Postby Scobello11 » Wed Nov 18, 2020 2:32 am
28th Flotilla was made up of 8 MTB's....
Senior Officer - C Jerram
MTB 404 - E Lassen / L Lorrimer
MTB 405 - F Scoble / L Macey
MTB 406 - J Collins / N Evans
MTB 407 - H Du Boulay / D Hudson
MTB 408 - R Tonkin / E Newsome
MTB 409 - C Holloway (Divisional Leader) / P Best
MTB 410 - A Woodhouse / H Cooper
MTB 411 - B Syrett / J Aston
On the night of 12/13th April
Three boats left Ancona to patrol off Carole Point to the north of Venice 410 (Woodhouse), with Jerram on board, 409 (Holloway) and 408 (Tonkin). It was a night of low cloud, slight showers, no moon, and visibility very bad, until it cleared slightly just before midnight to 2500 yds.
Reaching a position six miles off Carole Light at 22.01, the unit stopped and cut engines to wait. An hour later radar contact was made with an enemy convoy approaching from about 4 miles to the north east. The MTB's started up and headed in that direction at eight knots. Several minutes later the contact was lost, but by this time the enemy's course and speed had been plotted and Jerram was able to fix a point of interception. Speed was increased in order that the attack should not be prolonged, in view of the rapidly lifting visibility.
It was nearly midnight when seven long dark shapes were sighted, bunched together in two main groups, with a single ship well astern. Jerram gave the order 'Flag Four' over the R/T - attack with torpedoes. He himself swung round towards the second of the two groups and fired both torpedoes at two of the enemy craft which were moving very close together and which had been identified as F-Lighters. It was remarkable feat of aiming for both targets were hit and sunk. The other two MTB's (409 & 408) followed up the attack and three more F-Lighters in the first group blew up and sunk.
The remaining F-Lighter and the escort vessel fired back at the MTB's under star-shell illumination, but no damage or casualties were suffered. Having fired all torpedoes - with 5 hits out of six, certainly one of the highest percentages of success in any MTB attack - the unit headed back to Ancona.