Fairmile 'C' Gunboats

Motor Gunboats (MGB) & Steam Gunboats (SGB)
Admin
Site Admin
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Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Fairmile 'C' Gunboats

Postby Admin » Tue Jan 07, 2020 11:35 pm

This remarkable footage shows aerial scenes of Hastings Beach, Sussex and offshore on 4 June 1942, as Commandos returned from Operation Bristle, the raid on St Cecily Plage, Le Touquet. In fly pasts conducted by a low flying Anson aircraft there are numerous closeups of a Coastal Forces flotilla of Fairmile C-class Gunboats, including MGB 324 and MGB 328. The 14th MGB Flotilla usually operated in two divisions, one from Hornet at Gosport and the other from Wasp at Dover. The Hornet division later formed the 1st Coastal Force Flotilla used on special operations and raids, and is likely the flotilla seen here.

IWM: Commandos Return to Hastings After Raid on St Cecily Plage

Stephen
Sub Lieutenant
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2016 7:58 pm

Re: Fairmile 'C' Gunboats

Postby Stephen » Wed Jan 08, 2020 9:13 am

Brilliant footage! Looks like a pair of 63 ft MA/SBs about 1 minute in as well.

Peter
Able Seaman Radar
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:41 pm

Re: Fairmile 'C' Gunboats

Postby Peter » Wed Jan 08, 2020 11:29 am

Great pictures having served on D Boats in the Mediterranean, it is great to see "live" footage of Coastal Forces craft serving in WW2
I also think that there were B class ML's in the footage

Pioneer
Moderator
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Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:48 pm

Re: Fairmile 'C' Gunboats

Postby Pioneer » Wed Jan 08, 2020 7:20 pm

Great find Admin - well done.
Sad, but in little over a month, 328 was sunk off Dover with the loss of 5 lives.

alross2
Able Seaman
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 10:16 pm

Re: Fairmile 'C' Gunboats

Postby alross2 » Mon Jan 13, 2020 3:11 pm

The Cs have an unusual panel bow and stern. They appear to be either white or yellow and the stern panels are in slightly different positions on each boat.


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