MTB 609 (Midge)

Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)
Keith Park
Seaman
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2015 12:41 pm

MTB 609 (Midge)

Postby Keith Park » Thu Dec 24, 2015 12:52 pm

Hi All, I am trying to understand my Dads Naval career during WW2. His Name was Edward Park, I have some info and have researched much from his certificate of service Document I have however as I understand it he served on MIDGE (MTB 609) from 18th Feb 1943 to 6th Dec 1943 and was discharged due to being shot in hand during a German raid on his boat, He was a Machine gunner. Would be great to understand more on the details of this a photo of the boat would be perfect If anyone knows where I can find. Thanks Keith

Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: MGB 609 (Midge)

Postby Admin » Thu Dec 24, 2015 2:39 pm

Hello Keith

Welcome to the forum. HMS Midge was the Coastal Forces base at Great Yarmouth and MGB/MTB 609 was a Fairmile 'D' Class boat, also known as a Dog Boat. There are several references to the boat in Dog Boats at War by Len Reynolds, which is available as a reprint, including a mention of a battle fought at sea with E-boats on 24th/25th October 1943 which may be the incident in which your father sustained the wound to his hand.

The action report for the event was reproduced in full after the war in the London Gazette, and is available to read online.

Regards
Admin

P.S. I believe MTB should read MGB. If you can confirm from the details you have I will adjust the original title.

Update: MGB 609 was converted to an MTB in September 1943, although the action report pertaining to October of that year still refers to MGB 609, so the details we hold of its conversion date may be incorrect. There is an interview made by the Imperial War Museum site with Geoffrey Cawson who was an officer on MTB 609, although unlike others on the site this one is not available to listen to on-line.

Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: MTB 609 (Midge)

Postby Admin » Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:33 pm

This is a photograph held by the Imperial War Museum (IWM) of one of the Fairmile 'D' Motor Gunboats which would later become MTBs with the addition of torpedo tubes. There is an MTB variant at the rear of it.

Of the first 96 of the Fairmile 'D' type, commencing with MGB 601, half the boats were completed as gunboats and the other half as motor torpedo boats. Of the 48 completed as gunboats, including MGB 609 (later MTB 609), 16 were sent to the Mediterranean, leaving the remaining 32 to serve in Home Waters with the 17th to 22nd MGB Flotillas. The very early gunboat builds did not feature torpedo scallops, which were the insets fitted at the sides of the forward deck to enable future dual-use, visible on the MGB shown here.

Image MTB'S IN THE THAMES. 20 MAY 1943, AT WESTMINSTER PLA PIER.. © IWM (A 16732) IWM Non Commercial License

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

Re: MTB 609 (Midge)

Postby Brian Holmes » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:02 pm

MGB_609 William King (Burnham on Crouch) Ltd 9/6/42

For an action with E Boats in the Channel 16/8/42
MID TLt Alan Doxford McIlwraith RNVR
MID TSLt Liston Burns Mcllhagga RCNVR
MID ACMtrMch George Henry Seymour C/MX69871
DSM APO Richard Edward Varnall C/JX126930

For an action with E Boats off Smith’s Knoll 24/10/43
DSC TLt Patrick Noel Green Edge RNVR
DSM ACMtrMch Robert Joseph Arthur Bunce P/MX98931
DSM AB Jack Ramsden Beaumont P/JX352195
MID PO William Lindsay Williams D/JX158412

Birthday Honours List 1944
MID PO William Lindsay Williams D/JX158412

Known Crew (MGB 609)
Lt Alan Doxford McIlwraith RNVR Lt 16/11/39 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) for minelayers 6/41 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth Commanding Officer MGB 609 15/3/42 (Wounded in action 16/8/42) For an action with E Boats in the Channel 16/8/42 MID 19th MGB Flotilla Commanding Officer MGB 641 21/10/42 Senior Officer 19th MGB Flotilla Ungazetted award for landing French personnel on enemy shores in June and July 1943 CdeG Permission to wear a Greek award for assistance, rendered to the Greek destroyer Adrias, mined in the Aegean on 22nd October 1943 Greek War Cross 3rd Class HMS Gregale (Malta) 1944 Born 1909 in St Albans, Herts
TLt Patrick Noel Green Edge RNVR TLt 28/6/41 MASB 23 30/6/41 New Year Honours List 1942 MID For daylight attacks on the German ships Scharnhorst, Gneisgnau and Prinz Eugen in the Dover Strait on 12th February 1942 MID HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) for minelayers 1/4/42 50th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth, Dover, Newhaven, Ostend Commanding Officer MGB 609 For an action with E Boats off Smith’s Knoll 24/10/43 DSC. Commanding Officer MGB 506 16/8/43. Served on the staff of ANCXF 1944 Councellor employment of the disabled 1963 MID 1944 OBE (Civ) 1963 Born in Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffordshire 25/12/14
TLt Maurice William Evans RNVR TSLt HMS St Christopher for MLs 10/8/42 TLt 21/5/43 MGB 609 12th MGB Flotilla Commanding Officer MGB 320 22/2/44 MGB 329 For actions in the Channel in 8/44 MID 67th MTB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth Commanding Officer MTB 796 11/44
TLt R W Ollis RNVR TSLt 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 8/6/42 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) for minelayers 5/10/42 17th MGB Flotilla Commanding Officer MGB 610 1/3/43 Lt 2/4/43 Commanding Officer HDML 1395 6/10/43 Commanding Officer HDML 1162 10/10/44
TLt Liston Burns Mcllhagga RCNVR Ordinary Seaman, Winnipeg Division RCNVR 1939 HMS Jupiter (destroyer) 12/40 – 3/41 HMS King Alfred HMS Boscawen (Portland) First Lieutenant MGB 609 For an action with E Boats in the Channel 16/8/42 MID Wounded in action 16/8/42 21st MTB Flotilla Based at Lowestoft, Felixstowe and Harwich Commanding Officer MTB 232 17/01/43 Commanding Officer MTB 258 5/43 Senior Officer, 16th MTB Flotilla (Trincomalee, Ceylon) MTB 277 and Senior Officer 16th MTB Flotilla 5-8/44 Executive Officer, HMCS Chippawa (Winnipeg Naval Reserve Division) 15/12/44 – 4/46 recruiting officer, HMCS Donnaconna (RCN(R) Division, Montreal) 4/46 – 4/49 Lt.Cdr. RCN(R) 7/48Executive Officer, HMCS Chippawa 14/5/51 Commanding Officer, HMCS Chippawa 7/2/42 staff officers' course 10/8/52 Commanding Officer, HMCS Chippawa 3/11/53 – 27/9/60 Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and died in North York, Ontario 1/2006
ACMtrMch George Henry Seymour C/MX69871 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 For an action with E Boats in the Channel 16/8/42 MID
APO Richard Edward Varnall C/JX126930 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 For an action with E Boats in the Channel 16/8/42 DSM
AB John Edward Knibb P/JX252230 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 Died of Wounds received in a surface action 17/8/42 aged 21. Son of Albert Edward and May Knibb, of Wembley. Buried in Wembley (Alperton) Burial Ground Plot D.D. Grave 101
AB James Logan D/SS 35903 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 Killed in a surface action 16/8/42 Buried in Dover (St. James's) Cemetery Row C. Joint grave 16
Ord Kenneth Mattison C/JX 318042 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 Died of Wounds received in a surface action 17/8/42 aged 19. Son of George Alfred and Edna Mattison, of Harrogate. Buried in Harrogate (Harlow Hill) Cemetery Sec. F. Grave 115
Sto1 Ernest Edward Smith P/KX135877 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MGB 609 Killed in a surface action 16/8/42 Age 21. Son of Ernest and Emma Smith, of Moreton. Buried in Bidston (St. Oswald) Churchyard, Cheshire N.E. part

Known Crew (MTB 609)
TLt Albert William Bryan Hawkes RNVR TSLt HMS St Christopher for MLs 14/7/41 14th MTB Flotilla Based at Portland and Newhaven Commanding Officer MTB 247 25/1/43 TLt 16/6/43 Commanding Officer MTB 256 8/43 HMS Aggressive (Newhaven) 24/1/44 Commanding Officer MTB 257 16/10/43 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth for motor launches, etc.) 25/10/44 Commanding Officer MTB 609 10/1/45 Born 16/6/18 and died 7/96 in Norwich
TLt P L K Wait RNVR TLt 4/1/41 HMS Iron Duke (Scapa Flow) for MLs 1/3/42 HMS Midge (Great Yarmouth) Commanding Officer MGB 332 14/3/44 MTB 609 MTB 2013
TSLt G A Cawson RNVR TSLt 14/5/42 HMS Wasp (Dover) 16th MGB Flotilla
Based at Great Yarmouth First Lieutenant MGB 329 24/9/42 MTB 609 10/7/44 TLt 14/11/44 31st MTB Flotilla Based at Lowestoft and Portland Commanding Officer MTB 383 and Senior Officer 31st MTB Flotilla 9/7/45
TSLt E A Harriss RNVR TSLt 3/9/44 MTB 609
ACMtrMch Robert Joseph Arthur Bunce P/MX98931 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 609 For an action with E Boats off Smith’s Knoll 24/10/43 DSM
PO William Lindsay Williams D/JX158412 17th MGB Flotilla Based at Great Yarmouth MTB 609 For an action with E Boats off Smith’s Knoll 24/10/43 MID Birthday Honours List 1944 MID
AB Jack Ramsden Beaumont P/JX352195 50th MTB Flotilla MTB 609 For an action with E Boats off Smith’s Knoll 24/10/43 DSM

War Activities
17th MGB Flotilla
MGB 601, MGB 603, MGB 604, MGB 605, MGB 606, MGB 607, MGB 609, MGB 610, MGB 612
Based at Great Yarmouth
On passage from work up at HMS Bee, Weymouth, MGB 609 is diverted to Dover to operate with locally based MGBs.
16/8/42 MGB 6, MGB 10, MGB 324, MGB 330, MGB 331 and MGB 609 depart Dover to intercept 10th R Boat Flotilla laying mines in mid channel. Off Calais MGB 330, MGB 331 and MGB 609 engage the German force with gunfire and are all badly damaged. MGB 330 has all guns out of action but rams R 184 . MGB 330, MGB 331 and MGB 609 are severely damaged and break off the action. In MGB 609, two men have been killed and two men are dying. All three officers and eight ratings have been wounded. Two R Boats are sinking. MGB 6 and MGB 10 make an attack setting an R Boat on fire, boarding it and taking either eight or fifteen prisoners. All boats return to Dover. R184 is finished off by gunfire from a coastal battery.
MGB 609 has only one working engine, no engine controls and no charts..
MGB 609 is paid off for extensive repairs.
27-8/5/43 MGB 605, MGB 609, MGB 610, MGB 612 are driven off in an attack on a German patrol.
9/43 Modified and reclassified as MTB
10/43 50th MTB Flotilla
MTB 603, MTB 604, MTB 605, MTB 606, MTB 607, MTB 609, MTB 610, MTB 612 later MTB 673, MTB 676, MTB 677, MTB 678, MTB 734, MTB 751, MTB 756
Based at Great Yarmouth, Dover, Newhaven, Ostend
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 HMS Pytchley, HMS Worcester, HMS Eglinton, HMS Campbell and HMS Mackay, MGB 609, MGB 610, MGB 607, MGB 603, MGB 315, MGB 327, ML 250 and ML 517.
2318 HMS Pytchley has a Radar contact on E Boats to the north and damages one with gunfire.
MGB 603 and MGB 607 mouth north east to cover the line of retreat to Ijmuiden.
MGB 609 and MGB 610 cover the northerly track of the convoy.
The S Boats arrive astern of the convoy
The trawler HMS William Stephen, a straggler from the convoy, is sunk
C0100 MGB 609 and MGB 610 obtained hydrophone and Radar contact. MGB 609 and MGB 610 make two attacks when the S Boats are seen to approach and drive them off each time. The second S Boat in the line was damaged and left the line
0206 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 MGB 607 rams an S Boat and is subsequently taken in tow by MGB 603.
0400 MGB 603 with MGB 607 in tow obtains a Radar contact and the tow is slipped.
0418 MGB 603 goes into action against six S Boats at a range of under 800 yards significantly damaging one boat.
0445 The S Boats make off to the east and MGB 603 rejoins MGB 607
HMS Mackay rams and sinks S 63.
MGB 603 recovers nineteen survivors from S 88 and tows MGB 607 back to Great Yarmouth
3-4/11/43 MTB 606, MTB 607and MTB 610 are in an action in the Nore area in which two trawlers were sunk and E Boats damaged. MTB 606 is sunk in action by surface craft
24/10/43 An action with E Boats off Smith’s Knoll
22-3/2/44 S 67, S 80, S 86, S 92, S 94, S 128 and S 135 of the Second. S-Flotilla (KKpt. Feldt) and S 64, S 65, S 85, S 93, S 99, S 117, S 127 and S 129 of the the Eighth S-Flotilla (KKpt. Zymalkowski) from Ijmuiden intercept and attack a Convoy near Smith´s Knoll. The Boats are engaged by the destroyers HMS Garth and Southdown with MTB 609 and MTB 610. During the action, S 94 and S 128 collide and have to be abandoned.

Post War Fate
10/45 Sea Cadet Corps
1952 Sold


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