Coastal Forces Veterans

I wonder how/when these flares were used. I haven't managed to find much on the internet, I assume they were used to illuminate targets but I would appreciate some further info. Apparently the flare rockets were sometimes stored in a rack on the (port?) side(s) of the wheelhouse :


WITH AN MTB FLOTILLA. 6 OCTOBER 1944, FELIXSTOWE. MTBs OF THE 21ST FLOTILLA UNDER THE COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GEORGE J MACDONALD, DSO, DSC AND 2 BARS, RNZNVR, OF WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND. THE CRAFT ARE BUILT BY VOSPER.. © IWM (A 25856)IWM Non Commercial Licence

The flare launcher itself :


AT THE LIGHT COASTAL FORCES BASE HMS HORNET, GOSPORT, 15 AUGUST 1944. © IWM (A 25147)IWM Non Commercial Licence

I wonder if a parachute was attached to the head of the flare.I'm not sure if this is the rocket flare in question (no mention of a parachute):

http://www.annehughesdiary.co.uk/Tgt-Rkt.pdf

Thanks in advance.

edit: a clearer shot of the flare rockets rack (probably MTB 349), 18th photo :

http://www.rodericktimms.royalnavy.co.u ... hotos.html

Arjan

There are drawings of the rocket in John Lambert and Al Ross' Allied Coastal Forces of World War II Volume I. The rockets carried a parachute in their forward section.

Vosper boats either carried the ready rounds on racks on both sides of the wheelhouse (often with canvas covers), or in boxes in the same location (e.g MTB 224), or further forward in vertical boxes (e.g MTB 204). MTB 358 had boxes along the deck inboard of the 21-inch tubes, and the Type II Vospers had armoured boxes against the deckhouse.

British Power Boat Company 71ft 6in MGBs/MTBs carried them in similar sorts of racks or boxes, usually against the wheelhouse, with the launcher mounted on the starboard side of the power-operated 6pdr. Some BPBCo boats carried two launchers side-by-side.

Fairmile Ds were often fitted with several vertical racks forward of the deckhouse, or similar boxes to the Vosper and BPBCo boats, with either one or two launchers on their forward 6pdrs. A few Fairmile Bs carried launchers, with ready racks on the sides of the wheelhouse.

You'll probably find them on other boats - knowing the size of the rocket, look for similarly sized boxes near the launcher.

Thanks a lot for your extensive reply.

Kind regards,

Arjan

Once you know what to look for, these rocket storage boxes are indeed easy to recognise. A rescue launch with 2" rocket flares at Den Helder in 1945 :



Source: Dutch Photo Museum

Arjan