Operation Postage Able - "ML 205 and ML 190"
Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:23 pm
Hi everyone -- can I tap into the 'hive mind'?
I recently popped to the Royal Engineers Museum archive and got hold of a copy of the report for Operation Postage Able. This was the reconnaissance of the Normandy coast done by Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) in mid-January 1944, operating from the X-craft X-20.
X-20's commanding officer, Ken Hudspeth, writes that they were towed part way across the channel by the trawler Darthema.
But he also says they were escorted by two motor launches: ML 205 and ML 190.
I don't want to assume that he definitely did mean 'ML' as MTB 205 and MTB 190 are also both listed in the boat database.
So is there a way of finding out whether ML 205 and ML 190 were in the same flotilla in mid-January 1944? Or indeed whether MTB 205 and MTB 190 were?
And also possible locations? X-20 departed HMS Dolphin in Gosport/Portsmouth with Darthema, but I guess the escort vessels could have come from elsewhere on the south coast and met them, so this is a more sketchy way of trying to narrow it down.
Ta in advance!
I recently popped to the Royal Engineers Museum archive and got hold of a copy of the report for Operation Postage Able. This was the reconnaissance of the Normandy coast done by Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) in mid-January 1944, operating from the X-craft X-20.
X-20's commanding officer, Ken Hudspeth, writes that they were towed part way across the channel by the trawler Darthema.
But he also says they were escorted by two motor launches: ML 205 and ML 190.
I don't want to assume that he definitely did mean 'ML' as MTB 205 and MTB 190 are also both listed in the boat database.
So is there a way of finding out whether ML 205 and ML 190 were in the same flotilla in mid-January 1944? Or indeed whether MTB 205 and MTB 190 were?
And also possible locations? X-20 departed HMS Dolphin in Gosport/Portsmouth with Darthema, but I guess the escort vessels could have come from elsewhere on the south coast and met them, so this is a more sketchy way of trying to narrow it down.
Ta in advance!