Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipment

Motor Launches (ML), Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) & Rescue Motor Launches (RML)
rockapebike
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Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipment

Postby rockapebike » Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:23 am

Hi I have managed to go through my Grandfathers photo albums and found a few Motor Launch photo's please could you help identify some of the faces places and equipment thanks . I have further done some investigation and found out most of the photo's were taken in 1946 at Ramsgate Harbour which was known as HMS Fervent. The tall ship in the back ground is the "Bounty" a floating restaurant with amusements and exhibitions. It was a three masted iron barque built by Mounsey and Foster and was formally known as "Alastor".
Posted attachments
Attachments
PG 10 001 (2).jpg
my grandfather at the bottom i have no idea of the shore in background is Ramsgate please help with identifying crew and where it was taken Nov 1944 - July 1946
PG 10 002 (5).jpg
ML 149 Glasson Dock, near Lancastor. The building on the right was the Caribou pub/hotel they did rather well out of the crew during their stay (Nov 1944 - July 1946)
PG 10 001.jpg
Some of the Crew ML-149 my Grandfather on the right of the group possibly TLt W H Mitchell, Petty Officer WD Herlock Nov 1944 - July 1946
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My Grandfather loading or unloading a piece of equipment that i have no idea about on to ML-149 this was also at HMS Fervent at Ramsgate
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Another shot of the crew my Grandfather kneeling down at the front of picture of crew possibly TLt W H Mitchell, Petty Officer WD Herlock Nov 1944 - July 1946
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My Grandfather with the officers of ML-149 possibly TLt W H Mitchell or with Petty Officer WD Herlock Nov 1944 - July 1946

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby rockapebike » Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:29 am

some more shots of ML 149
Attachments
PG 10 002.jpg
My Grandfather the shoreline in background is Ramsgate Nov 1944 - July 1946
PG 10 001 (3).jpg
My grandfather relaxing Nov 1944 - July 1946

Brian Holmes
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Location: Portsmouth

Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby Brian Holmes » Sun Jun 15, 2014 8:59 pm

Try the following places

ML_149 Vosper, Portsmouth 20/2/41

Known Crew
TLt W H Mitchell RNVR HMS Minos II 6th ML Flotilla 2/2/42 13th ML Flotilla 22/2/43 Commanding Officer ML 149 23/2/43 TLt 1/11/43
TSLt Donald Clement Lefevre RNVR HMS Raleigh 24/6/42 HMS King Alfred TMid First Lieutenant ML 149 15/9/43 TASLt 3/11/43 TSLt 3/5/44 Born in Rochford Essex 3/5/24
Wartime Activities
1/1/41 6th ML Flotilla
Based on Falmouth
ML 145, ML 146, ML 147, ML 148, ML 149, ML 150 and ML 152
1/7/41 6th ML Flotilla
Based on Great Yarmouth
ML 145, ML 146, ML 147, ML 148, ML 149, ML 150, ML 151 and ML 152
1/7/41 At Ipswich
1/42 At Lowestoft

Post War Fate

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby rockapebike » Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:49 am

Thanks Brian i forgot those possibilities i will have to trace some war time photos of those ports and try and match up the photo's.
Kind Regards
Steve

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby rockapebike » Wed Jun 18, 2014 1:08 pm

Hi folks
Here is an update after a bit of investigation I believe most of the photos were taken in 1946 at Ramsgate Harbour with the 3-masted iron barque. Built by 'Mounsey & Foster' called the Bounty.

sasscham
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby sasscham » Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:44 am

Hello

My father is Donald Lefever mentioned in your post. He is now 90 and living in a care home with mild dementia. I have looked at all the photos and he is not in them which is strange. He kept in touch with Hamish Mitchell after the war and visited him and his wife Ann in Jersey where they lived (I believe he was a potato farmer) until Hamish died of motor neurone disease.

I will try to print some of your photos and take them to his care home to see if it prompts any memories.

Several years ago he wrote a journal about his life for his grandchildren and I will set out below details relevant to his time on ML149. I believe this to be about 1944/1946.

"My request to be attached to Coastal Forces had been approved and I was off to Fort William (Royal Hotel - opposite the station) for a 5 week course. There were several ML's based there and we spent our time aboard learning all that we could about these craft to which we would eventually be posted - somewhere! MLs were 110 feet long, powered by 2 650 hp Hall Scotts, developing a maximum of 20 knots and with fuel tanks holding 3000 gallons of 73 octane petrol. The crew was two Officers and 12 men, 3 engine room, one wireless telegraphist and the remainder seamen, one of whom had to "volunteer" to be cook! The climax of the 5 weeks was a "cruise" under command of the OUT's (supervised) to Mallaig and back. A good experience as we started in daylight and arrived at Mallaig in darkness.

From Fort William I was instructed to report to HMS Mantris - the coastal forces base in Lowestoft. I was at first housed in the mess (Royal Hotel). My first seagoing experience was in a Motor Gun Boat. A rough night and I was below in the cramped chartroom. I was not sorry when we were recalled because the weather was deteriorating and it was not considered that Jerry would come over. Our brief had been to man a position on the 'Z' line to protect coastal convoys from E boats.

After that on trip I was posted to an ML as extra officer for experience and very shortly then appointed First Lieutenant of ML149 under Captain Lt. Hamish Mitchell. We served together for 2 3/4 years and had a very good relationship. We had two flotillas of 8 MLs at Lowestoft and our job sometimes supplemented by MGBs was twofold. We either formed part of the escort of a northbound coastal convoy which we would join an hour before dusk and leave an hour after dawn, going into the Humber to stay in Immingham Dock before leaving to join a south bound convoy or be allocated with one other boat a place on the 'Z' line. This was an imaginary line beyond the convoy channel. We would go to our position to arrive before dark, cut engines and lower a hydrophone to listen for incoming Jerries. If there was much sea running this could be very uncomfortable. If there was a sound contact we started our engines and ran at 18 knots for 3 minutes then stopping and listening again. It there was still a contact the procedure was repeated or, if not, we remained until a determined number of minutes past the hour before regaining our original position. At dawn we returned to Lowestoft. I saw no action at Lowestoft but when on leave while the boat was refitting two of our flotilla made contact with an E boat, ramming and sinking it. One of our boats lost everything forward of the bridge and was towed to Lowestoft stern first and the other lost all of one side forward of the bridge. They brought in the German crew as prisoners. The flotilla then comprised only 6 boats and this resulted in it being split up for various unexciting duties. We were dispatched to Fleetwood and based at Heysham harbour attached to the Fleet Air Arm for general duties which included crash boat when deck landing practice or bombing exercises were in progress or escorting submarines on the surface. They were vulnerable if alone as they could have been considered 'enemy' by over enthusiastic aircraft who did not first establish identity. Accompanied by a surface ship they were considered safer! I saw out the war in The Western Approaches.

In April 1946 we were instructed to proceed to Queenborough (Sheerness) to 'pay off' which we finally did on my 22nd birthday 3 May 1946. I was demobbed in early June 1946 as Lieutenant RNVR and on leave until the end of July".

I hope you find this interesting.

Best wishes
Sally Ewin

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby rockapebike » Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:08 am

Hi Sally
Thank you for the post it was very interesting i will have to piece some of it together with what i Know if you come up with any further information or photo's i would be gratefull for you to send it to me at rockapebike@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks again speak soon
Steve

sasscham
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby sasscham » Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:28 am

Hi I have managed to go through my Grandfathers photo albums and found a few Motor Launch photo's please could you help identify some of the faces places and equipment thanks . I have further done some investigation and found out most of the photo's were taken in 1946 at Ramsgate Harbour which was known as HMS Fervent.
I had a very worthwhile visit with my father last week when I printed photographs posted by Eric Levin’s grandson and he was very interested.  He remembers Eric Levin and told that when he was on cookhouse duty he made a wonderful rice pudding in an oblong metal tray which had a baked brown crust — apparently it was called Chinese Wedding Cake!!
 
Photo: 3 Some of the Crew ML-149 my Grandfather on the right of the group possibly TLt W H Mitchell, TSLt Donald Clement Lefevre Nov 1944 - July 1946
He also mentioned an officer, I think a Petty Officer, in one of the photographs standing 2nd right next to Eric Levin (1st right) who he named as W D Herlock who was the son of the founder of A C Cars (I understand they made legendary sports cars).
Photo: 6 My Grandfather with the officers of ML-149 possibly TLt W H Mitchell or with TSLt Donald Clement Lefevre Nov 1944 - July 1946
In this photograph he told me it was the same Petty Officer W D Herlock, Leading Stoker Eric Levin and on the end a Leading Hand (name not remembered) signified as Leading Hand by the crossed anchors on his sleeve. Not a bad memory for a 90 years old.
Photo: 2 ML 149 i have no idea where and when please can you help (Nov 1944 - July 1946)
In this photograph he immediately identified that it was Glasson Dock, near Lancaster and stated that the building on the right was the Caribou pub/hotel which did rather well out of them during their stay!!

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to see my father in any of the photographs so take the opportunity of adding a couple taken around this time.
donald-lefever-1.jpg
Donald Lefever
donald-lefever-2.jpg
Lieutenant Donald Lefever
Sally Ewin

dinger149
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby dinger149 » Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:35 am

Sally Ewin.
What a cracking reply, and much enjoyed reading. I do hope your father is doing well. god bless him.

Admin
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby Admin » Mon Oct 27, 2014 3:13 am

A recent photo of Glasson Dock, Lancaster taken from a similar angle to the photo above.

Image2013-01-24 Glasson Dock 036 by Pat Neary, on Flickr

dinger149
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby dinger149 » Tue Oct 28, 2014 1:36 am

Glasson Dock,is still a growing little dock that serves the I.O.M. and others.even delivered pipes "big one's" there my-self before I retired.

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipmen

Postby rockapebike » Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:50 pm

HI ALL
Thank you for all your replies I have thanked the members that have contacted me through my e-mail address. I have filled in a load of blanks for ML 149 but I am finding it hard to contact anyone from the crew or family members from ML 919 if there is any one that can help please feel free to make contact.
Thanks again
Steve

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipment

Postby rockapebike » Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm

I have written a book about the life of my Grandfather Eric Godfery Levin he was in the British Royal Navy as a Stoker during World War II. Compiled from my grandfather’s memoirs and I also contacted his fellow crew men on social media sites for relevant information. I investigated historical accounts and records on the ships he served on. I wish to honor my grandfather and the men he served with for public record and also for the family to have a record in print of my grandfathers service to the country. I hope people will buy and enjoy reading this book.

Battlewagon Stoker 1938-1947 by Steven Eric Levin

Life of a British Royal Navy Stoker during World War II who served on board HMS Malaya, Queen Elizabeth Class Dreadnaught Battleship, Sep 1938–Nov 1941; HMS Delhi, Danae Class Cruiser, Nov 1941–Apr 1944; Coastal Forces Fairmile 'B' Motor Launches: ML 149 Dec 1944–April 1946, ML 919 July 1946–Sep 1947

Available on Createspace and on Amazon
front cover 002.jpg
back cover 1 001.jpg

rockapebike
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Re: Help identify some faces ML 149 where taken and equipment

Postby rockapebike » Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:29 am

Thank you to the following people, I have thanked them in my book;

Jenny Levin my wife for putting up with me
during the writing and editing process.

Eric Levin my father for all the help
with my Grandfathers memoirs and photo’s.


Susan Ewin, daughter of T/S.LT Donald Lefever
for the information from her father who is 90
and in the early stages of dementia.

Coastal Forces Veterans and its members
Especially: CFV admin team,
Ted Else
Brain Holmes
And Rupert Head

World Naval Ships Forum member
Jack W1208


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