London Branch December 2011
Written by London Branch | Posted on 18th December 2011
Greetings via the Newsletter
We would like to take the opportunity to send Christmas Greetings in the post to all those London Branch Members who through mobility problems or other reasons, cannot get to the Belfast for the meetings. They are not forgotten, especially at this time of year.With the passage of time the list becomes longer. Whilst not putting names in any order or sequence, we send our greetings and good wishes to those who cannot travel to the Belfast at all, and to those who cannot always make it to the meetings due to troubles that they rarely talk about. Our best wishes go out to Dennis and Sybil Reeve, Bill MacAngus, Terry Barclay, Doug Elliott, Nick Carter, John Lloyd, Ken Gadsdon, John Williamson, John Judge, Peter Bickmore and, let us not forget, our two widows Gwen Leader and Iris Campbell, whose husbands played long and supportive roles within the London Branch. Gwen’s husband Harry was a purveyor of laughs and goodwill, Iris's husband Don, took the much quieter but important role of Branch Secretary, thus steering us through the administrative problems over some years.
If anyone has been missed out through lack of positive information, please send a not very complimentary note to the Branch Secretary who will make sure that it does not happen again. Our best wishes for a very Happy XmasAt the last meeting in November the Secretary gave a reminder that nominations for the Branch Committee for 2012 are required to be notified to him on or before the 1st of January.
The current Committee, with the exception of John Williamson, place themselves up for re-election. John has served as Branch Treasurer for a number of years, but for health reasons, now wishes to stand down from the post. In doing so, we must thank him for all his efforts in keeping us on a safe financial course over the past few years. A job well done and much appreciated. He will be handing over to a new Treasurer at the AGM in January. So far, the Secretary has received a nomination proposing David Carter as replacement. Any further nominations must be received by the 1st of January to enable ballot papers to be prepared, should they become necessary.Important Note
Members would have learnt, via TV or newspapers, of the collapse of the gangway to HMS Belfast. We do not anticipate that this will interfere with the January meeting. Currently, there is no public access, but it is intended that members who normally attend our meetings will be contacted nearer the meeting date to confirm that the gangway is back in position and all is well. Should you not receive a call, but intend to go to the meeting, the Branch Secretary will give you the latest information.More from the November Branch meeting
We were pleased to have with us Mr P Webster MMN Retd who, while visiting, took the opportunity to chat on the Federation of Naval Associations Project MTGB 718 — the building of a brand new ‘D’ boat. His talk proved very interesting, especially to those who have served on ‘D’s He was asked, "why not refurbish and maintain an existing one?" — that is, if one could be found! He replied that it would not make economic sense — the cost of virtually rebuilding any wartime boat, almost certainly having suspect timbers, would be prohibitive and even after, its life span would be problematic. Cheaper to build new — a fresh approach. Perhaps the best way of summing up the content and the aims of the project would be to draw on the information contained in a leaflet given to our Branch Secretary to publicise the project. Then there follows a taste of life as encountered on the original 718. Here is a condensed version of the leaflet:-Project MTGB 718
Under the auspices of the Federation of Naval Associations, it is the intention of Project MTGB 718 to build and operate a Fairmile ‘D’ Motor Torpedo/Gun Boat based on build No 718 which was built by Alex Robertson (Yacht builders) and Son Ltd., at Sandbank, Scotland, completed in March 1944. The boat, once completed will be operational, being available for training and other commercial activities and will be the forerunner of a Memorial Naval Squadron.General Instruction
- The boat is to be built to the original Fairmile Design, but must comply with all Solas regulations as amended.
- Construction may be of modern methods, but must be of original tonnage, configurations and speed.
- A load line certificate must be issued along with a certificate of classification.
- 718 operated as a Motor Torpedo Gun Boat and armaments must comply with her original weapons as built.
- All engine room controls must be remote from the engine room, which will be camera observed from the control room.
- A modern navigation system is to be onboard.
- Accommodation on board should be of the same configuration as the original, but have some built in comforts.
MTGB 718 — CO Lt R Seddon RNVR
Serving under the Deputy Director Operations Division — Irregular DDOD 1 — with the 15th Motor Gunboat Flotilla based at Dartmouth, the 15th was a clandestine unit that operated during moonless periods to land and pick up SIS and SOE agents, escaped PoWs and Allied service personnel — mainly downed airmen — from rendezvous beaches known as ‘pin points’ along the coast of northern France and, 718’s case, Norway. MTB 718 was a Fairmile ‘D’ class. The boat, with power operated gun turrets and four Packard engines driving four shafts to give a top speed of 35 knots. Her torpedo tubes had been removed to make room for extra fuel in cans and specially designed ‘surfboats’ to carry the passengers — known as ‘Joeys’ — to and from the shore. Her first sortie to Brittany was Scarf on April 15th, 1944, a joint operation with MGB 502 to land six SOE agents — and their nine suitcases — at Beg-an-Fry. They were also to pick up 10 Joes, including two SOE agents, and two women who had escaped from the infamous Castree prison where the Germans held hostages, from whom they chose some for execution as reprisals for attacks on their forces. The Joeys were embarked safely, but on the return journey 502 and 718 encountered three German patrol vessels, who briefly opened fire before being misled by signals into thinking that 502 and 718 were friendly. In May, 718 made the 850-mile journey via Holyhead and the Caledonian Canal to Lerwick, in the Shetlands, for Cygnus, DDOD 1’s first operation in Norway. On May 28, 718 sailed to Batalden Island to pick up two SIS agents, who had been transmitting to London reports of coastal shipping movements, and the Norwegian family who had sheltered them and who were now in danger of capture by the Gestapo. There was little darkness in those latitudes in May, but as luck would have it thick fog covered the operation. Lt Seddon and his sailors had mixed feelings when they later heard that 718 had not been expected to return. In June, 718 went back to Brittany fort Reflexion, to land three French agents on Bonaparte Beach at Plouha in St Brieue Bay. The officer in charge of the surfboat was, as usual, 7l8’s lst Lt Guy Hamilton (later the director of the earliest James Bond films). Hamilton and two sailors landed the Joes safely, but a faulty radio and a dragging MTB anchor caused them to miss 718 on their return. After a desperate search, with dawn approaching, Seddon had to leave them behind. Luckily, they contacted the local resistance group and were returned to Dartmouth four weeks later. After several more operations, 718 carried out Knockout in September 1944, to land 25 cases of ammunition, arms and clothing for the Forces Francaises de L'Interieur (FFI) at Benodet, between Brest and Lorient on the French coast. The FFI colonel at Audierne asked for 7l8’s help in overcoming a pocket of German resistance. Seddon agreed to carry out a bombardment although this was a grave breach of the 15th MGB Flotilla security. The German defenders replied with unexpected vigour and accuracy. 718 was hit several times and damaged badly enough to have to retire under cover of smoke. Seddon would have been in serious trouble had not the Senior Officer of the Helford River Flotilla, who was a passenger in 718, reported to DDOD 1 "thankfully the spirit of Nelson is not dead". No further action was taken. MGB 718 carried out another five Norwegian operations, the most difficult being Lola in February 1945. Sailing from Aberdeen, 718 made a long passage to Sando Island in Skagerrak to land two agents and 50 cases of stores. The weather was so atrocious that 718 could make no more than six knots for much of the time. All watertight hatches and bulkheads were damaged, all wireless gear drenched and useless, and the boat’s interior was a shambles. Seddon pressed on, against the advice of the Norwegian pilot on board. Agents and stores were safely landed. By the time 718 eventually limped back to Aberdeen, with five feet of water in her bilges, Seddon had been on the bridge almost constantly for 58 hours. Lt Seddon won the DSC as Commanding Officer of MTB 718. He first trained as a wireless telegraphist, then served as an ordinary seaman before being commissioned in 1942. After a period as lst Lt of a Harbour Defence Motor Launch he was appointed CO of ML 145, operating from Lowestoft on ‘Y’ patrols, defending East Coast Convoys. ML 145 and ML 150, commanded by Lt Jimmy Thomas, rammed and sank the German E-boat S96 on September 24th, 1943. ML 145 picked up 13 Germans, including two officers. Seddon was mentioned in dispatches. Early in 1944, 718 was adopted by the Windmill Theatre in London. The management and the girls sent 718 a steady flow of ‘comforts’, including books and gramophone records. Seddon, a devoted patron of the Windmill invited the girls down to Dartmouth. With drinks in the wardroom and lots on the mess deck, the visit was a huge success.Web Site Update
It is very pleasing to relate that your web site continues to gain recognition as an accurate source of information on matters concerning British Coastal Forces. The Forum is continually attracting the type of questions and advice that that are so important to relatives researching their family tree. They, with researchers and enthusiasts alike, will be further accommodated with a soon to be launched new version of our database. Although it is not possible to receive a wi-fi signal below decks on HMS Belfast, it was with the very patient instruction of Kevin that I was able to load a memory stick with a workable copy of an earlier beta version and was able to give a short demonstration on my laptop.