MTB 5009 crew photos

[Kieron]

My late father George Heard (CFVA member 1212) was a stoker on MTB 723 and MTB 5009. While researching for an account of his wartime service, I came across these photographs. In the whole crew photo, Dad is in the second row from the rear, behind the CO (Samuel Stewart, I believe). In the other photo, Dad is on the left, with two of his shipmates. I would be very interested to hear if anyone can provide names for those two, or indeed for any of the other crew members. I know of at least two former CFVA members (Donald Campbell and Jim Donaldson) who served on 5009 at the same time as my father. Perhaps someone here can recognise them in these photographs?

Regards, Kieron

[Admin]

Hello Kieron

Welcome to the forum. I corresponded with you earlier and forgot to get back to you about the photos I held which I am posting here. These were passed to me by the family of Wilfred 'Wolf' Watkins RNVR, who was Navigating Officer on 5009 based in Lowestoft (HMS Mantis).

The shot of the MTB 5009 shows wearing camouflage colours which some of the very late Dog Boats had, in line with a possible requirement to work close inshore in support of raiding parties?

The photograph of officers was taken at a cricket match at HMS Hornet, Portsmouth, in 1945. The officers are left to right:

5009
Sam Stewart
Wilfred Watkins
Ken LeVoi

5007
Donald Milner (who became the BBC correspondent in India)
Jimmy Whiffer?
Ronald Hedgecox

[Kieron]

Thanks Admin, much appreciated.

Interesting to see MTB 5009 in camouflage, as the photo that I have shows a plain grey paint job. I have a photo of MTB 723, also in camouflage, and the pattern is very similar. I assume it was done to a set design. My father told me that it was for boats operating in northern (Norwegian?) waters, which probably ties in with your comment about inshore work.

I think the crew photo that I uploaded was probably taken on the occasion of that cricket match you mentioned. Here is another photo, that includes the officers and some of the crew from MTB 5007.

Regards, Kieron

[Mr.Spigot]

I was fascinated to read this and also to recognise my late Father-in-law, Allan Robinson, who served on 723 and 5009. In the first photo he is sitting at the front to the left of the lifebelt with his arms folded and in the second one of the 5009 crew he is in the second row, 2nd from the left. He would have been 19 when these photos were taken.
We have just discovered his diary covering his wartime experiences and some of the actions that 723 and 5009 were involved in. He does not mention any other crew names apart from Stewart, the skipper. Sadly, he died in 1994.

[Admin]

Hello Mr Spigot

Welcome to the forum, and thank you for the identification of your late father-in-law in the crew photos above. I have a couple of photos of MTB 723 which I will email you, if you don't mind my corresponding with you, as I would also like to learn more about the wartime diary you mentioned.

Regards
Admin

[Kieron]

Hi Mr Spigot,

Thank you for your contribution to this topic. My Dad and your late father-in-law must have been well known to each other, having served in the same two boats. You will be aware that actions involving MTB 723 are documented in the book Dog Boats at War, by Leonard Reynolds. However, I have not come across any accounts of actions in which MTB 5009 took part, and had assumed that things had quietened down by that relatively late stage of the war in the North Sea. Therefore, I would also be very interested to learn more about your late father-in-law's wartime experiences, as described in his diary.

Best wishes, Kieron

[Peel]

Hello everyone,

Yesterday I searched across the internet for MTB 5009. It was the first time I have done this, as I have only recently asked my father what reference his MTB had!

Yes, I asked him, as he is still very much alive. In fact he is 97 on Easter Sunday. I haven't told him yet that I have found this forum and wanted to post these words and save a couple of the crew pictures, so that I can show him when he visits us on Monday.

His name is Robert (Bob) Peel and he was 17 and a bit when he was called-up and had his eighteenth birthday in March 1945. In the joint crew photo, he is just behind the B of MTB on the lifebuoy, so that's fourth from right on that second row of nine. In the other photo of MTB 5009 only, he is again fourth from right on the second row from the front, just behind the lieutenant.

He says that the skipper's name was Watson.

Dad is very much 'with-it' and only stopped driving a few months ago. He lives a few miles away from us and so I see him often. His naval career continued after the war ended, for the statutory duration and he moved onto HMS Vanguard and was an Able Seaman, visiting South Africa with the Royal Family on board, in 1947.

He hasn't discussed the war or that period of his life much; for no particular reason as far as I know. The sad thing was that he was needed at home on VE day because his father had just died (illness not in action). He had to travel home on VE day when everyone else was also travelling, making it very difficult to get from port up to Scarborough. He was sad and most of them were happy!

He told me the other day that he took more shore leave than his pass allowed, so that he could be at home with his mother and siblings and sort things out. He was granted 3 days but took 2 more. When he returned to MTB 5009 the skipper was very accommodating.


That's about it!
Thanks for the forum - Dad will get to see it on Monday.

Tim

[David Carter]

Tim = Thanks for posting that. Please wish your father well on his birthday from us in CFVA

David Carter

[Kieron]

Hello Tim,

Belated thanks for your post - I am afraid that I saw it only today. It was nice to hear about another of my father's shipmates, and I hope that your Dad was pleased when you showed him the forum.

Best wishes, Kieron

[Mr.Spigot]

Hello Tim,
I too have just seen your post. I wondered if your father remembered my father-in-law, Allan Robinson? He is also in the photos. I have some extracts from his dairy from his time on 5009 which your father may be interested in. Please contact me if you would like me to send them.
Best wishes
Mark

[Martin Le Voi]

My father, Kenneth Edward Le Voi is sitting on the left of the captain (his left, to the right of the photo). He was second Lieutenant, mostly responsible for navigation. I still have the slide rule he used and his navy binoculars. He was also Second Lieutenant on MTB 723, gaining the DSC for getting the boat home after a shell hit the bridge and killed the captain, wounding the first lieutenant, Gifford Goldsmith. After this damage MTB 723 was repaired and given to the Norwegian Navy operating out of Lerwick. It features in a Norwegian propaganda film which the Imperial War Museum has a copy of.

[Admin]

Hello Martin

Welcome to the forum. Thank you for the identification of your father in the photographs. Do you have a timeframe for when he served with MTB 723, and do you know if he served on any other boat besides MTBs 723 & 5009?

Regards
Admin

[Martin Le Voi]

Here is what I know about Kenneth Edward Le Voi RNVR in WW II. Like others he never really talked about it.

The very first bit I know from my profession as a psychologist.

Kenneth Le Voi was called up in 1942. He was 19. Like most recruits, he took the group psychometric tests run by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology. With a war going on, Britain needed to find capable officers in its military. With Fairmile D construction ramping up many officers were needed.

So after a brief run on a warship on the Mediterranean convoys, he was recalled for officer training, in Southampton I think. He was then assigned as second Lieutenant to MTB 686 with commanding officer Archibald McDougall and first lieutenant Gifford Goldsmith RNZNVR. They were posted to Lerwick to support clandestine operations in occupied Norway.

On 22nd November 1943 MTB 686 and MTB 626 of the Norwegian Navy alongside her blew up in dock at Lerwick while refuelling. 8 crew members were killed. My father was not on board. The crew was then assigned to MTB 723 in Lowestoft. On 5th July 1944 (there is some variation in the reported date) MTB 723 was hit by a shell which exploded on deck. Killing Archie McDougall and wounding Gifford Goldsmith badly. My father took command and got the boat home, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

With MTB 723 in for repairs he moved on to MTB 5009. Gifford Goldsmith returned to New Zealand. There is some mention of MTB 5007 but I am only sure about MTB 5009.

My parents stayed in touch with Gifford Goldsmith, and indeed he became my stepfather after he lost his wife and my father died in the 1970s. But that is another story.

[Martin Le Voi]

Here is the Imperial War Museum memorial plaque to MTB 686 and MTB 626 at Lerwick.

[Martin Le Voi]

The Imperial War Museum has a copy of a Norwegian propaganda film which uses MTB 723. You can clearly see its number towards the end.

https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/6087

[Admin]

Thank you for the additional information about your father. The incident involving MTB 723 was part of the same patrol that saw the loss of MTB 666. I have the action report of the incident — MO 07991/44 — which forms part of ADM 199/265 in the National Archives which I can send you if you are interested. The date given is the night of the 4th/5th July 1944.

Thank you also for the link to the archival film on the Norwegian Forces working out of Lerwick. I knew of this film's existence but wasn't aware the IWM had finally got round to digitising their copy.

Admin