Coastal Forces Veterans

What an interesting find. Thank you 'dcrfan' for the posting. The lower picture of the Bedford truck with trailer has the identity of CFMU 2 on the door. As our Maps Page illustrates, this unit was originally formed in Chatham during May 1944. After D day, as the European War progressed , it spent s...

Sad news of former CFVA member (1924) Electrician Artificer Harry Brown crossed the bar on 15th June 2013 aged 87.
The cremation was held at East Riding Crematorium, North Yorkshire, on the 28th June 2013.
Sadly missed by his family and friends – RIP Harry.

This YouTube clip was produced by our American ally but is interesting in that it shows the allied build up for the invasion in our southern counties. Not much CF action but worth a watch IMO

For service records for persons serving after 1938, you should contact: Data Protection Cell (Navy), Victory View, Building 1/152, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3PX. The Ministry of Defence also holds records of deceased Service Personnel, which have not yet been passed on to the National Archives....

An interesting restoration project is planned for MTB 219

We wish them well.

Another great name within Coastal Forces, Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles, crossed the bar on May 4th 2013. This very colourful character, known to many CF veterans as 'SNO-VIS' (or more properly as Senior Naval Officer - Vis), was very forthright with his views on many aspects of Naval life an...

Sad news; Leonard 'Rover' Reynolds crossed the Bar on 18th April 2013.
See This Here

Peter Stern has completed a superb model of the early HDML 1009. This version had the short Bridge structure, so faithfully reproduced here, a truly superb model in 1/24 scale. The original was built by Anderson Rigden & Perkins (Whitstable, England, U.K.) Ordered on the 17 Jan 1940, Commissione...

Hello 'gibbo333' Welcome aboard Have you read Ken Forrester's account of this action?? see https://cfv.org.uk/mess-deck/library/if-i-only-had-known. Mr Ken Forrester was aboard MTB 632 during this battle, witnessing the loss of 671 from his position in the Pom-Pom turret - he now being the sole surv...

‘Bloodhound’ was built by Vosper to the Admiralty order of CP BR 8A/28281/37 in October 1937. She was designated as an ‘MTDV’ (mobile torpedo discharge vessel). She was built to a 68ft design having a single 21” trainable Torpedo tube mounted amidships just aft of a small wheelhouse. She was powered...

This web site recently commemorated the 68th anniversary of the Ostend disaster in which the 29th Canadian MTB Flotilla was virtually destroyed. However, the mundane workings of MTB Flotilla's are not so widely known, other than clashing with the enemy during brutal skirmishes at night. Here is an a...

Hello Eric, welcome aboard. I see that you were a member of the CFVA (membership number1980) and that you reside in Dewsbury West Yorks. Glad that you have found us. Regarding the CF museum at Portsmouth, I'm not too sure how far they have got but I do understand that things are moving along well - ...

Hello 'kenjoyce'

Welcome aboard, we hope that you enjoy this Forum.

If you have any further info - photo's or reminisces - please feel free to share them with us.

Best Regards

Some relatively 'old' footage of the Gay Archer leaving Watchet Harbour.

Sad news; former London Branch member Bert Foulds has Crossed the Bar.

Hello 'sonofasailor'
Welcome aboard.
It would be very interesting to see that image of the crew of MTB 490, somebody may be able to put 'a face to a name' in their own research. If you have difficulty in uploading any images- just drop me a PM.
Regards

Thank you Christian
Not a shortened Fairmile after all:) a good looking craft as you say but post war I would guess??
Thanks again
Ted

RAF 96ft Krogerwerft D boat?? - you have me there Christian - any chance of an image?
Regards Ted

I suppose that you have already visited our Boat Database ? but hopefully someone can give you some further details.

A very interesting thread on the development of the unique propulsion unit employed in the Steam Gun Boat can be read on the World Naval Ships Forums.

The Canadian Coastal Forces Trust is about to attempt raising funds for the purchase and restoration of British Power Boat Co, Motor Torpedo Boat - MTB 486. She was built at the British Power Boat Co’s yard at Hythe, Southampton, completed on the 5th August 1944 and immediately attached to the Canad...

Hello Dave I would suggest that the number 649 refers to a ‘D’ type MTB. John Lambert and Al Ross’ book ‘Allied Coastal Forces of WW2’ Volume 1 states that an order for 44 ML craft was originally made on the 28 November 1941 but - “649-656, 664-673 and 675-700” - were completed as MTB’s. MTB 649 was...

After repairs to her 'P' brackets and having replacement propellors, MGB 81 on trials

MASB 27 leaves her long time mud berth at Swanwick. She was towed to Premier Marinas lift out in Swanwick, Southampton recently then lifted onto a road trailer for the trip to Watchet, Somerset. She will join the slowly increasing fleet of the Child's family, located in Watchet. Pictured here, Paul ...

Hello 'Sh4uny1968' - welcome aboard. MTB 747 was a Fairmile Motor Torpedo Boat (D MTB) Length: 115' Builder's Yard: Sussex Shipbuilders, Shoreham Completion Date: June 1944 Loss or Disposal Date: 9th February 1958 Notes: MTB 747 survived the war and was transferred to the Sea Cadet Corp in March 194...

Hello Johan Thanks for the link to your model diorama showing the captured RA 10 (MTB 314). The image showing her alongside the S-Boat certainly gives a good comparison for the relative sizes etc. I understand that she was ‘salved’ by the German R boat R 10 – would 315’s new pennant of ‘RA 10’ be an...

Thank's cdsc123, she did become LRRC 031
Regards

Hello Dean, welcome aboard. MTB 684 was, as you probably know, built by Messrs Woodnut, Bembridge, Isle of Wight UK. Completed April 1943 she was first allocated to the 34th Flotilla which became the 58th in October 1943 - (Senior Officer Lt, later Lt Cdr Kenneth Gemmell). Under the command of Lt St...

4CDMyd_JTVY We are indebted to ‘Christian’ for bringing attention to some detail within this YouTube clip. Although much of this footage has been seen before of training squadrons in the Baltic there is also some unique footage of boats in the Med. Between 2:47 to 3:20 (timing scale at bottom left)...

Unfortunately I hear that a mishap had cut short the proposed voyage of “Gay Archer” after hitting submerged object(s) while approaching Padstow. I understand that she had temporary repairs made to her Hull but the damage necessitated her return to Watchet Harbour where she now awaits passage to Bri...