MTB 632

Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB)
suddardsp
Seaman
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 11:26 am

MTB 632

Postby suddardsp » Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:14 pm

I am the daughter of Jack Bowman Sidebottom P/MX502804. He received a DSM I think for helping to extinguish a fire on board. My father died in 1997 but my mother is still alive at 95. I think she has the medal and letters etc regarding the award. I also think she may have a slightly singed pennant! Can anyone out ther give me any information about my father's war exploits?

Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Admin » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:43 pm

Hello suddardsp

Thank you for your post regarding your later father Jack Sidebottom. I don't have precise details of the incident for which your father was awarded the DSM but the London Gazette entry for his citation may be found within the issue for 10th October 1944. The link provided will take you to the citation, and the next page lists his name.

We have an extract from the biography of Ken Forrester available on our site, who served onboard MTB 632, and which you may wish to read, as it will provide you with more insight into the workings of that boat and the flotilla of which it was a part.

Mattpageyarm
Seaman
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:09 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Mattpageyarm » Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:12 pm

Hi, my grandfather was a stoker first class on mtb 632 on the 26th of may 1943, he received a DSM when his ship was damaged and the engines began to leak fumes his mates passed out and he carried them to the upper deck then returned to the engine room to keep the gun boilers running and awaited further orders, his name was William wilson service number pkx155257

Looking for anymore info if anyone has any???

Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Admin » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:03 am

Hello Mattpageyarm and welcome to the forum.

As it happens we have a good deal of material on the flotilla to which it belonged: the 55th MTB Flotilla, commanded by Lt Cdr Donald Gould Bradford. I was contacted some years back by a family member of the Chief Motor Mechanic of 632, Jack Bowman Sidebottom, who was awarded the DSM for a later incident on the boat (see above), so depending on how long your grandfather served with the boat, Jack Sidebottom may have been in charge of the engine room during his time also. One of the resources supplied by the Sidebottom family was a photograph of the ensign from 632.

I will email you about passing on the resources I have.

Admin

Jspence
Seaman
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:30 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Jspence » Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:33 pm

Hi Admin...I too am the granddaughter of William W Wilson, stoker. I was wondering if you could send me the info you have please 😃

PaulG
Seaman
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 2:19 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby PaulG » Mon Aug 30, 2021 2:32 pm

Hi all, I am trying to research a wooden plaque that I have which details the crew of MTB 632. It was always hanging on the wall of my grandparents home and is now on mine. I understand it was given to or made by William (Bill) Mccann who served on 632, and was either made from part of the vessel or from debris found on D-Day.
I wonder if anyone else has a similar plaque, were they given to all of the crew, does anyone have any further detail of who made them and when?

Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Admin » Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:10 pm

Hello Paul

Thank you for your enquiry.

Could you confirm if Bill Mccann was your grandfather, or someone else, and if so, whether your grandfather was a member of crew.

I will contact you via email, if you don’t mind, about getting a good quality photo of the plaque, and arrange to pass on resources we have.

Each boat usually had a brass plaque with boat number and builder’s name on it, but this sounds more like a bespoke item made as a momento.

Regards
Admin

PaulG
Seaman
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 2:19 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby PaulG » Sat Sep 11, 2021 5:42 pm

Bill was my grandmother's brother, and yes he was crew on 632. My dad has some stories from Bill, his uncle, and asked me to see if I could find out any history of the boat and the plaque. The plaque is wooden with the crews names painted on. I would be happy for you to contact me so that I can send some pictures.
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Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Admin » Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:55 am

Paul

That’s a very interesting plaque, and fairly unique I would imagine. I wonder if Bill McCann might have been a signwriter by trade prior to the war?

Crew member Ken Forrester we know all about as he was a distant member of London Branch for many years, and we have an extract from his autobiography which details many aspects of the boat and its CO Charles Ford. See the article If I Only Had Known.

Admin

Jspence
Seaman
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:30 pm

Re: MTB 632

Postby Jspence » Thu Nov 24, 2022 2:51 pm

I love this
Not seen it before but my grandad father was Wilson....
I was wondering if I could get a copy of this plaque please
Kind regards Julie ☺️


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