Boat type query

Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)
Bob Pearson
Able Seaman
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:16 pm

Boat type query

Postby Bob Pearson » Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:25 pm

By chance, does anyone know what the following abbreviations mean?

MTBF

MDL Pool

MSPE - this is possibly Norwegian

MAS - possibly a type of Italian type torpedo boat used by SOE?

If it is of any help, the sailor concerned worked for Norwegian SOE and spent much time in the Shetlands

Any clues to the above would be much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Bob

MTB 208
Seaman
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:16 am

Re: Boat type query

Postby MTB 208 » Tue Jul 23, 2013 6:41 pm

MAS = Motoscafo Armato Silurante

Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: Boat type query

Postby Admin » Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:44 am

Hello Bob

Is there any specific context available for any of these abbreviations, and do they all relate to the activities of the Norwegians in Shetland? Beyond the Coastal Forces units based there, which would have consisted of MLs or D-type MTBs, the only other activities of note were those of the separate Shetland Bus operation, but that employed fishing vessels until late on in the operation, when they were given American built submarine chasers, so its hard to know what else these abbreviations may have stood for.

Admin

Bob Pearson
Able Seaman
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:16 pm

Re: Boat type query

Postby Bob Pearson » Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:05 pm

Many thanks to MTB 208 and Admin for their respective replies.

A bit more digging has revealed that MTB F stands for MTB Flotilla. The Norwegian sailor who is the focus of my research was Otto Aksdal. He served aboard MTB 722, which was under the command of Lt Knut Bøgeberg.

MDSE stands for Marinens Stasjon Port Edgar

and

MDL stands for Marinens Depot Liverpool

I cannot take credit for the above, but rather the information came from a Norwegian researcher, Atle Wilmar. Hopefully, some of the above will be of interest/help to others. Thanks again to Admin and MTB 208, much appreciated.

Kind regards

Bob

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

Re: Boat type query

Postby Brian Holmes » Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:14 pm

MTB_722 Thomson & Balfour, Victoria Saw Mills, Bo’ness 3/44

Known Crew
Lt Bogeberg RNorN (Commanding Officer)

Wartime Activities
1944 Royal Norwegian Navy
54th MTB Flotilla
MTB 618, MTB 619, MTB 623, MTB 625, MTB 626, MTB 627, MTB 653, MTB 688, MTB 709, MTB 712, MTB 715, MTB 722, MTB 711, MTB 713, MTB 716, MTB 717, MTB 723, MTB 704, MTB 719, MTB 720, MTB 721
Based at Lerwick
19-20/7/44. MTB 685, MTB 687, MTB 729 and MTB 683 and the Norwegian MTB 709 and MTB 722 attack a German Convoy of trawlers and TLCs. Both sides suffer light casualties. MTB 687 is damaged
7-8/10/44 MTB 712 and MTB 722 sight two ships. MTB 722 fired torpedoes at the leading vessel but miss. MTB 722 engages with gunfire and stops the vessel going alongside to rescue nine Norwegian survivors, four of them are wounded. This is the Norwegian coaster Freikoll (236 Brt) north of Floröy, Norway which drifts ashore and is wrecked.
MTB 712 fires at the other vessel but misses and closes and identifies her as the Norwegian fishing boat Vikar before going alongside. The four wounded men are transferred to the Vikar and the five unwounded return with the boat to Lerwick.
23/12/44 MTB 712 and MTB 722, sank the German minesweeper M489 in Bomslofjord, Norway. Before they return to Lerwick, MTB 712 and MTB 722 bombarded a lookout station and barracks with 6 pdr gunfire.
6/1/45 MTB 722 and MTB 709 attack a convoy of two merchant vessels escorted by an M class minesweeper and two patrol boats off Stavfjord. MTB 722 made two torpedo hits on a large iron ore carrier SS Dora Fritzen (ex-Greek Adamastos, 5418 GRT) which sinks with a cargo of 12,000 tons of iron ore. MTB 709 fires torpedoes at the second merchant ship SS Nickolifleet with one hit. MTB 722 and MTB 709 attack the M class minesweeper with gunfire before they withdraw to the west.

Post War Fate
1946 Sold to Norway

Bob Pearson
Able Seaman
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:16 pm

Re: Boat type query

Postby Bob Pearson » Fri Aug 16, 2013 8:31 pm

Hi Brian,

apologies for the late reply, but have been away in the US and Canada on holiday.

Many thanks for the reply on the boat query - very much appreciated. I am now in contact with the son of Otto Aksdal. I will pass on details to him.

Cheers and best wishes,

Bob


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