MTB 629

Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)
skier
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Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:32 am

MTB 629

Postby skier » Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:51 am

Hello, i am trying to trace the history of MTB 629, my Grandparents purchased 629 from Penzance in 1950 after it had been fitted out as a houseboat -- they used her as a sort of floating guest house moored in Salcombe until 1970 when she was sold to a local Sailing school who used her until 1977 when she was unfortunately run aground and burned. I know she was built by AM Dickie in Scotland and completed in December 1942 she then joined the 31st -/- 55th Flotilla i have sketchy details then until October 1945 when she was put up for disposal.
Any information would be much appreciated.Thank you. :D

Pioneer
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Re: MTB 629

Postby Pioneer » Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:30 pm

Hello 'Skier'
Welcome aboard. MTB 629 is mentioned several times in Leonard Reynolds' book 'Dog Boats at War. I would certainly recommend it. One piece of info not in the book - 27th May 1943 Ty P.O. J Marshall DJX 135110 was killed during an action off Terschelling, the only casualty that I can find on 629. She always served in Home Waters, her first CO was Lt L. Law RCNVR.

Brian Holmes
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Location: Portsmouth

Re: MTB 629

Postby Brian Holmes » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:25 am

MGB 629 A M Dickie & Sons, Tarbert, Scotland 1/12/42

For an action off Terschelling 26/5/43
MID PO James Marshall D/JX135110 (Post)

New Year Honours 1944
DSM APO John Henry Richardson D/SSX22234

For an action off Smiths Knoll 24/10/43
MID TALtCdr Charles Anthony Law RCNVR

For an action off Ameland 9/3/44
DSM CMtrMch Maurice Illingworth P/MX78538
MID TLt Richard Routledge Smith RNVR
MID AB Alfred Thomas Bromley D/JX303522

For an action in the Nore area 28/3/44
MID TSLt Dennis Charles Wade RNVR
MID Ord Kenneth Albert Rees P/JX565235

Known Crew

TSLt Charles Anthony Law RCNVR First Lieutenant – 19/09/41 and Commanding Officer MTB 48 1942, Commanding Officer MTB 629 1943, Commanding Officer MTB 459 and Senior Officer 29th MTB Flotilla also served in MTB 486. War artist 6/45 – 5/46 DSC 1944, MID 1942 and MID 1944 1945 he was appointed Official War Artist and completed dozens of paintings and sketches. Following the war he remained in the navy and later worked at the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. In 1967, following his retirement from the navy, he became resident artist at Saint Mary's University, Halifax. After leaving Saint Mary's in 1980, Law devoted his full time to painting Born 15/10/46 in London and died 15/10/2006 in Halifax, Nova Scotia
TLt Richard Routledge Smith RNVR (Commanding Officer) He previously commanded MTB 266 and MTB 640
TSLt Dennis Charles Wade RNVR
CMtrMch Maurice Illingworth P/MX78538
PO James Marshall D/JX135110 Killed in Action 27/5/43
APO John Henry Richardson D/SSX22234
AB Alfred Thomas Bromley D/JX303522
Ord Alan John Nixon D/JX 566149 Died cause unknown 22/2/44 aged 18. Son of Samuel and Mary Lilian Nixon, of Withington, Manchester
Ord Kenneth Albert Rees P/JX565235

War Activities
31st MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth
22-3/3/43 MGB 628 and MGB 629 make two attacks on a convoy off Terschelling
26-7/5/43 MTB 628, MTB 629 and MTB 632 with MGB 607 engage four German armed trawlers off Terschelling. One trawler is severely damaged and return fire damages MTB 629 and kills PO James Marshall.
10/43 55th MTB Flotilla
Based on Great Yarmouth
24/10/43 An action off Smith’s Knoll involving MTB 442, MTB 606, MTB 610, MTB 629, MTB 630, MTB 632, MTB 650 and MTB 652
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
9/3/44 MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 624, MTB 629, MTB 652 and MTB 668 are in an action off Ameland
28/3/44 MTB 629 is in action in the Nore area
5/44 Flotilla relocates to Portsmouth
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
2-3/7/44 MTB 629, MTB 624, MTB 621 and MTB 617 attack the Tenth R Boat Flotilla (Kptlt. Nau) near Cap d´Antifer: Both sides suffer light casualties
6-7/7/44 MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 628 and MTB 629 with two short boats from the 14th Flotilla are in action, off Cap d’Antifer, with two German M Class minesweepers, a corvette and six or seven E/R Boats. The corvette and one E/R Boat are claimed as sunk.
7-8/7/44 MTB 617, MTB 628 and MTB 629 with some short boats are involved in a series of actions. An E/R boat is set on fire. MTB 629 sinks a Neger one man torpedo. Twenty one Negers attack the anchorage and hit HMS Dragon which has been previously sunk as a blockship. Several Negers are sunk.
13-4/7/44 MTB 617, MTB 621, MTB 629 and MTB 652 are on patrol in the assault anchorage. MTB 621 and MTB 652 fight an inconclusive action against German M Class minesweepers and E/R Boats. MTB 621 is severely damaged.
14-6/7/44 MTB 629 and MTB 682 engage two German units.

Post War Fate
10/45 For disposal

skier
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Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:32 am

Re: MTB 629

Postby skier » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:43 pm

Thank you Brian, great information. I have a blank from when she was put up for disposal until my Grandparents purchased her in 1950 -- anybody any ideas how i could fill this in?
Thank you .


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