MTB 684 and 58th Flotilla

[dgwilson]

In my research into my late Grandfather's wartime activities aboard MTB 684 I have struggled to get more than a vague picture of the activities of his boat and flotilla (being situated in New Zealand makes in person research is problematic ;p)

I believe that 684's log is missing so would appreciate any info that you kind folk in this forum could provide about 684 and 58...

Thanks in advance,

Dean Wilson

[Pioneer]

Hello Dean, welcome aboard.
MTB 684 was, as you probably know, built by Messrs Woodnut, Bembridge, Isle of Wight UK. Completed April 1943 she was first allocated to the 34th Flotilla which became the 58th in October 1943 - (Senior Officer Lt, later Lt Cdr Kenneth Gemmell).

Under the command of Lt Storrie RNVR, she operated alongside the Norwegian Flotillas at Lerwick (HMS Fox) then moved South to operate out of Lowestoft (HMS Mantis). The 58th Flotilla had a change of SO (Lt Cdr D G Wright) but 684 remained under the command of Lt Storrie.

There are accounts of several actions that she was involved in - see "Dog Boats at War" L G Reynolds ISBN 0 7509 1817 9 - which although currently out of print may be still available through such outlets as Amazon etc.

684 survived the war, transfered to the Royal Air Force to become their Long Range Rescue Craft - LRRC 030.

More will come I'm sure, keep popping back.
Regards

[Guthlac]

The paperback edition of Len Reynolds book is currently available - a well-known on-line bookseller has it at present for £11.89.

Robert

[cdsc123]

LRRC 030 or 031?

[Pioneer]

Thank's cdsc123, she did become LRRC 031
Regards

[Brian Holmes]

MTB_684 Woodnut & Co Ltd, St Helens, Isle of Wight 28/4/43

For an action off the Dutch coast 9/6/44
DSC TLt David Caldwell Storrie RNVR
MID TLt Joseph Anthony Reeves RNVR
DSM ACMtrMch Leonard John Terry P/MX99262
MID PO Frederick Jones D/SSx15843
MID LSea George Alfred Kerby D/SSX17953
DSM AB James Hubert Brewer P/JX395572
MID AB Richard Samuel Dellow C/JX318304
DSM AB Stanley Smith P/JX168255
MID AB Albert Sweetlove C/JX298647
MID Sto1 Thomas Campbell C/KX141369

For an action off the Hook of Schouwen 24/8/44
MID AB Joseph McNamara C/JX223019
MID AB Ernest Wright C/JX405025

Known Crew
TLt F R Stamp RNVR Commanding Officer 8/3/43
TLt David Caldwell Storrie RNVR First Lieutenant 12/8/43 and later Commanding Officer
TLt Joseph Anthony Reeves RNVR First Lieutenant MTB 684 22/3/43 – 44 Temporarily in Command MTB 684 10/43 MTB 713
TLt G D Olivier RNVR Commanding Officer 9/10/44
TASLt J Wilson RNVR 29/3/43
ACMtrMch Leonard John Terry P/MX99262
PO Frederick Jones D/SSx15843
LSea George Alfred Kerby D/SSX17953 AB MTB 606 MID 1943 LSea MTB 684 MID 1944
AB James Hubert Brewer P/JX395572
AB Richard Samuel Dellow C/JX318304
AB Joseph McNamara C/JX223019
AB Stanley Smith P/JX168255
AB Albert Sweetlove C/JX298647
Sto1 Thomas Campbell C/KX141369
AB Ernest Wright C/JX405025

Wartime Activities
6/43 34th MTB Flotilla
MTB 666, MTB 669, MTB 672, MTB 681, MTB 683, MTB 684, MTB 685, MTB 686, MTB 687
Based on Lowestoft
10/43 58th MTB Flotilla
MTB 666, MTB 669, MTB 675, MTB 681, MTB 683, MTB 684, MTB 685, MTB 686, MTB 687, MTB 723
Based on Lowestoft
9-10/6/44 58th MTB flotilla MTB 687, MTB 681, MTB 683, MTB 666, MTB 723 and MTB 684 attack Convoy Nr.1253 near Den Helder and sink armed trawlers V 1314, V 2021 and V 2022 and fire six torpedoes with three claimed hits. In a second attack, two torpedoes are fired and a hit claimed on an armed coaster. MTB 681 is set on fire and sinks. Two men are killed and seven wounded. Survivors are rescued by MTB 683 and MTB 687
26-7/6/44 Boats from the 58th Flotilla are in action with a patrol of four armed trawlers off Walcheren. MTBs 684 and 687 each make a torpedo hit and sink a trawler.
4-5/7/44 At 0047, MTBs 666, 684, 687, 723 and 729 make Radar contact with German vessels and close the enemy.
0132 The boats are one and a half miles off Ymuiden.
0214 VPs 1411 and 1413 with AFs 41 and 47 open fire. MTBs 684 and 723 claim hits on two targets. MTB 666 loses contact. MTB 666 is hit by gunfire from German patrol boat V1415 and brought to a stop. The Commanding Officer reports, by radio, that the engines are disabled, some men have been lost overboard, two German vessels are in close company and he is preparing to abandon ship. MTB 687, the Senior Officers boat, elects to make a diversion whilst MTBs 684 and 723 attempt to rescue survivors. The attempt fails due to heavy gunfire. MTB 723 receives a direct hit on the bridge but recovers station.
24-5/8/44 MTB 684, MTB 687, MTB 723, MTB 763 and MTB 769 engage a German M Class minesweeper, an armed trawler, an armed coaster and a TLC off the Hook of Schouwen. MTB 687 hits and sinks the trawler with two torpedoes. MTB 769 hits the coaster with one out of four torpedoes fired. MTBs 684 and 763 torpedo and sink the minesweeper. MTB 723 torpedoes and damages the TLC.
1945 To Royal Air Force Long Range Rescue Craft (LRRC) 031

Post War Fate