MTB 219

Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)
Pioneer
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MTB 219

Postby Pioneer » Thu May 16, 2013 7:54 pm

An interesting restoration project is planned for MTB 219

We wish them well.

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

Re: MTB 219

Postby Brian Holmes » Fri May 17, 2013 9:18 pm

MTB_219 Vosper, Portsmouth and Porchester 3/7/41

For an action in the Dover Straits 27/11/41
DSC TSLt Paul Alured Berthon RNVR
MID ASLt William Hay RNR
MID ALTel Kenneth Pitchforth P/JX157812
MID Ord Ivan Watson C/JX238268

For daylight attack on Scharnhort, Gneisgnau and Prinz Eugen, Dover Straits 12/2/42
MID TSLt Mark Arnold-Forster RNVR

For an attack on armed raider, Schiff 23 - Stier, Dover Strait 12/5/42
MID TSLt Mark Arnold-Forster RNVR
MID LSea Horace Powis D/JX139770
MID MtrMch James Charles Arnold P/MX71639

Known Crew
TSLt Paul Alured Berthon RNVR First Lieutenant MTB 30 09/40 Commanding Officer MTB 31 11/40 – 11/41 Commanding Officer MTB 46 23/03/42 Commanding Officer MTB 219 DSC 1941 MID 1940 HMS Hornet 1945
TSLt Mark Arnold Foster RNVR First Lieutenant MTB 45 19/9/41 Commanding Officer MTB 219 1942 Commanding Officer MTB 38 as Senior Officer 5th MTB Flotilla 24/8/42 – 21/6/43 and MTB 212 as SO 13th MTB Flotilla 1944 HMS Beehive 25/9/44 and HMS Aggressive 7/12/44.Post war he was a Journalist: 1946-1957 with The Manchester Guardian. In 1957 he left the Guardian to work for the Observer as a chief reporter and a defence correspondent. Shortly afterwards he became the deputy editor of the Independent Television News (ITV). From 1963 again with The Guardian.. Author of “The World at War” in 1973 and “The Siege of Berlin” in 1979 DSO 1944 DSC 1943 Two MIDs 1942 MID 1943 Born 16/4/20 in Swindon and died 25/12/81 From St. Ives, Cornwall. Son of William Edward (a painter) and Katherine (Laird) Arnold-Forster.
Married (13.01.1955) Valentine Mitchison; two daughters, three sons
TSLt B M MacGinty RNVR Commanding Officer MTB 219 /12/41
TSLt T M Higham RNVR 8/43
ASLt William Hay RNR MTB 219 First Lieutenant MTB 45 31/12/41 Killed in action 7/8/42. Son of Capt. Andrew Hay, formerly of the Royal Artillery and of Helen Mary Dora Hay (nee Warborough), of Pulborough. Buried in Pulborough St Marys Churchyard MID 1941
PO Charles Alexander Coligny Devit P/JX 138293 Coxswain (Died of wounds 28/11/41) aged 24. Son of Patricia Devit; husband of Mary Stella Devit, of Gosport, Hampshire. Buried in Dover (St. James’s) Cemetery Row E. Joint grave 16.
ALTel Kenneth Pitchforth P/JX157812
LSea Horace Powis D/JX139770
MtrMch James Charles Arnold P/MX71639
Ord Ivan Watson C/JX238268 Ord MTB 219 MID 1941 LSea ML 150 DSM 1943

Wartime Activities
Under construction for Greece = T4
Taken over by Royal Navy
6th MTB Flotilla
27-8/11/41 Early on the 28th, the Dover Command was involved in attacking the merchant cruiser off Boulogne and Dunkirk as it returned to Germany.
MTB 218, MTB 219, MTB 221, and MTB 56 departed Dover and proceeded to number 8 buoy.
MTB 45, MTB 44, MTB 47, and MTB 48 had departed Dover and proceeded to S.buoy. MGB 14 and MGB 41 had departed Ramsgate and proceeded to V buoy.
En route MTB 221, MTB 56, and MTB 48 developed engine troubles and returned to harbour.
Cruiser Komet was undamaged, but MTB 219 damaged one of the escorts which was last seen with three R boats standing by. The Coxswain of MTB 219 was wounded and later died of wounds.
Torpedo boat T 4 was damaged by fire from T 12, and a dud fired by one of the minesweepers. One of the MTBs caused personnel casualties on the torpedo boat with machine gun fire, wounding four, including the commanding officer. T 7 was also hit by machine gun fire, causing three dead and three wounded
1/42 MTB 219 is at Dover.
12/2/42 Operation "Cerberus"
The movement of German Battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisgnau with the Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen through the English Channel. S 39, S 64, S 69 and S 108 form part of the escort. S 64 is attacked by a spitfire causing two serious and one minor casualties, S 64 is damaged by fire S 69 shoots down an attacking Swordfish Torpedo bomber.
MTB 32, MTB 44, MTB 45, MTB 48 and MTB 71 attack Scharnhorst, Gneisgnau and Prinz Eugen, in the English Channel. MTB 45 rescues two swordfish aircrew
1155 MTB 221, MTB 219, MTB 44, MTB 45 and MTB 48 depart Dover.
1230 MTB 221, MTB 219, MTB 45 and MTB 48 form up for a torpedo attack in line abreast with MTB 44 lagging astern with one engine out of action between Calais and Gravelines. MTB 221 suffers an engine failure. MTB 221, MTB 219, MTB 45 and MTB 48 get within 4000 yards before firing and disengaging. Scharnhort, Gneisgnau and Prinz Eugen take evasive action. MTB 44 fires torpedoes at one of the ships. A destroyer closes and engages with gunfire but is driven off by MGB 41 and MGB 43. MTBs recover 5 Fleet Air Arm survivors from the Swordfish attack
“The E Boats kept close station, preventing any attempt to break through the screen. We were forced to fire from about 4,000 yards or more, a far from ideal range for us. But there was nothing for it but to try, so we fired away gamely, loosing the torpedoes from all five boats.” No hits were scored and MTB 48 was chased close to the English coast by a German destroyer which was eventually shaken off by MTB 48 being steered straight for the Goodwin Sands
MGB 41, MGB 43 in daylight attacks on German ships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen in the Dover Straits. MGB 43 engaged the German destroyer Friedrich Ihn forcing her to turn away by concentrating fire from two 20mm Oerlikons onto her bridge
1/3/42 MTB 38, MTB 45, MTB 219, MTB 221, MGB 41 and MGB 43 attack a German convoy of two 4-5000 ton tankers escorted by a minesweeper in the English Channel. MGB 41 and MGB 43 make a diversion whilst MTB 45, MTB 219, MTB 221 make a torpedo attack. MTB 45 torpedoes one tanker which is damaged but does not sink. MTB 38 makes a later unsuccessful attack on the tanker.
12-3/5/42 The armed raider, Schiff 23 – Stier is passing through the Dover Strait from Rotterdam to Boulogne escorted by 5. T-Flotilla (FKpt. M. Schmidt) with Kondor, Falke, Iltis and Seeadler and 16 R Boats (or eight M Class minesweepers four E Boats and 6 R Boats according to UK sources). In the early hours, after being engaged by British Coastal batteries in the Straits of Dover they are attacked by British MTBs.
MTB 219, MTB 220 and MTB 221 attack with torpedoes. MTB 220 hits one of the torpedo boats with one torpedo but is severely damaged by gunfire and the Senior Officer is killed. MTB 221 hits another German vessel. MTB 219 and two MGBs from the 2nd MGB Flotilla ,including MGB 9, are driven off. Post war reports reveal that the torpedo boats Iltis and Seeadler were torpedoed and sunk with 118 men killed
MGB 9 is s severely damaged and never again operationall
17-8/8/42 MTB 38, MTB 43, MTB 204 (Senior Officer), MTB 218, MTB 219 and one other MTB attack an enemy convoy in the Dover Straits. MTB 204 hits an escort with a torpedo. Three MTBs are severely damaged. MTB 41 is sunk and the crew is rescued. MTB 218 is hit in the engine room, makes a second attack but, whilst lying disabled, triggers a mine and sinks. The Commanding Officer and four crew are killed but the remaining six are rescued from the minefield by MTB 219. MTB 38 is hit on the bridge and the Commanding Officer is killed.
7/9/42 MTB 25, MTB 48, MTB 219 and MTB 221 with two C Class MGBs attack a German force off Dieppe. This is the first time that illumination is dropped by RAF aircraft to disorientate the German. The MGBs provide a diversion. None of the five torpedoes are seen to hit. MTB 221 follows up with a depth charge attack. The MGBs severely damage one escort.
28-29/5/43 MGB 108, MGB 110, MGB 116, MGB 118, MTB 219 and MTB 221 in an action with German armed trawlers and E Boats 4 Vp-boats of the 13th and 14th Vp-Flotilla off Dunkirk. MGB 110 is lost in action. MGB 108 and MGB 118 are damaged. Only MGB 116 remains undamaged

Ivan Watson C/JX238268

Post War Fate
1945 Staines Sea Scouts
1948 Sold
Houseboat –
2008 A houseboat for sale at Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London

johnk
Chief Petty Officer
Posts: 67
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:21 am

Re: MTB 219

Postby johnk » Mon May 20, 2013 4:01 pm

Hello there,

Just wanted to say many thanks for posting the history of 219 above, quite something, and hope that Owen Childs and team can rescue her for the future, thanks again,

Johnk

Pioneer
Moderator
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Re: MTB 219

Postby Pioneer » Sun Jan 11, 2015 12:12 pm

A quick update on this major challenge to restore MTB 219 to its former glory. A superb effort being made by the Childs family, with a planned re-launch at the end of the month (Feb/March 2015).
MTB 219.jpg
MTB 219.jpg (28.85 KiB) Viewed 29285 times
mtb 219.jpg

Pioneer
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Re: MTB 219

Postby Pioneer » Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:24 am

An update on the proposed launch proceedings can be read from Here (scroll down to bottom of page)

Pioneer
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Re: MTB 219

Postby Pioneer » Sat Jan 31, 2015 5:18 pm

She has made a BBC news item - well done the Childs Team.

GCU Grey Area
Seaman
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 9:47 am

Re: MTB 219

Postby GCU Grey Area » Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:39 pm

I've just been into Bridgwater to see it. Looks mighty impressive, floating in the small docks at the end of the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal.

GCU Grey Area
Seaman
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 9:47 am

Re: MTB 219

Postby GCU Grey Area » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:10 pm

Here it is...
DSC_0673.JPG

Pioneer
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Re: MTB 219

Postby Pioneer » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:02 pm

Very impressive - thanks for posting, well done

CAM
Sub Lieutenant
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:49 am

Re: MTB 219

Postby CAM » Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:13 pm

Hi,
7/9/42 MTB 25, MTB 48, MTB 219 and MTB 221 with two C Class MGBs attack a German force off Dieppe. This is the first time that illumination is dropped by RAF aircraft to disorientate the German. The MGBs provide a diversion. None of the five torpedoes are seen to hit. MTB 221 follows up with a depth charge attack. The MGBs severely damage one escort.
What MGBs participated in this battle?


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