ML 155 - 7th Flotilla?

Motor Launches (ML), Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) & Rescue Motor Launches (RML)
ScottishManx
Seaman
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:32 pm

ML 155 - 7th Flotilla?

Postby ScottishManx » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:09 pm

Trying to find out any information on the above motor launch. My father-in-law served on it towards the end of WW2 (transferring from MGB 330 after a collision with a Candian vessel?).
He can recall D-Day, then going onto Holland, Germany, Denmark and Norway.
Any photos would particularly be appreciated.

My father-in-law's name is John (Jack) Wright.

Pioneer
Moderator
Posts: 347
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:48 pm

Re: ML 155 - 7th Flotilla?

Postby Pioneer » Tue Jun 07, 2011 3:58 pm

Hello again 'ScottishManx'
Our database will show the brief info that we have on this vessel (just type in the boat number and click Find Boat).
Hopefully someone can fill in the details of her in the 7th Flotilla.

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

Re: ML 155 - 7th Flotilla?

Postby Brian Holmes » Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:59 pm

ML 155 Woodnut & Co Ltd, Bembridge, Isle of Wight 11/12/40

Known Crew
TLt J F C Wheeler RNVR Commanding Officer
TLt A I F Kindell RNVR Commanding Officer 1944–45
TLt John Malcolm Hirst RNVR HMS Lauderdale TSLt ML 557, Commanding Officer HDML 1246 Winter 1944–45 Commanding Officer ML 480 1945 Commanding Officer ML 155 1945
Tel Eric Greenall P/SSX 28810 (Died 9/4/42) Age 21 Son of Francis and Elizabeth Greenall, of Wigan. Buried in Wigan Cemetery Sec. E. Nonconformist. Grave 863

Wartime Activities
7th ML Flotilla
ML 153, ML 155, ML 156, ML 157, ML 158, ML 159, ML 160 and ML 161
1/7/41
7th ML Flotilla Based at Dartmouth
ML 153, ML 155, ML 156, ML 157, ML 158, ML 159, ML 160 and ML 177. ML 270 to join on completion

Operation Neptune Invasion of Normandy
14th ML Flotilla
ML 155, ML 190, ML 191, ML 490, ML 591 and ML 905
Navigation Leaders at Utah Beach

Post War Fate
1945 Based at Flekkeford, Norway supervising German minesweepers clearing mines in the Skaggerrak.
ML 2155
1961 Sold


==========================================================

MGB 330 Tough Bros Ltd, Teddington Wharf, Manor Road, Teddington 25/7/41
For an attack on an enemy convoy in the Dover Straits 6/8/42
MID TLt Derek Chappe Sidebottom RNVR
MID AB Trevor Goodricke Strachey-Hawdon C/JX283257

For an action with E Boats in the Channel 16/8/42
DSC TLt Derek Chappe Sidebottom RNVR
MID AB Trevor Goodricke Strachey-Hawdon C/JX283257
MID AB Victor Charles Willingall C/JX209656
MID MtrMch Frank Burras Robinson C/MX67402

Known Crew
TLt Alasdair Macdonald Watson RNVR joined the RNVR at Rosyth 2/8/40. HMS King Alfred 7-8/41, HMS St Christopher, HMS Midge 2/42. First Lieutenant MGB 326 1/42 Served in MGB 505 in 1943 First Lieutenant MGB 317 31/5/43 First Lieutenant MGB 312 11/10/43 Commanding Officer MGB 330 10/4/44 Commanding Officer MTB 5001 1945 when the boat was sunk Commanding Officer MTB 764 21/5/45 Senior Officer German E Boats at HMS Hornet Commanding Officer MTB 2012 1945 Commanding Officer MTB 2017 1946 Transferred to permanent RNVR 1951 Commanding Officer HMS Scotia (RNR Headquarters at Rosyth) 1958-66 RNR ADC to the Queen 1967-68 Commanding Officer HMS Claverhouse (RNR Clyde) 1968-69. Retired 27/12/70 as a Capt. Teacher math and science and coach of rugby and athletics at Dalhousie Castle, Melville House, Ladybank and Clifton Hall schools from 1946 on. President of the Combined Operations Association based near Furnace. MID 1943, DSC 1945 and VRD 1960 and 1970. Born 24/2/20 at Edinburgh and died at Muthill, Perthshire 25/3/2007
TLt Derek Chappe Sidebottom RNVR Commanding Officer MGB 330 1942 - Wounded in action 16/8/42 Commanding Officer MGB 112. Born 23/2/12 and died 9/96 in Bath, Somerset MID 1940 MID 1942 DSC 1942 DSC 1943
TLt G D A Price RNVR Commanding Officer 21/10/42
TSLt G S Franklin RNVR First Lieutenant 31/5/43
TSLt N W C Maynard RNVR First Lieutenant 13/6/44
AB Trevor Goodricke Strachey-Hawdon C/JX283257
AB Paul Bruce Mountford D/JX 178681 Died 23/8/42 of wounds received in a sueface action Age 22 Son of James E. L. Mountford and Winifred Cecelia Mountford, of Oldland, Glouctershire. Buried in Oldland (St. Anne) Churchyard,N.W. corner of new portion. Grave 155
AB Victor Charles Willingall C/JX209656
AB Edward Herbert Raynor P/JX 261717 Killed in a surface action 16/8/42 aged 22 Son of Edward Herbert and Mary Ann Raynor, of Bobbers Mill, Nottingham. Buried in Dover (St. James's) Cemetery Row C. Joint grave 17
AB Raymond South D/JX 184176 Died of wounds received in a surface action 7/8/42. Buried in Boston Cemetery, Lincolnshire Sec. 2. Grave 566 Check CWGC on name
MtrMch Frank Burras Robinson C/MX67402
Sig Sidney Burridge P/JX 298204 Killed in a surface action 16/8/42 aged 20 Son of Harry and Jane Cocks, of Battersea. Buried in Wandsworth (Earlsfield) Cemetery Screen Wall. Block 30. Grave 560

War Activities
14th MGB Flotilla (Part)
MGB 322, MGB 324, MGB 328 and MGB 330
1/42 At Dover
17/1/42 MGBs 324, 328 and 330 intercept and attack two armed trawlers.
3/3/42 MGB 322 and MGB 330 are despatched from Dover to the assistance of MTB 31 on fire near the North-east Varne buoy. They find MTB 31 and MGB 330 is directed to recover survivors from the raft about a quarter mile to the east. MGB 322 passes hoses across to MTB 31. SLt H Teekman RCNVR (Maintenance Officer from HMS Wasp) boards MTB 31 to lead the fire party. The fire is under control and the engine room and tiller flat were slowly flooding. MGB 322 takes MTB 31 in tow alongside. The two boats enter Dover with the stern of MTB 31 two feet under water. MTB 31 is beached in the entrance to Wellington Dock.
6/8/42 An attack on an enemy convoy in the Dover Straits
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. Just before the collision, two shells explode on MGB 330’s bridge wounding everyone present. The Commanding Officer is quoted[1] as saying
As I was the only one on the bridge still standing, I took the wheel and put it hard to starboard. The boat swung round again, partly helped by the force of the enemy’s wash, and her bows crashed into the enemy’s port quarter some 20 feet from her stern. My First Lieutenant was thrown across the bridge and stunned by the impact, and the enemy’s fire ceased immediately. She heeled well over to starboard, and both boats, locked together, swung to port out of line. The starboard point-five gunner fired most effectively at the next ahead in the enemy’s line, who was already under heavy fire from the other two gunboats.

Our engines were still running at high speed, keeping our bows forced into the R Boat, and as we had too many casualties to make boarding a possibility the only thing to do was to pull our bows out and let the water pour into the large hole we had made, which would, we hoped, sink her. I moved the engine-room telegraphs to stop, but she continued to go ahead; evidently the line had been shot away. An unwounded member of a gun’s crew was sent with a message to the engine room to stop engines. As we slowed, the R Boat, whose engines were still running, wrenched herself clear and staggered off into the gathering darkness with smoke billowing from her.
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 although the Germans claim this as a British boat. MGB 609 has only one working engine, no engine controls and no charts. MGB 330 rigs a jury tiller and the crew fights fires whilst returning to base extinguishing the last one as they enter harbour. Nine survivors of the R-Boat rammed by MGB 330 are recovered from a raft, on the following night, by MTB 204.

1st Coastal Force Flotilla
MGB 312, MGB 316, MGB 317, MGB 324, MGB 326 and MGB 330
Operation Neptune Invasion of Normandy
Juno Beach for assault then ETF

Post War Fate
1946 Ship Target Trials and destroyed by 1948

======================================
[1] Battle of the Narrow Seas by Peter Scott

ScottishManx
Seaman
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:32 pm

Re: ML 155 - 7th Flotilla?

Postby ScottishManx » Thu Oct 31, 2013 11:46 am

Thanks for the Information Brian.

I'm saddened to inform everyone of the passing earlier this week of John 'Jack' Wright (aged 88). He's survived by his 3 children, 2 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild & 1 great, great grandchild.


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