, but unfortunately, I can't find these four boats in any of the Force G allocations I've looked in (and I've researched Gold Beach forces thoroughly in the past for previous projects!).
by Stephen
Sat Jan 07, 2017 11:30 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hi Stuart, No problem at all. I have heard of Job, largely through the Ian Flemming connection, although I confess not to have read his book (I think it's more like 25 years old now!). He was on board a Fairmile ML in May and June 1942 in Orkney. As your father appears to have been on an HDML since ...
by Stephen
Sat Jan 07, 2017 2:31 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

Hi everyone, I'm afraid I only had limited success at Kew last week. As I'd already started to suspect, MGB 17 didn't appear in the Coastal Forces reports for D-Day. However, I think I may have identified the set that it may fall within, although I didn't have time to begin going through them (there...
by Stephen
Sat Jan 07, 2017 2:01 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hi all, That's some fascinating information Stuart, thanks for adding to the overall picture. In reply to your query, there are some lists that match officers to boats (but not entire crews). The Navy List gives the appointments of officers on all HM ships and were issued quarterly (I think). They'r...
by Stephen
Mon Dec 26, 2016 5:22 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 730
Replies: 9
Views: 27776

Re: MTB 730

Hi Ian, No problem at all. I've just looked as bit further into the book that I drew some of the information about construction from earlier; Allied Coastal Forces of World War II Volume 1: Fairmile Designs & US Submarine Chasers by John Lambert & Al Ross (1990, Conway Maritime Press). Unsur...
by Stephen
Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:18 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: MTB 730
Replies: 9
Views: 27776

Re: MTB 730

Hi Ian, Welcome to the forum. I'm not sure how much you already know, but MTB 730 was a Fairmile D 'Dog' Boat. She was built at Woodnutt & Co in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight and was completed on the 28th April 1944. At Normandy, she was the lead vessel of the 63rd MTB Flotilla, under Acting Te...
by Stephen
Mon Dec 19, 2016 8:58 am
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

Sorry to hear about your recent loss Piers. I'm hoping to visit Kew on the 29th December, so I might be able to find out a bit more then. In the meantime I've had a look through Invasion Europe, a compilation of Admiralty reports from Overlord. MGB 17 is mentioned, but not in the list of Coastal For...
by Stephen
Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:49 pm
Forum: Motor Torpedo Boats
Topic: 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla
Replies: 4
Views: 30327

Re: 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla

Hello max930, I have no extra knowledge of MTB 463, but I can point you to some sources on Canadians in Coastal Forces that you might enjoy. There are a few books to start with: Hal Lawrence, 1989. Victory at Sea . McClelland & Stewart Inc. Brian Nolan, 1991. Champagne Navy . Random House. Antho...
by Stephen
Tue Dec 06, 2016 10:08 am
Forum: News & Events
Topic: The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust
Replies: 1
Views: 13463

Re: The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust

Also worth noting that Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust were awarded funding for the creation and maintenance of a historic flotilla. This will include the restoration of Falklands War landing craft F8 and HMS Falmouth's First World War era steam cutter, but also includes the building of a repli...
by Stephen
Tue Nov 22, 2016 12:31 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

According to the NZ government, service in the Channel and Bay of Biscay also counted for the France & Germany Star.
by Stephen
Tue Nov 22, 2016 12:12 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

Hi Norm, Hmm. For service in the Second World War, David should have been entitled to the 1939 to 1945 Star and the War Medal 1939 to 1945 . It seems unlikely he would have been entitled to he Defence Medal , but it all depends on his postings prior to Coastal Forces. He may have been entitled to th...
by Stephen
Fri Nov 18, 2016 2:37 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hi again, Just a quick note, but thought I'd mention that I've just finished reading A Passage to Sword Beach by Brendan Haher. There's more detail on the ML 207 forum page, but thought you might be interested to know that Maher was at Park Prewitt for a while. It only gets five pages in his memoir,...
by Stephen
Fri Nov 18, 2016 2:31 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 207
Replies: 72
Views: 184080

Re: ML 207

Just a note to say that I've now read A Passage to Sword Beach by Brendan Maher, and I thoroughly recommend it as an account of minesweeping on MLs. The author takes us through his entire experience of the war years, from school to training and then service on MMS 84 and HMS Jason before transferrin...
by Stephen
Thu Nov 17, 2016 11:00 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

Hi Norm, I had a quick look in M J Whitley's German Coastal Forces of WWII , but it only says that "The 4th [S-boat] Flotilla, working out of Boulogne, encountered a destroyer patrol (Onslow, Offa, Onslaught and Oribi) and MTBs when S171 sank MGB 17." Sadly there does not appear to be an a...
by Stephen
Wed Nov 16, 2016 5:45 pm
Forum: Motor Gunboats
Topic: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17
Replies: 35
Views: 99774

Re: Desperately seeking info on MGB 17

Hi Norm, As it happens, I'm hoping to visit The National Archives before the end of the year and look at just this sort of thing. There are a lot of reports for the D-Day period on Coastal Forces' actions and losses and I'm fairly confident that MGB 17 will be covered in them (although I must hasten...
by Stephen
Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:57 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hi again, I don't have a huge amount to add over what Admin has already told you, but I may be able to help with Newcastle. HMS Shrapnel, as I understand it, was an umbrella name for various sites around the country, administered from the main station at South Western House in Southampton (next door...
by Stephen
Fri Oct 28, 2016 9:42 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Haven't fully digested this yet, but can't help but notice that he appears to have been promoted Acting Able Seaman (If I've read the handwriting correctly) 72 years ago today!
by Stephen
Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:55 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hi Mark,
Not ideal I agree, but there may be some clues there. Do you mind posting images of the material they sent?
Regards,
Steve
by Stephen
Sat Oct 22, 2016 5:28 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 207
Replies: 72
Views: 184080

Re: ML 207

Apologies for the delayed reply - I've been moving office and haven't been able to access my photos!

Having looked through them again, I'm afraid I just can't tell. I do notice though, that whilst the majority of documents date from May and June '45, the first list was compiled in January '45.

Steve
by Stephen
Sun Oct 16, 2016 8:56 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: ML 207
Replies: 72
Views: 184080

Re: ML 207

Within the collection of 21 citations in the Kew document above, there is only one for ML 207 (I don't know why the preview is on its side, but if you click on it it's the right way up): DSCF5327.JPG As you'll see it is for McCusker. The remaining ones are listed here: DSCF5313.JPG Please let me kno...
by Stephen
Sun Oct 16, 2016 8:44 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Sorry Mark, not much luck with that document ... DSCF5343.JPG It's a curious document, having a seemingly random collection of losses and damage to Coastal Forces craft and Landing Craft (but not ML 146). Some of it is no more than summaries like this, others have several pages of analysis. This par...
by Stephen
Wed Oct 05, 2016 6:27 pm
Forum: News & Events
Topic: An interesting development?
Replies: 10
Views: 30334

Re: An interesting development?

Yes, sorry, I forgot to say that's how the news came to me - that post literally just popped up on my feed a few hours ago because I follow them on Facebook.

Does anyone know any more about MASB 27's role on D-Day?

Steve
by Stephen
Wed Oct 05, 2016 5:36 pm
Forum: News & Events
Topic: An interesting development?
Replies: 10
Views: 30334

Re: An interesting development?

It appears that MASB 27 is now in the hands of D-Day Revisited. Nothing on their website ( http://d-dayrevisited.co.uk/ ), but a few posts on their Facebook page which is public, so no account needed ( https://www.facebook.com/DDayRevisitedOfficial/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED ). An older post form April states...
by Stephen
Tue Oct 04, 2016 1:31 pm
Forum: News & Events
Topic: An interesting development?
Replies: 10
Views: 30334

Re: An interesting development?

PS. MASB 27's new whereabouts are listed in the National Historic Ship's Register. This is the only place I've been able to find this information, but in the absence of any more up to date info, I've gone with it.

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk ... 37/masb-27
by Stephen
Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:55 am
Forum: News & Events
Topic: An interesting development?
Replies: 10
Views: 30334

Re: An interesting development?

Hi all, Glad you like the map. I've been starting to see the familiarity of names both here and on BMPT's forum, so I'll add mine to the list. I may as well share the link to the website now. The site is still under development, so please don't take the 'final' look as complete. Comments and critici...
by Stephen
Fri Sep 30, 2016 11:16 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

No problem at all. It looks to be a part of a much larger document,but this bit is probably only a few pages long. If we're lucky there'll be a survivors list and perhaps an account from one of them. As you say this will, at least, enable you to eliminate the boat from your research! I'll post my fi...
by Stephen
Fri Sep 30, 2016 10:02 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hehe, indeed. Only occurred to me yesterday, which is stupid given how often I go there to research ships! I probably won't make it in October, but I'll certainly be going in November so I can have a look and make copies for you if you like. Quite often these sorts of reports contain casualty and su...
by Stephen
Thu Sep 29, 2016 6:17 pm
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Well, after I posted I also found this in The National Archives catalogue. I'll have a look at it next time I'm there.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... r/C6422885
Steve
by Stephen
Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:29 am
Forum: Motor Launches
Topic: A Long shot - ML 916 and ...?
Replies: 96
Views: 384767

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

Hi Mark, Just a random thought I had a few weeks ago when I was on holiday. It's perfectly possible that the ML your father was serving on did do some impromptu spotting for HMS Roberts (or another vessel carrying out a bombardment), perhaps if his own ML came under fire for the shore. In Motor Gunb...

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