Trevor Timothy Kane - MGB 21 and MTB 457

[tpkane]

I'm trying to research my dad's RN service, especially in Coastal Forces March, 1944 to June 1945. He also served in HMS Euryalus April to December, 1943. Any information gratefully received.

Terry Kane

[Brian Holmes]

MGB_21 British Power Boat Co, Hythe Hampshire
For good service during an attack by enemy aircraft in the Dover area 22/4/42
DSM OTel George William Slater P/JX263907

New Year Honours 1943
DSC Lt John Edwin Dyer

For an action with E Boats off the Sunk Light Vessel 7/3/43
DSC TLt John Scott Price RNVR
MID AB Charles John Mercer C/JX354439
MID Ord David Francis Keating P/JX384041

Known Crew
Lt John Edwin Dyer
Lt F W Willet Commanding Officer 1941, MGB 54 3/41
TLt Charles Donald Chaffey RCNVR Ord HMCS Discovery (RCN base & reserve depot, Vancouver, BC) 10/40 HMS Raleigh (training establishment, Torpoint, Plymouth) 11/40 HMS Pytchley (destroyer) HMS King Alfred (RNVR officers' training establishment, Hove, Sussex) 12/40 TASLt 31/12/40 HMS St Christopher (Coastal Forces establishment, Fort William) (for motor launches) 5/9/41 TLt 31/12/41 ML 209 First Lieutenant MTB 232 2/4/42 MTB 309 Commanding Officer MTB 232 Commanding Officer MGB 21 26/5/43 Commanding Officer MTB 465 27/3/44 – 9/2/45 Commanding Officer MTB 486 25/2/45 – 3/3/45 Born in 1918 and died in 1989

TSLt John Scott Price RNVR First Lieutenant MGB 93 28/6/41, First Lieutenant MGB 15 1/42 - 6/42 TLt 24/4/42 Commanding Officer MGB 21 1943, Commanding Officer MGB 122 26/5/43, HMS Mantis (Lowestoft) 18/2/44, Commanding Officer MTB 455 7/44 Commanding Officer MTB 458 8/44 TALtCdr 1945 DSC 1943 two DSCs 1944 MID 1944 Died 12/95 in St Austell, Cornwall
TSLt E W Keenan RNVR First Lieutenant 8/7/42
AB Charles John Mercer C/JX354439 MGB 21 MGB 122 MTB 441 MTB 781 11/44 Born in Grays, Essex 3/3/23 and died 20/9/2007
Ord David Francis Keating P/JX384041
OTel George William Slater P/JX263907

War Activities
Built as MASB 21
1/41 Redesignated
5th MGB Flotilla
MGB 16, MGB 17, MGB 18, MGB 19, MGB 20 and MGB 21
7/41 At Portland
5th MGB Flotilla
MGB 14, MGB 15, MGB 16, MGB 17, MGB 18, MGB 19, MGB 20 and MGB 21
1/42 At Lowestoft
22/4/42 MGB 21 is attacked by German aircraft in the Dover area
7/42 Serves in 7th MGB Flotilla
28-9/8/42 MTB 87, MTB 230, MGB 21 and MGB 88 are on patrol. MTB 230 suffers problems and Lt D Long RN (Senior Officer 22nd MTB Flotilla) transfers to MTB 87. MTB 87 becomes separated but encounters and attacks a German surface vessel
1/10/42 MTB 230, MTB 234 (Two further MTBs are forced to return), MGB 18, MGB 21, MGB 82 and MGB 86 are in action with a German convoy off Terschelling. MGB 18, MGB 21, MGB 82 and MGB 86 are sent ahead to create a diversion. The convoy was previously attacked by RAF aircraft who reported it as northbound where it was actually southbound. This causes confusion when the convoy was sighted much earlier than expected. MGB 21, in the lead, veers off to starboard. MGB 18 crosses her stern and draws considerable fire. The coxswain is wounded in the face. MGB 18 collides with MGB 82 crumpling her bow. MGB 18 makes smoke but is repeatedly hit. The Commanding Officer is killed. MTB 230 and MTB 234 attack and each fire two torpedoes. The Swedish merchant ship Thule (Carrying iron ore) and armed trawler Vp 2003 are both sunk. MTB 234 recovers survivors from MGB 18 which is sunk to prevent capture and is engaged and damaged by Vp 2011 whilst moving away.
7-8/3/43 S114 and S119 of the 6th Schnellbootflotille (based on Ijmuiden) collided whilst inaction with HMS Mackay escorted by MGB 17, MGB 20 and MGB 21 near the Sunk light vessel in the mouth of the Humber. S119 was sunk by MGB 20 in position 52° 44´N 02° 30´E.

Post War Fate

[Brian Holmes]

MTB_457 British Power Boat Co, Hythe Hampshire 15/1/44
For an action in the Nore area 26/8/44
MID AB Joseph Adams C/JX236528
MID AB William Smith P/SSX24364

For an attack on an enemy patrol in the Nore area (Gazette Date - 19/12/44)
MID LSea Frank Eustace Gawith Welchman C/JX344549

Known Crew
TSLt Donald Gray RNVR Western Approaches HMS Active (destroyer) 1940-41 as an AB before commissioning. First Lieutenant MGB 66 6/1/42 First Lieutenant MGB 85 30/6/42 Commanding Officer MGB 88 28/6/43 HMS Mantis 24/1/44 Commanding Officer MTB 457 1/45 Commanding Officer MTB 470 1945 Commanding Officer MTB 492 2/5/45 HMS Pembroke 31/5/45 Commanding Officer MTB 523 9/7/45- 25/9/45 Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve (actually recalled 17.09.1962-28.09.1962 After the war he resumed reading Medieval and Modern Languages at Downing. He was a dedicated teacher at Taunton’s School, Southampton (later Richard Taunton College) where he became Senior Tutor in Modern Languages and eventually Head of the Department Born 2/10/19 in Bolton, Lancashire and died 23/3/2005 in Exeter
LSea Frank Eustace Gawith Welchman C/JX344549
AB Joseph Adams C/JX236528
AB James Henry Friend Sharp C/SSX 20771 (Died 2/11/44) Age 24 Son of Wilfred and Harriet Sharp, of Hull Buried in Hull (Hedon Road) Cemetery Compt. 427. Grave 51
AB William Smith P/SSX24364
Ord George Arthur Rowland P/JX 555842 (Killed in action 27/8/44)

Wartime Activities
Originally MGB 138 but redesignated MTB 457
4th MTB Flotilla Based on Lowestoft
14/7/44. MTB 455, MTB 457, MTB 458, MTB 467, MTB 468, MTB 469 and MTB 470 are in action off Ijmuiden with three German Vorpostenbooten. V 1412 / Witte Zee is sunk and three MTBs are damaged.
26-7/8/44 MTB 457, MTB 467, MTB 468 and MTB 470 detect two M Class minesweepers off Noordwyck. MTB 457 and MTB 468 make the first attack. MTB 468 sinks the leading minesweeper from 700 yards. MTB 457 and MTB 468 are damaged by return fire and withdraw. MTB 457 and MTB 468 briefly encounter a TLC patrol but return to base.
8-9/10/44 MTB 457, MTB 458, MTB 467 and MTB 468 encounter armed trawlers off the Hook of Holland. In the first attack, MTB 467 is severely damaged and returns to base. In a second attack, MTB 458 sinks a trawler.
An attack on an enemy patrol in the Nore area (Gazette Date - 19/12/44)

Post War Fate

[tpkane]

Many thanks, Brian, both for the quality of the information and for the speedy reply. Much appreciated I believe that MTB 457 did survive the war to become converted to Radio Controlled Target Boat P8201.

Regards,

Terry Kane