Robert Thompson Capelle

Enquiries relating to individual men and women who served with HM Light Coastal Forces; help with interpreting service records, or with tracing former comrades
dadbrock130
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Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby dadbrock130 » Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:53 pm

Researching any information on my father above, now 92 and going strong! He served on MTB'S 630 and 741 based at Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft between 1941 - 1945. Also he was on following boats: HMS Glendower, Valkyrie, Mercury, Attack and Midge. Any information greatly received, thanks, mark capelle.

Admin
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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby Admin » Wed Apr 06, 2016 12:04 am

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 741 were Fairmile D 'Dog Boats' and there are a couple of references to 630 in Dog Boats at War by Len Reynolds, including a short account of an action given by the telegraphist on MTB 630, Tom Barrett DSM. 630 was part of the 31st MTB Flotilla, which later became the 55th MTB Flotilla based at Great Yarmouth under its Commander Don Bradford. MTB 741, which was a later boat, also formed part of the 55th flotilla. You can view awards for members of crew of both boats in the Awards Database.

Regards
Admin

dadbrock130
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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby dadbrock130 » Wed Apr 06, 2016 4:22 pm

Great, thanks for the feedback. Is there an MTB open to the public anywhere I could take him for a nostalgia trip?

Admin
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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby Admin » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:28 am

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.

This colour film taken by an American airman in Suffolk in 1944 on the subject of Raydon Airfield shows a brief glimpse of a sister boat MTB 751, at what may well be Great Yarmouth, at approximately 06:50 into the film.

MTB 102, an early Vosper design, and MGB 81, a British Power Boat design are still preserved. MTB 102 is looked after by the MTB 102 Trust based at Lowestoft, and MGB 81 by the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust. They do appear in public at times, but you would need to contact the respective organisations for details. MTB 102 is due to appear at this year's Thames Traditional Boat Festival at Henley-on-Thames in July, and representatives from London Branch Coastal Forces Veterans also hope to be there.

dadbrock130
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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby dadbrock130 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:48 am

Brilliant - thanks for the information, very much appreciated. Regards, mark capelle

dadbrock130
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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby dadbrock130 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:08 am

How do I post a photograph of the crew of MTB741? It's taken in 1945 and shows all the crew lined up on the quayside.

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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby Admin » Sat Apr 09, 2016 2:03 pm

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 file has been uploaded you can click in the text box above where you would like the image to appear, then select the Place inline button, and then Submit the post.

dadbrock130
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Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby dadbrock130 » Sun Apr 10, 2016 12:54 pm

20160410_124716.jpg
MTB741 March 1945 - crew with Robert Capelle back row, 2nd right. Any of his pals still around please contact me through this channel. Thanks, Mark Capelle.

Brian Holmes
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Location: Portsmouth

Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby Brian Holmes » Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:42 pm

MGB_630 Alex Robertson (Yachtbuilders) & Sons Ltd, Sandbank, Scotland 5/11/42
For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43
DSC TSLt William George Dalziel RNVR
DSM PO Harry Currie D/SSX14577
DSM APOMtrMch Eric Ernest Vincent Bailey P/MX98846
DSM ALSea Cyril Frank Churchill D/JX159195
DSM AB Fred Cuthbert Holmes D/JX302209
DSM Tel Thomas Barrett P/JX172089
MID Lt Graham Andrew Guthrie RNVR (Post)

For an action off Smiths Knoll 24/10/43
MID ACMtrMch Edward John Collett P/MX99915
MID LMtrMch William Thomas Byrd P/MX125275

For a torpedo attack on a convoy in the Nore area 30/9/44
MID ACMtrMch John Thomas Redhead P/MX79609

Known Crew
Lt Graham Andrew Guthrie RNVR HMS Hornet for small craft 8/2/42 11th MTB Flotilla Commanding Officer MTB 49 1942 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth. Commanding Officer MGB 630 23/10/42. For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 MID(Post) Killed in action 30/4/43. Buried in Glasgow (Eastwood) Cemetery Sec. F. (New Part). Grave 126. (CWGC records show HMS Midge)
TLt N W Harton RNZNVR HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) for minelayers 16/2/42 TLt 7/8/42 16th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth Commanding Officer MGB 331 20/2/43 Commanding Officer MTB 630 HMNZS Cook
TLt James Ralph Hilborn Kirkpatrick RCNVR SLt HMCS York (RCN base, Toronto, Ontario), but continuing his studies 18/9/39 served on the examination vessel out of Saint John, New Brunswick HMS King Alfred 1940 HMS Patroclus (armed merchant cruiser) (torpedoed) HMS Lynx (Dover) 1st MASB Flotilla MASB 49 1941 Commanding Officer 6th MGB Flotilla MGB 60 1941 HMS St Christopher 4th MGB Flotilla Commanding Officer MGB 50 19th MTB Flotilla Based at HMS Benbow, (Trinidad) MTB 337 1/4/42 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth Commanding Officer MTB 630 10/6/43 HMCS Niobe (Canadian Naval Mission Overseas) 23/11/43 Commanding Officer MTB 617 For an action in the Nore area in which two trawlers were sunk and E Boats damaged 3/11/43 DSC 65th MTB Flotilla Commanding Officer MTB 748 19/2/44 TLtCdr 1/7/44 Senior Officer 65th MTB Flotilla For a series of actions with German forces in the Plymouth Area May 1944 MID 1944.Practiced law briefly in Kitchener before being appointed a magistrate in 1950. Served as a judge of the Ontario Provincial Court (Criminal, Juvenile and Family Divisions) until 1991. Concurrently a member of the Kitchener-Waterloo, Galt, Preston and Hespeler Police Commissions and of the Waterloo Regional Police Service Board for forty-two years Born in Kitchener, Ontario 26/12/16 and died there 5/4/97
TLt Glyn Malcolm Calder RNVR TASLt 14/2/43 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) 12th MGB Flotilla First Lieutenant MGB 323 8/4/43 TSLt 14/8/43 For actions in the Channel 8/44 MID TLt 1/11/44 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 630 11/44
TLt N W Cook RNZNVR TSLt 12/6/42 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) for minelayers 24/8/42 TLt 11/6/43 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 617 11/10/43 Commanding Officer MGB 319 10/4/44 55th MTB Flotilla MTB 630 20/10/44
TSLt William George Dalziel RNVR TSLt 14/2/43 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth Navigator MTB 630 4/43 - Wounded in action 30/4/43 For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 DSC HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) 4/43 16th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth First Lieutenant MGB 333 12/7/43 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth First Lieutenant MTB 632 1/10/43 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth First Lieutenant MTB 771 7/44 72nd MTB Flotilla at Portland First Lieutenant MTB 790 2/7/45 Commanding Officer BYMS 2006 17/12/45
TSLt Barry Middleton Simpson RNZNVR TSLt 8/1/43 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 630 7/43 MTB 741 19/6/44 For anti E Boat operations in the Nore area 30/11/44 MID HMNZS Cook (RNZN depot, Wellington)
TSLt N Forster RNVR TASLt 29/9/44 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 630 30/10/44 TSLt 29/3/45
TSLt Frederick Maurice John Goddard RNVR HMS Hornet for MTBs 2/5/42 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth First Lieutenant MTB 630 23/10/42 - Wounded in action 30/4/43 and died of wounds the following day). (CWGC records show HMS Midge) Age 21 Son of Frederick Walter and Eva Mildred Goddard, of Winchester Born 1921 in Winchester district
TSLt G D Marlow RNVR TASLt 30/11/43 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 630 TSLt 10/5/44 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 741 HMS Coila
ACMtrMch Edward John Collett P/MX99915 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off Smiths Knoll 24/10/43 MID
ACMtrMch John Thomas Redhead P/MX79609 55th MTB Flotilla MGB 630 For a torpedo attack on a convoy in the Nore area 30/9/44 MID
PO Harry Currie D/SSX14577 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 DSM
APOMtrMch Eric Ernest Vincent Bailey P/MX98846 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 DSM
LMtrMch William Thomas Byrd P/MX125275 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off Smiths Knoll 24/10/43 MID
ALSea Cyril Frank Churchill D/JX159195 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 DSM
AB Percy Norman Clark P/JX 348646, MGB 630 killed 1/5/43 aged 19 Son of Frederick William and Alice Clark, of Caergwrle Buried in Hope Cemetery Grave 260 CWGC says HMS Midge
AB William Cumming Bolton C/JX362711 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 630 Killed in action on Saturday 1 May 1943 Age 19. Son of Andrew and Annie Cumming Bolton, of Maryhill, Glasgow. Buried in Glasgow (Eastwood) Cemetery
AB Fred Cuthbert Holmes D/JX302209 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 DSM
AB George Lesslie MTB 630
Tel Thomas Barrett P/JX172089 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 630 For an action off the Dutch coast 30/4/43 DSM

War Activities
10/42 31st MTB Flotilla
MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 622, MTB 624, MTB 628, MTB 629, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 668, MTB 671, MTB 682
Based at Great Yarmouth
1/43 MTB 618, MTB 619, MTB 620, MTB 623, MTB 625, MTB 626, MTB 627 and MTB 630 carry out strikes in Sognefjord and Korsfjord, Norway. Commandos are landed on Stord to wreck a copper mine.
30/4/43 MGB 605, MGB 606, MGB 610, MGB 612 and MGB 621 with MTB 624, MTB 630 and MTB 632 depart Great Yarmouth to patrol the northern section of the Dutch coast.
MGB 621 is compelled to turn back with an engine defect. MGB 606 and MGB 612 with MTB 624 patrol the outer convoy routes off Vlieland and Terschelling.
MGB 605 and MGB 610 with MTB 630 and MTB 632 patrol the inner convoy routes.
0500 Both groups turn for home and shortly afterwards MGB 605 and MGB 610 with MTB 630 and MTB 632 sight four German vessels and close hoping that they will be taken for E Boats. MGB 605 and MGB 610 with MTB 630 and MGB 632 engage with gunfire and severely damage three Flak Lighters. A German account states the force was four boats from 12. Vorposten-Flotilla and. V 1241 / Stangenwalde was sunk
Memory of Tel Thomas Barrett
630 was the last boat in the line, and incredibly the enemy did not open fire until our four boats had had the chance to strike first ans strike hard. The first target did not even fire a shot at us. – all her guns must have been disabled very quickly. The next two , were severely mauled but they and the fourth gun coaster soon began to reply with their larger calibre guns and that was when a shell hit the bridge and caused heavy casualties. The Captain (Lt Graham Andrew Guthrie RNVR), the starboard Vickers gunner ans starboard .5” gunner were killed instantly. The First Lieutenant, TSLt Frederick Maurice John Goddard RNVR, was so badly wounded that he died next day in hospital and eight others including the Navigating Officer (TSLt William George Dalziel RNVR) and the Coxswain were wounded, many of them seriously.
Memory of AB George Lesslie
Lt Guthrie, as 630 was last in line and the first attack had been so successful that return fire had dwindled, decided to attempt a depth charge attack on the fourth escort, and closed at speed. He shouted to me. “Lesslie tell them to release manually” and as I turned back after doing that, the shell hit the bridge.
1/5/43 Attack by 31st MTB Flotilla (MTB 624, MTB 632 and MTB 630) and the 17th MGB Flotilla (MGB 605, MGB 606, MGB 610, MGB 612) on four boats of the 12th Outpost Flotilla 1241 V / wood pole is sunk
10/43 55th MTB Flotilla
MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 624, MTB 628, MTB 629, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650, MTB 652, MTB 668, MTB 671, MTB 682 later MTB 741, MTB 759, MTB 771, MTB 773
Based at Great Yarmouth
24/10/43 An action off Smith’s Knoll involving MTB 439, MTB 442, MTB 606, MTB 610, MTB 629, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650 and MTB 652 MTB 439 is damaged
24-5/10/43 32 German S-Boats of the 2, 4, 6 and 8 S-Flotillas sortie from Ijmuiden and attack Convoy FN.1160 off Cromer. The Convoy is escorted by the destroyers Pytchley, Worcester, Eglinton, Campbell and Mackay, MGB 609, MGB 610, MGB 607, MGB 603, MGB 315, MGB 327, ML 250 and ML 517. HMS Mackay rams and sinks S 63. MGB 603 and MGB 607 hit on the boats of the 4. S-Flotilla on the return leg and sink S 88 which was standing by the damaged S63
3-4/11/43 MTB 606, MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650 and MTB 671 are on an operation to land a party of commandos on the Dutch coast.
Approaching the coast they sight four E boats. Two E boats are damaged and retire towards the coast. MTB 617 is hit and an oerlikon gun is out of action. MTB 617 is sent back to the base with the commandos since the landing is compromised and the Senior Officer transfers boats to MTB 606..
MTB 606, MTB 621, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650 and MTB 671 sweep northward from the Hook and sight a convoy consisting of a large buoy laying ship Main escorted by armed trawlers Vp 1401 and Vp 1419 and Flak lighter FJ23.
MTB 606, MTB 621, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650 and MTB 671 attack.
Vp 1419 hits the bridge of MTB 606 with an 88mm shell. Two more hits are received in the engine room one in a petrol space and one in the tiller flat. The steering is stuck and MTB 606 goes round in a circle.
MTB 621 received hits and retired to the west.
MTB 630 attemps to take MTB 606 in tow but fails and then comes alongside and rescues survivors.
6/44 Operation Neptune
Invasion of Normandy (With the the Eastern Task Force)
55th MTB Flotilla
Based at Portsmouth
MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 624, MTB 628, MTB 629, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650, MTB 652, MTB 668, MTB 682 and MTB 773
30/9/44 Torpedo attack on a convoy in the Nore area

Post War Fate
1945 Sea Cadet Corps
Sold by 1949

Brian Holmes
Commander
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:26 pm
Location: Portsmouth

Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby Brian Holmes » Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:43 pm

MTB_741 A M Dickie & Sons, Tarbert, Scotland 7/44
For anti E Boat operations in the Nore area 30/11/44
MID TSLt Barry Middleton Simpson RNZNVR
MID LSea Edwin Ernest Fisher D/JX133816
MID AB Cyril Edward Hand P/JX326119

Known Crew
TLt William Benyon RNVR First Lieutenant 5th MTB Flotilla MTB 43 27/01/41 -18/08/42 TSLt 18/9/41 TLt 18/3/43 For an attack on an enemy convoy in the Dover Straits 17/8/42 MID 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth Commanding Officer MTB 682 11/10/43 – 6/44 For an action in the Nore area 19/10/43 MID For Operation Neptune - for gallantry and devotion to duty during the initial landings in Normandy DSC Commanding Officer 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 741 18/10/44 Died 3/12/2007
TLt H M G Griffey RNVR TSLt 19/11/44 HMS Wasp (Dover) 55th MTB Flotilla MTB 741 20/2/45
TSLt G D Marlow RNVR TASLt 30/11/43 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 630 TSLt 10/5/44 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 741 HMS Coila
TSLt K T Saunders RNVR TASLt 7/6/44 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) TSLt 7/12/44 55th MTB Flotilla MTB 741 26/2/45
TSLt J V Scott RNZNVR TSLt 29/1/43 HMNZS Philomel (RNZN depot, Auckland) 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 741 1944 55th MTB Flotilla MTB 773 20/2/45
TSLt Barry Middleton Simpson RNZNVR TSLt 8/1/43 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 630 7/43 MTB 741 19/6/44 For anti E Boat operations in the Nore area 30/11/44 MID HMNZS Cook (RNZN depot, Wellington)
LSea Edwin Ernest Fisher D/JX133816 10th MTB Flotilla MTB 216 For services during the withdrawal from Crete MID 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 741 For anti E Boat operations in the Nore area 30/11/44 MID Born 15/3/15 in Newcastle Upon Tyne and died 30/12/64 in Hull
AB Cyril Edward Hand P/JX326119 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 612 For an action in the Channel 24/7/43 MID 1943 55th MTB Flotilla Based at Portsmouth MTB 741 For anti E Boat operations in the Nore area 30/11/44 MID

Wartime Activities
7/44 55th MTB Flotilla
MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 624, MTB 628, MTB 629, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650, MTB 652, MTB 668, MTB 671, MTB 682 later MTB 741, MTB 759, MTB 771, MTB 773
Based at Portsmouth
30/11/44 Anti E Boat operations in the Nore area

Post War Fate
1946 Sea Cadet Corps (Goole)
26/11/57 Sold

dadbrock130
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Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:09 pm

Re: Robert Thompson Capelle

Postby dadbrock130 » Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:05 pm

Thanks again for this information, very much appreciated.


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