MTB 256 action 26 July 1944

[Conundrum]

Can anyone help by providing details of the action on the night(?) of 5 July 1944 involving MTB 256? In particular, what part did Sub Lt J A Peters RNVR play? Which other boats were involved, where they all from Newhaven, who was the S.O for that action, etc?

Was Sub Lt Peters assigned to a particular boat, and if so in what capacity; or were crews rotated between boats? He appears to have been listed at HMS Aggressive, but not on a particular boat.

MTB 256 was a White-built boat to a 'modified?' Vosper design. What was different about her? What happened to her?

Sub Lt Peters also served on MTB 5007 and MTB 786, Fairmile 'D's. Where were these units based, and what was their history during his time. Was there anything different about these boats?

All information gratefully received!

[Pioneer]

Hello 'Conundrum' Welcome aboard.

For starters , MTB 256 was allocated to the 14th MTB Flotilla. This Flotilla had two Senior Officers (SOs) between 1942–1944. SO 1 Lt F. E. MacVie RN. SO 2 Lt D. G. Shaw RN.
Temp Sub Lt John Ainsley Peters RNVR was awarded the DSC – London Gazette 10th October 1944... "For outstanding courage and skill in Light Coastal Craft in successful encounters with the enemy"....More will follow I'm sure.

[Conundrum]

Thank you, Pioneer.

With the help of the Daily Telegraph, it appears that I was looking for information on the wrong date. I should have asked about the night of 26 July.

I now know that the MTB was under the command of Lt Christopher Mounsey, who was killed early on in an action in the channel. I don't know what happened for the rest of the action, which other boats were involved, etc.

Any more info gratefully received.

[Pioneer]

L C Reynolds book ‘Home Waters MTB’s & MGB’s at War 1939 -1945’ ISBN 0 7509 2518 3 has the following action on the 26th July 1944. The reference is quoted as being from MO 9084; ADM 199/264; report of CCF (Channel).

…A lull during eight nights of bad weather provided a breather from the 19th- 26th July, except for another battle with E-boats for Lt Shore’s [Commanding Officer of 474] unit of the 30th Flotilla on the 22/23 July.
On the night of the 26th Lt John Mathias [Senior Officer of 1st MTB Flotilla] was leading a unit of the 1st Flotilla in 430, with 412 and 431 in support off Cap d’Antifer and intercepted 6 E-boats. Mathias led his boats at speed through the E-boat lines; in the process 430 was rammed by S 182 and blew up. 412 (Lt Salmon) following in close order astern, could not avoid colliding with the wreckage of 430 and suffered so much damage to her Hull that she too had to be sunk later. However, S 182 also sank, and in the gun attack one other E-boat was severely damaged. Ten of 430’s crew were missing the total casualties other than these were one killed (Sub Lt D Okey); and eight wounded…

There is no mentioning of the 14th Flotilla being active on this tragic night nor the death of Lt Christopher Mounsey but our Casualty Database certainly records his death on the 26th July (just type in mounsey).
More yet to come I’m sure.

[sallytrim]

See obituary for John Peters in the Telegraph 31/12/2013- John Peters and my father Neville Gordon Oldfield were joint in command on a rotating basis under Chris Mounsey in MTB 256, 14th Flotilla under D.A Shaw - I am advised by G.Hudson that some of the details re. fuel, gun size and "ops. room are incorrect, however Mounsey was killed on July 26th 1944, and buried at sea when a support vessel drew alongside. As you say he is commemorated on the memorial at Portsmouth. Hope that this helps!

[sallytrim]

Further notes found in my files - list of actions produced in Naval Historical Branch (now at Portsmouth) -"Night of 25/26 July 1944. Command; (Flag Officer British Assault Area, i.e. off Normandy D-day beaches). MTB 730, 702, 714, 721 (all 115ft Fairmile 'D'); MTB 252, 256, 246, 253 (all 14th Flotilla). In Assault Area. Claims Nil. 730 unit vectored on to 2 German M class minesweepers and attacked with torpedoes at long range as the enemy went into Le Havre; no result. 252 unit also attacked twice but was beaten off. 246 fired torpedoes but missed."

The source given against this action is M.010117. There would be an action report, but whether it still exists is another matter.
Some reports are included in Admiralty Files at The National Archive, Kew; these are prefixed ADM 198/... .

There is no mention of casualties against this action, but another note (FOBAA signal dated 26th July) says: "Damaged in action. CO killed and five ratings wounded".

[Conundrum]

Thank you Sallytrim.

I've never tried this sort of thing before. Could anyone explain how I would go about trying to obtain the action report or the signal referred to?

[Brian Holmes]

MTB_256 J S White, Cowes Isle of Wight 21/9/43

For an action in the Channel 5/7/44
DSC TSLt John Ainsley Peters RNVR

Known Crew
TLt Albert William Bryan Hawkes RNVR TSLt HMS St Christopher for MLs 14/7/41 Commanding Officer MTB 247 25/1/43 TLt 16/6/43 Commanding Officer MTB 256 8/43 HMS Aggressive 24/1/44 Commanding Officer MTB 257 16/10/43 HMS Midge (for motor launches, etc.) 25/10/44 Commanding Officer MTB 609 10/1/45 Born 16/6/18 and died 7/96 in Norwich
TSLt Christopher Mounsey RNVR HMS Forte IV for MLs 13/10/41 TSLt 11/11/41 Commanding Officer MTB 251 13/3/43 Commanding Officer MTB 256 20/9/43 Died 26/7/44 Born 1904 in Kensington, London
TSLt Neville Gordon Oldfield RNVR TSLt 21/5/42 First Lieutenant MTB 226 25/10/42 MTB 251 26/4/43 MTB 256 20/9/43 Commanding Officer MTB 249 1944 HMS Mantis Commanding Officer MTB 380 29/5/45 Born 5/12/19 in Portsmouth and died 1/90 in Winchester, Hampshire
TSLt John Ainsley Peters RNVR TSLt 9/1/44 MTB 256 DSC 1944 MTB 5007 18/12/44 MTB 790 29/1/45 MTB 786 11/6/45

Wartime Activities
14th MTB Flotilla
Based at Portland and Newhaven
26/11/43 MTB 205 (Senior Officer) and two other boats (Division 1), MTB 254 and MTB 256 (Division 2) are on patrol off Cap d’Antifer.
2359 Division 2 is sent to patrol the south west of the patrol area.
0445 MTB 254 sights three ships 5 miles to the eas and travelling northwards. Division 2 closes but is illuminated by starshell at 3 miles
0525 Shelling starts and is obviously from destroyer size vessels. The MTBs withdraw in the face of a strong enemy and the approaching dawn.
14/4/44 Flotilla transfers to HMS Hornet
14th MTB Flotilla
MTB 246, MTB 247, MTB 248, MTB 249, MTB 250, MTB 251, MTB 252, MTB 253, MTB 254, MTB 255, MTB 256 and MTB 257
Operation Neptune Invasion of Normandy
5/7/44 An action in the Channel
24-5/8/44 The 8th Artillery carrier flotilla takes the nights supply missions to Le Havre. They are
By PT 250, PT 511 and PT 514
Then HMS Seymour, MTB 257, MTB 256, MTB 254 and MTB 252
By another group MTB 452, MTB 447 and MTB 453
Finally by HMS Talybont, HMS Retalick, MTB 205, MTB 209 and MTB 210
MTB 447, MTB 452 and MTB 453 attack the convoy previously attacked by MTB 254, MTB 256 and MTB 257. MTB 447, MTB 452 and MTB 453 are beaten off but return, engage R Boats and severely damage two of them.
MTB 205, MTB 209 and MTB 210 also attack the convoy.
MTB 205, MTB 209 and MTB 210 attack the convoy previously attacked by MTB 254, MTB 256 and MTB 257 then MTB 447, MTB 452 and MTB 453. MTB 205, MTB 209 and MTB 210 are initially beaten off by five TLCs armed with 88mm guns but return and fire six torpedoes. MTB 210 sinks a TLC.
S 91 is sunk by HMS Tallybont and HMS Retalick north of Fecamp. German report says heavily damaged and scuttled, in addition, M 3857 / Rotherbaum sunk. V 243 is damaged and AF 103 is lost on a mine.
26-7/8/44 HMS Retalick (Lt. Brownrigg) with MTB 208 and MTB 210, as well as HMS Middleton (Lt. Cox) with MTB 252, MTB 256, PT 520, PT 511 and PT 514 are in action with the Eighth Gunboat Flotilla and the Fourteenth R Boat Flotilla and AF 13, AF 98 and AF 108 are sunk.

Post War Fate

[Brian Holmes]

MTB _5007 S B Hall, Galmpton, Brixham 3/45

Birthday Honours 1945
DSC TLt Eric Edwin James White RNVR

Known Crew
TLt Eric Edwin James White RNVR Commanding Officer MGB 86 15/6/42 MTB 470 Commanding Officer MTB 5007 1/45 DSC
TSLt John Ainsley Peters RNVR TSLt 9/1/44 MTB 256 DSC 1944 MTB 5007 18/12/44 MTB 790 29/1/45 MTB 786 11/6/45
TSLt R Hedgecox RNVR TSLt 1/3/44 MTB 769 MTB 5007 1/45
TSLt D R Milner RNVR MTB 5007 29/1/45

Wartime Activities
5/45 73rd MTB Flotilla
MTB 5002, MTB 5003, MTB 5005, MTB 5007, MTB 5008, MTB 5009, MTB 5013, MTB 5015, MTB 5020
Based at Portsmouth and Portland

Post War Fate
17/11/50 Sold

[Brian Holmes]

MTB_790 Boat Construction Co Ltd, Barracks Ope, Falmouth 7/45

Known Crew
TALtCdr Donald George Dowling RNVR TLt 15/5/40 HMS Midge for minelayers 29/9/42 Commanding Officer MTB 503 19/7/43 Commanding Officer MGB 606 19/7/43 TALtCdr HMS Midge for MLs 22/11/43 Commanding Officer MTB 790 & Senior Officer 68th MTB Flotilla 12/2/45 Senior Officer 72nd MTB Flotilla and Commanding Officer MTB 786 11/6/45 MID 1943 Born 22/5/09 in Camberwell, London and died 12/84 in Newton Abbot, Devon
TLt William George Dalziel RNVR Navigator MTB 630 4/43 - Wounded in action 30/4/43 TSLt 14/2/43 HMS Midge 4/43 First Lieutenant MGB 333 12/7/43 First Lieutenant MTB 632 1/10/43 First Lieutenant MTB 771 7/44 First Lieutenant MTB 790 2/7/45 Commanding Officer BYMS 2006 17/12/45
TLt John Valentine Balfour RNVR TSLt 23/10/42 ML 500 8/3/43 First Lieutenant MTB 704 31/8/43 TLt 1/7/44 DSC MTB 778 30/10/44 Commanding Officer MTB 790 2/7/45 Commanding Officer MTB 5020 8/10/45 Born 29/8/21 and died in Birling, Maidstone, Kent 8/2/2001
TSLt John Ainsley Peters RNVR TSLt 9/1/44 MTB 256 DSC 1944 MTB 5007 18/12/44 MTB 790 29/1/45 MTB 786 11/6/45
TSLt R B Baynes RNVR MTB 790 2/7/45
TSLt P J Bartaby RNVR MTB 790 26/2/45

Wartime Activities
5/45 72nd MTB Flotilla
MTB 774, MTB 779, MTB 783, MTB 785, MTB 786, MTB 790, MTB 793, MTB 794
Gathering at Portland

Post War Fate
1949 MTB 5003(ii)
FPB 5003
25/11/53 Sold

[Brian Holmes]

MTB_786 Solent Shipyards Ltd, Burseldon Bridge, Sarisbury Green, Nr Southampton 12/7/45

Known Crew
TALtCdr Donald George Dowling RNVR TLt 15/5/40 HMS Midge for minelayers 29/9/42 Commanding Officer MTB 503 19/7/43 Commanding Officer MGB 606 19/7/43 TALtCdr HMS Midge for MLs 22/11/43 Commanding Officer MTB 790 & Senior Officer 68th MTB Flotilla 12/2/45 Senior Officer 72nd MTB Flotilla and Commanding Officer MTB 786 11/6/45 MID 1943 Born 22/5/09 in Camberwell, London and died 12/84 in Newton Abbot, Devon
TSLt John Ainsley Peters RNVR TSLt 9/1/44 MTB 256 DSC 1944 MTB 5007 18/12/44 MTB 790 29/1/45 MTB 786 11/6/45
TASLt P.J Bartaby RNVR MTB 786 11/6/45

Wartime Activities
12/44 67th MTB Flotilla
MTB 765, MTB 767, MTB 773, MTB 785, MTB 786, MTB 796, MTB 5002, MTB 5005, MTB 5010
Based at Great Yarmouth
5/45 72nd MTB Flotilla
MTB 774, MTB 779, MTB 783, MTB 785, MTB 786, MTB 790, MTB 793, MTB 794
Gathering at Portland

Post War Fate
1949 Sold

[Conundrum]

Thank you.

[CAM]

In Wartime Activities
14th MTB Flotilla assets not written about this fight with a German convoy of 23/24 June 1944 at the Cape de la Hogue. MTV torpedo sank the AF-66 and several merchant ships. There are details about this fight?

[CAM]

14th MTB Flotilla participated in the battles with the AF-barges night 25/26 and 26/27 August nearby Fecamp and many of them killed by torpedoes. Is there any details of these fights?