MTB 737 and the 66th Minesweeping Flotilla

[Guthlac]

Nick

Here are the photos I mentioned. The quality is not great, but the second photograph includes what might be another D towards the top left of the photo. There are quite a number of vessels involved in the rescue. It may be possible to clean the pictures up a bit, but I'm not a Photoshop expert.....

If the material posted on-line about the sinking is accurate, these pictures will have been taken at about 14.30 on 25 September 1944 :

"As she steamed about 2,000 yd (1,800 m) out from the blockships, she was rocked at 14:15 by a tremendous underwater explosion under the engine room. ... She sank about 20 minutes after the explosion with a loss of some 58 officers and men."

Robert

[Guthlac]

This is a shot of MTB 731 at Dover showing (I believe) the depth charge racks along the deck. I wonder whether this may be just postwar? The crew seem pretty relaxed...

Robert

[NickD135]

Very interesting to see those pictures. Many thanks for posting them. I will keep searching for the photo of 737 that I know I have stowed somewhere safe!!

NIck

[Parrettbrand]

I'm 12 years late to the party on this thread but there is recent information relevant to the topic, for anyone still listening.

My grandfather was T/ALtCdr John Findlay, who served as Senior Officer for the 66th MTB Flotilla between April 1944 to the end of the war. He is mentioned in several posts on this thread, in particular as he was Commanding officer on MTB750 for the action off Le Harvre just after D-Day, which resulted in several serving officers and ratings of the 66th receiving medals and MIDs for bravery in extreme circumstances. The radio operator in MTB757, Eddie Dibley passed away in April 2024 and his story is currently front page news on this site. He wrote an account of the minesweeping operation off Le Harvre in his own words, which add significant colour to the official citation to the medals that Gazetted in November 1945, more than 12 months after the action. https://cfv.org.uk/research/history/art ... 7-le-havre

[Admin]

Hello Parrettbrand

Welcome to the forum, and it's never too late to join the 'party' on any thread since research is always ongoing and it's aways great to add a new name, or photo, or piece of information to our knowledge about the subject.

The original poster was researching the anti-submarine role the 66th MTB had and it seems MTB 737 may have been involved in sinking the submarine U-772, though that remains unconfirmed. There are entries in the Admiralty War Diaries about the boats of the 66th, one of which for the 25 August, 1944 in discussing the requirement for more resources to be deployed than at present for anti-submarine patrols in the Channel reads:

Boats of the 66th M.T.B. Flotilla now working from Portland operate for a maximum period 30 hours, and must then stand off for a similar period for rest and maintenance.

If by any chance the family has any photos or documents passed down to them on the subject of Coastal Forces we would gladly welcome copies.

Regards
Admin