Coastal Forces Veterans

Hi John Some information on the boats your father served on: • ML 260 was one of sixty-five Fairmile B-type Motor Launches (ML) ordered on 23 May 1940 and built by T. Thorncroft & Company of Woolaston, Southampton. The boat was commissioned on 22 May 1941. In July 1944 was part of the Training F...

Hi Dougie Yes, MTBs 372 & 295 were undergoing repairs at Bari. Please note that boats from the 20th, 24th, 33rd MTB Flotillas, ML 25th ML Flotilla & ML 124th ML Flotilla on 2 December 1943 were in a packed Bari Harbour, Italy, when in the afternoon, a single Messerschmitt ME-210 flew over th...

Hi Dougie Yes, Douglas Fairbanks Junior could have met some of the boat crews from the 32nd MTB Flotilla in September 1943, when Lieutenant Commander Fairbanks was on the staff of the Naval Task Force Group Commander and took part in the landings on the Island of Ventotene, which the 32nd MTB Flotil...

Hi Below is some info on MTB 638 (16/3/43 to 30/5/44), MTB 372 (30/9/43 to 24/7/44) & MTB 287 (9/44). Please note that some of the commissioned MTBs mentioned below were built & operated as MGBs. I hope the information is helpful. Best regards John MTB 638 (16/3/43 to 30/5/43) • MTBs 638, 63...

Hi Anita One of the problems is that the Royal Navy kept very few records after the war for minor war vessels serving abroad. However, please find below some information which may be helpful. You could try contacting the Naval Historical Branch at Portsmouth; they may have more information. • ML 129...

Hi Admin MTBs 029, 030, 070, 071, 072, 075(2) (4th MTB Flotilla) with MGBs 075 & 076 on 6 October 1942 were waiting at a designated position off the Dutch coast to intercept a large German merchant vessel, which was due to pass their position at approximately 01.30hrs. However, while they waited...

Hi Jonathan As far as I'm aware, 727 was never commissioned as an MGB. This boat was one of a series of Fairmile D-type boats built with torpedo scallops cut into the hull. However, these boats were either built & armed as MGBs or MTBs. The boats of the 65th MTB Flotilla were built as gunboats w...

Hi I hope the following information on MTB 375 is helpful. Regards John • MTB 375 was one of one hundred-six Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs 258 to 326 + 363 to 378 + 396 to 411 + 419 to 423) that the US Government agreed to supply under the Lean-Lease Agreement to Britain, which eight boatbuilders would ...

Hi Jonathant Only one division of the 7th ML Flotilla was used on Operation Chariot (MLs 177, 156, 160, 270) The following are the activities of ML 177 from 1/1/42 to 28/3/42: • MLs 177, 153, 155, 156, 157, 159, 160, 270 (7th ML Flotilla) on 1 January 1942 were at Dartmouth. • MLs 177, 153, 155, 156...

Hi 8X1ROB With regards to ML 246 movements after it joined the 14th ML Flotilla for service in Burma, I hope the following helps. Best regards John • MLs 246, 123(1), 205, 247, 269 in August 1944 were transferred from the 20th ML flotilla to the 14th ML Flotilla & sent for a refit for service ov...

Hi Jonathant Below are the main bases of the 7th ML Flotilla between 1940 & 1945. However, this is board-brush stuff, as during the war it was normal to move divisions, small groups, or individual boats where they were operationally required. Hope this helps. Best regards John 7th ML Flotilla Ma...

Hi Bob Further to my earlier message, I would make one other point with regards to the coastal force’s minesweeping groups in front of convoys - they also had antisubmarine capabilities within the group. On finding an underwater contact, the convoy commander would either direct one of his escort ves...

Hi Bob Hope the following information on Convoy SL131 helps? Convoy SL131 consisted of 25 merchant ships and 7 escort warships. This does not include the trawlers and MLs that were normally used in coastal waters to sweep for mines in front of the convoy. Convoy SL131 departed Freetown on 13 June 19...

Hi Bill The following is some data on ML 246 from April 1944 to January 1946. Hope you find it helpful. Best regards John • ML 246 on 16 April 1944 was undergoing repairs at Portland. • MLs 246, 123(1), 146, 147, 151, 198, 205, 247, 269, 297, 902, 903 (20th ML Flotilla) on 28 April 1944 with the 1st...

Hi Anne You may be interested in the following information on MTB 421 Regards John • MTB 421 was one of the one hundred-six Motor Torpedo Boats selected to be supplied under the Lend-Lease Agreement by the USA between 1941 & 1943. This boat was one of twenty-four motor torpedo boats (PTs 71 to 9...

Hi J Hope this helps. • MTB 341 was one of seventeen boats ordered from the Canadian Power Boat Company on 18 July 1940 by the Canadian Government; eleven MTBs for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN MTB 001 to 012) & six Rescue Launches for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF Ms 203, 231 to 235). This ...

Hi Philip I hope the following will answer some of your questions: • MTB 022 & 024 were part of a six-motor torpedo boat order placed on 15 August 1938, split between Vosper, Portsmouth & Thornycroft, Hampton. The boat's length was 71ft 9ins, the beam was 18ft 4ins, the draught was 2ft (fwd)...

Hi Berine

Have you tried the Naval Historical Branch at Portsmouth or the National Archives at Kew?

Regards
John

Hi Alastair Here is some data on MTB 639 Regards John • MTB 639 was one of twenty-eight Fairmile D-type boats that were ordered on 27 April 1941 & the order was split between ten boatbuilders. All these boats were built with torpedo scallops cut into the hull to be armed as either an MGB or MTB ...

Hi Bernie
Sorry, I have no crew record for MTB 670.
John

This is the data I have on MTB 670 (7 March 1943 to 25 January 1946): • MTB 670 was one of sixty Fairmile D-type boats that were ordered on 28 November 1941 & the order was split between ten boatbuilders. All these boats were built with torpedo scallops cut into the hull to be armed as either an...

I have sent you all the information I have at this time. If I find anything else in the future, I will post on the CFV forum website.

I got the information on the 30th ML Flotilla when I was researching the Canadian Light Coastal Forces some years ago.

I hope the following information is helpful. • ML 486 was one of twenty-three Fairmile B-type Motor Launches (ML) ordered on 27 August 1941 & was built by Johnson & Jago, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. ML 486 was commissioned on 10 March 1942 & assigned to the 29th ML Flotilla at St Christopher. •...

There is a photo of MGB 660 at Bastia on Page 389 in the book 'Adriatic Naval War 1940 to 1945' by Zvonimir Freivogel. Also, in the book, there are various references to MGB 662 & Lt Cdr Bligh.

Greg This is what I have on the Herreshoff Boats 283 to 290 John MTB 283 was built under licence in the United States as British PT 49. The boat was transferred to the Royal Navy under the lend-lease agreement & assigned to the Royal Indian Navy. Commissioned on 3 April 1943 as MTB 283. MTBs 283...

Hi Nick Re your request for info on MGB 663 & 657, the following is the information I have on my database, I hope the following helps MGB 663 MGB 663 was a Fairmile D type MGB/MTB ordered 28 November 1941. Commission on 8 March 1943 as MGB 663. This vessel was armed with 1 x 1 40mm/39(1.575”) 2p...