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

Enquiries relating to individual men and women who served with HM Light Coastal Forces; help with interpreting service records, or with tracing former comrades
goodworth
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Michael Goodworth - ML 354, ML 349 & ML 1292 & MMS 28 & 293

Postby goodworth » Tue Jun 05, 2012 1:47 pm

My father, Michael Goodworth, died last year and amongst his papers I found masses of information and photographs respecting his naval record during the second world war. During the period May 1943-june 1945 he served in the Eastern mediteranean in ML 354, ML 349 and ML 1292 (of which he became the commander). A lot of individuals names crop up amongst his papers and I will separately provide a list of these, but I would be very grateful in the meantime to hear from anyone who knew, or perhaps whose father or other relation knew my father or who served on any of these boats

After the war he served on MMS 28 and MMS 293 minesweeping the channel for a shortwhile, and again any info about this time would be fantastic

Many thanks
Simon Goodworth

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

Postby Croatian Navy » Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:04 pm

First, I am sorry about your loss.

It would be nice to see some pictures of him during war and after.
I live in Eastern Mediteranean and my hobby is WW2 on Adriatic Sea so I am writeing artcles about battles between British and German forces there. I am very happy when I have original not published photos and also photos of those brave soldiers who were in those battles.
So, if you have something, I would like that you conatact me.

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

Postby Brian Holmes » Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:40 pm

ML_354 Anglo-American Nile Tourist Company, Cairo 19/5/42

For operations in the Aegean 9 - 11/43
MID TSLt Robert Anthony Bishop RNVR
DSM Ord Joseph James Davies P/JX298534

Known Crew
TLt James Wylie Patterson RNVR Commanding Officer ML 354 10/43 Commanding Officer ML 355 10/43
TLt Norman Stallworthy RNVR First Lieutenant ML 355 1/43 Commanding Officer ML 354 10/43 -
TSLt Robert Anthony Bishop RNVR
Ord Joseph James Davies P/JX298534

Wartime Activities
9-11/43 Operations in the Aegean
12/9/43 Paphos, Cyprus
9/43 Leros
26/9/43 Air raid on Leros in which the Greek destroyer Queen Olga is sunk and the British destroyer HMS Intrepid is damaged. ML 351, damaged accidentally on the previous day, is towed by ML 355 clear of the jetty and out of the path of burning fuel spreading across the harbour. After the raid, ML 351 is towed by ML 355 to the fueling jetty and both COs go in search of assistance with fuelling. A second raid develops and the first lieutenant of ML 355 takes both vessels out into the middle of the harbour leaving a dinghy behind to allow both COs to rejoin
ML 354 and ML356 pick up survivors from the Queen Olga having been alongside that vessel when the raid started. ML836 also picked up survivors from the Queen Olga
Samos by 29/9/43
29-30/9/43 ML 349 and ML 354 create a diversion whilst ML 355 lands SBS personnel on Khios. Personnel are successfully landed. Vessels returned to Samos on completion.
16/10/43 Bombed and near missed causing sufficient damage to require withdrawal to Beirut, via Cyprus, for repairs.

Post War Fate
24/1/46 Italian Navy

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

Postby Brian Holmes » Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:41 pm

ML_349 Thomas Cook, Cairo 2/6/42

For operations in the Aegean 9 - 11/43
DSC TLt Geoffrey William Searle RNVR
MID LTel William Thomas Stanley Hall C/JX150214

Known Crew
LtCdr A H Ball RNVR (Commanding Officer 27/3/43 and SO 42nd ML Flotilla 6/42 - 10/43)
TLtCdr Geoffrey William Searle RNVR He joined London Division RNVR as a rating (LDX4564) 2/39. Served in HMS Forfar (AMC) 9/39 – 4/40 and HMS Letitia (AMC) and HMS Osprey 11/40 – 1/41. Commanding Officer HDML 1007 1/41 - 4/42 and 6/42 – 3/7/42. ML 353 in command 4-42 – 6/42 then ML 355 in command 4/7/42 – 10/43 then ML 349 in command and Senior Officer 42nd ML Flotilla 10/43 – 27/12/43. Then ML 351 in command and Senior Officer 11th ML Flotilla 27/12/43 – 4/44. Then ML 490 in command and Senior Officer 14th ML Flotilla 10 /4/44 – 7/45. He was awarded a DSC on 4/4/44. Post war he was Chairman of the Executive Committee and Director of Finance and Planning, British Petroleum Trading Ltd and was awarded a CBE for services to export in 1972. He died on 3/7/2006 in Surrey. He wrote of his experiences in “AT SEA LEVEL” ISBN 1 85776 912 0
TLt Peter D Newman RNVR (Commanding Officer 27/12/43 -
SLt Harding
SLt A Livesey RNVR First Lieutenant 17/5/43
TSLt. P.S. Chapman, RNVR First Lieutenant 14/3/44
POMtrMch Edward Stanley Judge C/MX 73690 Died 14/9/42 Age 21 Son of Cornelius and Esther Judge, of Watford, Hertfordshire
LTel William Thomas Stanley Hall C/JX150214
AB Alexander Toner C/JX 554063 Died 23/1/45 Age 19 cause unknown. Son of John and Janet Toner, of Glasgow. Buried in Rhodes War Cemetery 2. B. 9

Wartime Activities
14/9/42 Operation Agreement
Commando raid on Tobruk. Force C - MTB 260, MTB 261, MTB 262, MTB 265, MTB 266, MTB 267, MTB 268, MTB 307, MTB 308, MTB 310, MTB 311, MTB 312, MTB 313, MTB 314 and MTB 315 each with 10 troops embarked. ML 349, ML 352 and ML 353 carry demolition teams.
Turning into the objective, Cdr Blackburn orders the force to increase speed to 24kts and the force becomes split. An LRDG unit ordered to use signals to guide the force in is delayed. As a result only MTB 261 and MTB 314 are able to enter Mersa es Sciausc cove and disembark troops
MTB 314 grounds on rocks and can not be taken off. MTB 261 rescues the crew of MTB 314. Demolition charges are set but fail to explode and MTB 314 is salvaged by German forces and taken up as RA 10 (6th Raumboot Flotilla.
Returning to Alexandria, MTB 308 is damaged by fighters and then attacked by a Ju 88 bomber which is damaged by anti aircraft fire and crashes into MTB 308 sinking her. There are no survivors
MTB 310 is dive bombed and hit in the bow. The crew abandon ship in an assault boat and head for the coast. When German forces recover them near the coast a week later only three, including the First Lieutenant, are still alive and suffering from thirst, sunburn and dehydration
MTB 312 is strafed by Macchi fighters and set on fire. Survivors are picked up by MTB 266. By coincidence TLt I A Quarrie was rescuedtwo years previously by TLt Richard Routledge Smith when sunk in MTB 106. MTB 266 is near missed by dive bombers and damaged by splinters but returns to Alexandria
ML 353 is sunk by aircraft at Tobruk, Libya. Survivors are rescued by ML 349
9-11/43 Operations in the Aegean
11/9/43 ML 349 and ML 357 make the passage from Cyprus to Casteloriso carrying LRDG troops. On arrival, both MLs are fired on by the Italians although the general surrender has taken place 3 days before. Fire is not returned due to orders to avoid hostile acts. Two army officers are landed and negotiate with the Italians who cease fire and both vessels enter harbour. The island is then secured.
12/9/43 Reconnaisance patrol forward from Casteloriso
15/9/43 Landed SBS parties on Cos
17/9/43 Leros. SLt Harding transferred to staff of Senior British Naval Officer Agean (Captain E H B Baker RN) now based in Leros and acted as interpreter.
Samos by 29/9/43
29-30/9/43 ML 349 and ML 354 create a diversion whilst ML 355 lands SBS personnel on Khios. Personnel are successfully landed. Vessels returned to Samos on completion.
10/43 ML 349 enters Bodrum (Turkey) to recover members of the Durham Light Infantry who had escaped from Cos when that island was invaded. Vessel came alongside a jetty during the night but no troops were found. Vessel then anchored in the harbour and, next day, negotiated with local authorities to stay until the following night before returning to Leros.
8-9/10/43 ML 349, ML 835 and ML 836 are on patrol east of Leros. ML 835 engages a surface vessel which shortly afterwards runs aground. ML 349 puts a boarding party into the vessel causing the crew to swim for the shore. The vessel is then identified as the Italian submarine depot ship Alessandro Volta which appears to have been attempting to escape from Leros before the imminent German invasion. The Italians protest at the sinking. ML 349 escorts a small Italian vessel to recover the survivors from the Alessandro Volta.
9/10/43 Escorted a small Italian vessel to recover the survivors from the Alessandro Volta.
On patrol with ML 836 when both vessels were attacked and bombed by RAF aircraft. No damage was sustained.
21/10/43 One engine permanently out of action. Vessel withdrawn for repairs. Took refuge during daylight in a Turkish bay north of Simi before eventually arriving in Paphos, Cyprus.
Passage to Beirut
14/7/44 Operation Tenement – Raid on Symi
MTB 309, ML 349, HDML 1386

Post War Fate
7/1/46 Italian Navy

Brian Holmes
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Location: Portsmouth

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

Postby Brian Holmes » Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:43 pm

HDML_1292 Sussex Shipbuilding Company, Shoreham, Sussex 8/6/43

Known Crew
TSLt J L Gaelic RNZNVR (Commanding Officer 20/4/43)
TSLt M T Goodworth RNVR (Commanding Officer 18/9/44)
TSLt S A Lagden RNVR 3/5/43

Wartime Activities

Post War Fate
4/9/45 On loan to Greece
Greek Navy = Distraton
1952 Sold

Robyn Mcbride
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Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:22 am

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

Postby Robyn Mcbride » Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:17 am

Hello Michael,

My maiden Name was Robyn Gaelic; I am the daughter of JL Gaelic, whom you listed as being the commanding officer of ML 1292. Jack survived the war and returned to New Zealand, married his wartime sweetheart, my mother and had 2 daughters (I am the second). He died on 3rd September, 1990. I was doing some research for our 3 sons, of his wartime experiences because of the 100th Anniversary of Anzac Day. In New Zealand on 25th April, the country remembers all who sacrificed their lives and time in all wars, and the need for peace in our future.

I would be interested to know anything about Jack's time in the Mediterranean, as the only info I have is the name of that boat from a photo caption, but I was delighted to find your post with his name!
Many thanks,
Robyn McBride

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

Postby CharlyArry » Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:06 pm

Looking through my father's photographs I came across this beauty of ML 349, which I can only assume was taken from ML 253 (see my recent post).
image.jpeg
ML 349

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

Postby Admin » Tue Aug 09, 2016 1:52 pm

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 later Fairmiles. It would be useful to see the other photos from the collection just to understand the context of this one better.

There are a number of photos of these earlier Motor Launches on the Imperial War Museum site, including one of ML 524. Of note are the shorter overall length, the slightly raised prow of the vessel — the later Fairmile 'B' was entirely flush to the deck at the prow — and the front fender, all similar to the vessel in the photo above.

Regards
Admin

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

Postby CharlyArry » Tue Aug 09, 2016 6:10 pm

You may well be right. I'm afraid I have no other context at the moment, but delighted to at least be able to put this photo here.

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

Postby JonnyM » Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:06 pm

Doing some research recently i discovered my late father Lt. David Matthews rnvr, HMS Barham survivor, had been in the soe during ww2 as part of force 133 sea ops in the east med. between early 1942 and late 1944. I found some documents which showed he commanded the base camp at Haifa for the first 3 months and then commanded ML 355 at some point during this time, but no information on any missions he was involved in.

David Carter
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:06 pm

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

Postby David Carter » Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:50 am

Dear Michael,

Thank you for posting this. Welcome to the site. You might like to get hold of a copy of "At Sea Level" which was written by Geoffrey Searle, who also commanded an HDML in the Eastern Mediterranian during that period.

KInd regards

David Carter (CFVA Secretary)


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