Postby Brian Holmes » Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:32 pm
I am looking at producing data on the various ML Flotillas. As part of this I am correlating individual boat entries in my database.
To try this out I have produced the following for the 3rd ML Flotilla.
There are obviously bits missing that some would remember
3rd ML Flotilla
Boats
1/41 3rd ML Flotilla at Portsmouth
ML 121, ML 123, ML 126, ML 129, ML 130, ML 132, ML 134 and ML 135
ML 123 transferred to 20th ML Flotilla at Portland as Free French “St Ronan”
7/41 3rd ML Flotilla at Gibraltar
ML 121, ML 126, ML 129, ML 130, ML 132, ML 134, ML 135 and ML 168
Operations
12/3/42 At 2130, ML 126 and ML 130 depart Gibraltar passing through the straits and flying the Italian ensign
17/3/42 ML 126 and ML 130, arrive in Malta.
17/3/42 ML 129 and ML 132 depart Gibraltar for Malta.
21/3/42 ML129 is sunk by aircraft bombing off Algeria. Survivors are picked up by ML 132. Seven men are killed or later die of wounds. ML 132 is damaged by bombing, enters Bone in French neutral territory and asks to exercise the right to stay for twenty four hours to make repairs. French authorities refuse and intern both boat and crew.
5 - 6/42 Minesweeping operations in the Mediterranean
7/5/42 S 31, S 34 and S 61 sink the British ML 130 off Malta, by gunfire and scuttling charges, in position 35.55n 14.37e . ML 130 was employed in escorting submarines in and out of harbour. After one such mission ML 130 was approximately one mile off St Elmo breakwater when illuminated by searchlights attempting to find reported E Boats which had followed ML 130 back up the swept channel. There were seven E Boats and three of them were sunk in the ensuing action. ML 130 was overwhelmed with four dead, eight severely injured and one man uninjured. The nine survivors were picked up by German vessels
6/42 Operation Harpoon
ML 121, ML 134, ML 135, ML 168, ML 459 and ML 462 sail as part of the close escort of convoy WS19Z from Gibraltar to Malta. Only two of the merchant ships reach their destination.
5/43 Operation Antidote - minesweeping from Galita Island to Sousse
9/9/43 Operation Avalanche (Salerno Landings)
ML 121, ML 126
Minesweeping in the Gulf of Gaeta in support of Fifth Army
27/11/43 ML 126 is sunk/CTL after torpedo damage by unknown U Boat off Salerno
22/1/44 Operation Shingle Landings at Anzio
ML 121, ML 134
8/44 Operation Dragoon (Landings in Southern France)
ML 462