A message from the President Commander Christopher Dreyer, DSO, DSC, RN (rtd)
I can well suppose that when Gordon Stevens, our Founder, dreamed up his idea for the Coastal Forces Veterans Association in the early 1970's, he can hardly have imagined that in its 25th Anniversary Year, we should have more than 2000 members and 20 thriving Branches, and also members in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Holland, Norway and France.
Because our boats and crews were small they could be risked in shallow and mined waters of the Channel and North Sea, the Norwegian Seas, the Adriatic and the Arakan where larger warships could not go. So, for much of the War, we were the only warships of the Royal Navy which could act offensively in these water.
Our boats were so small that we necessarily lived very much on top of each other and this produced a special feeling and spirit,
OFFICERS AND MEN WHO DIDN’T PULL THEIR WEIGHT OR MADE DIFFICULTIES WERE QUIETLY RETURNED TO GENERAL SERVICE
and what remained in our small crews was an elite of true Shipmates — a real band of brothers.
In our Home bases we were specially well served by our Wrens, who did all their normal naval duties, but who also maintained and serviced our torpedoes, guns, radio, radar, engines, electrics and hulls, and were boats crews and despatch riders.
Many of our Officers and Men had the good sense to marry a Wren; and quite a few of our members are ex-Wrens, who have joined of their own right.
Many of us are now in or approaching our eighties and sadly each quarter's Newsletter has a distressing list of deaths, and yet we are also getting a remarkable number of new members, all wishing that they had heard of us long ago.
However, it seems inevitably clear that in due time our Association will gradually cease to exist. So we must hope that the Coastal Forces Heritage Trust will manage to establish somewhere a worthy record of our remarkable and happy service.
We, ourselves, in this Anniversary Year, would wish especially to remember our Shipmates and Comrades who were killed in the War and those who have died since.
“MAY THEY REST IN PEACE”
The Late Gordon Stevens DSM Founder of the CFVA
UP SPIRITS: Gordon's aim was to keep alive in the Association the spirit of Comradeship that prevailed in the boats. We can all bear witness how successful he has been
COASTAL FORCES VETERANS ASSOCIATION
As we celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the CFVA, most members, if not all, have to admit that after so many years in civvy street. it was the camaraderie that prevailed in the boats that we still missed. However, we did nothing about it, except former C.P.O. Gordon Stevens
In 1974, he and his wife Marc, ran “The Corner Shop” in Southsea. Gordon, was one of those rare birds in Coastal Forces — a regular! After leaving the Royal Navy and living in Southsea he heard of the various ships that had their own Associations of former shipmates having their re-unions. But he never heard anything of Coastal Forces having such an event. He wondered why and mentioned it to Marc — not once or twice — but several times! To prove once again that behind every good man is a better woman, she rang BBC Radio Solent and explained her reason to a Mr John Piper. As a result an interview with Gordon was arranged and in due time this went out on the air.
It was also the starting signal for soon the Stevens's telephone began to ring practically continuously as former Coastal Forces people rang in to declare their interest. After the interview on Radio Solent, the local paper ran the story — resulting in even more telephone calls. By this time a little red book was near the phone to record names and addresses of people interested in joining. It was clear that a meeting was required that could look into the possibility of forming an association. This meeting was held on 19th April 1974 at The Florence Hotel Southsea and amongst the 16 people present were: Gordon Stevens, Harold Newton, Hugh Scott, L. Stapley, R. Baird,
Members at one of the very early meetings. They are, from left to right: Bill Lovegrove, CGM., Les Walker, Jess Shepherd, John Dorey, Tom Neil and Ern White.
Bill Stead, Bill Payne, George Griggs, A. Carbeater, H.J. Bear, Tom Neil and former Wren Renee Taylor. The main decision taken at the meeting was to go-ahead with forming an association. A collection was held and with the £38.50 proceeds a bank account was opened.
Another meeting was held on Sunday, 7th July 1974 at the Royal Naval Club, Lake Road, Portsmouth. Provisionally the name Coastal Forces Veterans Association was adopted and a committee was formed to administer it. They were: Gordon Stevens, DSM., Chairman; Tom Neil, Secretary; and Bill Lovegrove as Treasurer. Members were asked for a voluntary contribution of £1 — to cover costs of postage, printing, stationery, etc.
The fledgeling Association received a tremendous boost when Charlie Chester mentioned the founding of a Coastal Forces Veterans Association.
Charlie Chester, extreme right, always a welcome guest at functions.
His broadcast was nationwide and it had an enormous response. One who learned of the existence of a CFVA is the present National Treasurer, Charles Milner, DSM. Although he did not hear the broadcast himself, his wife Betty was listening and soon Charles was enrolled.
Others former shipmates had remained in touch. Jim Armes is an early member (no.94) and he was told about the CFVA by Jim McEwan (no.38). Former National Chairman, Tom Watkins, OBE., DL., attended a function where he got into conversation with the late Joe Devine. They discovered that both had served in Coastal Forces and Joe immediately took on the role of recruiting officer for the Association.
Member, with possibly the lowest active number (no.3) is Gerald Lee. In his job, Gerald made regular visits to a retired C.P.O.. During those visits the two men spoke about the Navy and the Chief gave Gerald some issues of Navy News to read. Seeing the columns in which Shipmates try to contact former colleagues, Gerald decided to try by this method to contact some of his mates he served with on the MTB.
His request duly appeared but it was unsuccessful except for four letters from unknown people, who all told him about the CFVA. Gerald joined and his low number stems from the time that when numbers became vacant, they were used again. This method was discontinued many years ago.
At the first A.G.M., held at the Victory Club, RNB., Portsmouth on 23rd February 1975 when John Dorey, the Assistant Secretary reported that in April 1974 a total of 16 members had been enrolled. This had increased to 23 by June. And on a few months later, September, this figure had grown to 190 and to 260 by October. In January 1975, the Association had 300 members.
A big surprise at this AGM was the arrival of a coach that brought a contingent of members from the Birmingham area. There, mainly through the efforts of Ken Davidson, a branch had been established. As an example how fast the Association was growing is proved by the fact that a year later the Association had branches in Devon and Cornwall; Kent; London and Essex; Midlands (Birmingham) and Leeds and District.
At this first AGM it was decided to invite Capt. Peter Dickens, DSO., MBE., DSC., who attended the meeting with his wife, to become a member, which he did. In the election for officers, Charlie McKiddie proposed that the steering
In June 1982 H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh honoured the Midlands Branch with his visit. He is seen here with some members.
committee be elected en bloc and to serve as the National Committee. This proposal was seconded by Bill Cobby and the motion was unanimously carried.
Because of the influx of Wren members, it was suggested that they should be represented by a WRNS secretary. Kathy Heath was proposed and accepted.
So after these elections it meant that the principal officers were Gordon Stevens, DSM., Chairman; George Griggs, Vice Chairman; Bill Lovegrove, CGM., Treasurer, Tom Neil, Secretary and John Dorey, Assistant Secretary. Early members of the committee were Harold Newton, John Boyce, Alf Carpenter, Kathy Heath, Stan Cross, Hugh Scott and Ernie White.
Another motion unanimously carried was to invite Captain Dickens as President of the CFVA. Capt. Dickens immediately accepted the invitation. Toward the end of 1975, Chairman Gordon Stevens resigned for personal reasons. The meeting accepted this sudden decision with deep regret and immediately invited the Founder to be the CFVA's Vice President. Bill Lovegrove took over as Chairman and Ernie White as Treasurer.
Very early it was realised that a Newsletter was of extreme importance and one was
In 1984 H.R.H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands attended the annual Commemoration Service at St. Ann's Church. Afterwards he met members at HMS Nelson. He is seen here with President Peter Dickens (left) and Vice-President Gordon Stevens.
produced in the early months. These early editions were some A4 pages stapled together. However, in January 1976 Stan Cross took on the duties of Editor and the Front Page of his first issue (edition no.5) remained practically unchanged until recently the present incumbent updated it slightly.
Membership grew steadily. In February 1975 it stood at 300. A year later, it was 605. Somehow over the next three years it went down: January 1977 – 600 members; December 1978 – 579; December 1978 – 557. From that low point onwards, membership began to build up steadily by about a hundred new members per year. Charlie Chester occasionally gave a plug for the CFVA on his radio show and it is no wonder that he, his show being based in Birmingham, became a welcome guest at the Branch — one year he was their guest/speaker at their annual dinner/dance.
And Charlie Chester was one of the guests when HRH Prince Philip visited the Midlands Branch in 1982. During a ‘walkabout’ the Prince met many members and their wives. Two years later the CFVA had another Royal visitor. That was HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. Piloting a naval aircraft, he brought over a party of Dutch members to attend the Annual Commemoration Service at St. Ann's Church, HM Dockyard, Portsmouth. Afterwards the Prince met members at HMS Nelson.
Another venue where many members went was “The Little Ships” pub (complete with a ‘Beehive’ lounge) at Felixstowe, where the mine host, “Sadly” Powell always had a warm welcome for his fellow CFVA members.
Towards the end of 1985, with membership nudging the 1100, the Scottish branch organised a week-end re-union at the Highland Hotel, Fort William. At that occasion, Vice Chairman Joe Devine unveiled a plaque in the hotel’s foyer in remembrance of the time when the Highland was part of HMS St Christopher. This weekend proved to be so popular that it became a bi-annual event. Alas at the 1997 re-union, Bill Rodger, secretary of the Scottish Branch, announced that this would be the last re-union the Branch was organising — a victim to old Father Time.
Another small branch organised an annual re-union, This was the Cornwall Branch and they were held at the Membly Hall, Falmouth. This too was a very popular event until recent years. Again this event suffered because of members not wanting to travel so far.
After a couple of other venues, the CFVA's A.G.M. and Re-union settled down at Mill Rythe (Hayling Island) and Gunton Hall (Lowestoft) and they are very popular. Every time there Shipmates meet again after not having seen each other for over half a century. Another spin-off was that individual boats or Flotillas or even a Base, arranged their own mini re-union
.
When sadly Gordon Stevens passed on, he had seen his idea germinate to a worldwide organisation, that had, at the time, 1600. And it was still growing, albeit at a slower rate. By the end of 1997, the CFVA had 2155 members and 20 Branches throughout the country.
Some members had a grumble when they had visited the R.N. Museum at Portsmouth. Here every branch of the Navy, submarine, patrol, etc., are all getting attention, except Coastal Forces. A few years ago it was decided to rectify this situation and the Coastal Forces Heritage Trust,
SPONSORS
Under the Chairmanship of Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal was established, its Project Director is Capt. Trevor Robotham RN (rtd).
In a brochure to possible sponsors, the Trust explains its aims. Amongst these are to restore and preserve original boats together with artifacts, photos, mementoes, etc. of Coastal Forces and their crews.
Video tapes are made and sold to raise funds. On these tapes officers and crew members tell of their experiences. That way several actions are described by people who were actually involved in them. Right now the Trust’s first priority is to find a permanent site for the exhibition and boats. Right now there are some boats which, it is hoped, will eventually be on show and the Trust are still looking for some classes of boats, as yet not yet found.
CFVA members are getting old. Those who served during the war are all in their late seventies. Even a very young sailor at the time of decommissioning of Light Coastal Forces in 1957, is now approaching pensionable age.
If the story of Coastal Forces is not to die with the members, the success of the Coastal Forces Heritage Trust is vital. So it is fingers crossed that the Trust will find enough funds to enable them to fully carry out all their plans.
LIGHT COASTAL FORCES
Not a 'cushy job'
Regularly there are appeals in the Newsletter from sons, daughters, etc asking for information about their father's war service. And most of us have been asked at some time, “What did you do during the war?” The enquirer's bodytalk, upon hearing “I served in Coastal Forces” shows that one is suspected of having had a ‘cushy’ number. They think that your ship was hugging the coast, seldom out of sight of a friendly harbour.
They might show a bit more interest if you go on to tell them that you served in an Motor Torpedo Boat, or Motor Gun Boat or an Motor Launch. Most of them know that these were fast craft. So
TELL THEM —
We were called Coastal Forces because early in the war our main task was to protect our coastal convoys, especially in the North Sea and Channel from the German Schnellboote, which were better known as E-boats.
TELL THEM —
That the very last British warship to leave Dunkirk after the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force was an Motor Torpedo Boat. It did not strike a grand gesture like General MacArthur in the Philippines when he declared “I'll be back”. Nothing was said but everyone had a grim determination that one day “We'll be back”.
British Power Boats 70'MGB's on patrol
Only two years later, they were back when a force of fifteen MLs, one MGB and one MTB took the old destroyer Campbeltown up river to St. Nazaire. Practically the whole entire, very successful operation was carried out under heavy fire. Sadly some thirteen boats were lost. Yet this was an operation of which Coastal Forces were deservedly proud.
A few months later, Coastal Forces craft were prominent in the raid on Dieppe.
ML's formed the main attacking force at St. Nazaire
Originally the Coastal Forces primary task had been to protect the home convoys. That duty was still being carried out but by now MTB's and MGB's were often patrolling within shouting distance of the enemy coast. Many sharp engagements were fought out, at close quarters, in the Channel, North Sea and the Mediterranean.
In May 1943, the Prime Minister, Winston S. Churchill wrote:
I have noted with admiration the work of the Light Coastal Forces in the North Sea, in the Channel and more recently in the Mediterranean. Both in offence and in defence the fighting zeal and the professional skill of officers and men have maintained the great tradition built up by many generations of British seamen. As our strategy becomes more strongly offensive the task allotted to the coastal forces will increase in importance, and the area of their operations will widen. I wish to express my heartfelt congratulations to you all on what you have done in the past, and have complete confidence that you will maintain the same high standards until complete victory has been gained over all our enemies.
Winston Churchill
Gradually Coastal Forces were changing. The boats were bigger and more heavily armed. The field of their operations was expanding more and more. Apart from the Home waters and the Mediterranean, Coastal Forces were now operating in Burma, West Africa and the Caribbean. Another important aspect was the fact that more and more Wrens joined Coastal Forces. Although not allowed to go to sea, they did an extremely important job on the various bases, where most of them were engaged in getting the boats ready for sea again so relieving the men of some tedious jobs. And surprise, surprise, the Wrens quickly adapted the spirit of Coastal Forces.
As the war progressed, the role of Coastal Forces was more and more appreciated. They played an important part in the various landings in the Mediterranean, first the North African landing, followed by the many others such as Sicily, Anzio, etc. In fact the roar of their powerful engines could be heard in the Adriatic, the Aegean and off the coast of Yugoslavia.
When at last it was time for the ‘Big Un’ — the invasion of Normandy, the mightiest Armada ever, was led by Coastal Forces boats, acting as Navigational Leaders. So it was the Last to Leave and First Back!
Introducing the 1945 Naval Estimates in the House of Commons, the First Lord of the Admiralty described Light Coastal Forces as “That Dashing Company”
Early in the war British Power Boat designed the 716" MGB. Later these boats, after torpedo tubes had been fitted were re-classified as MTB's
in which nine out of ten officers and men were civilians before the war.
He said that had had another successful year of world-wide activities, sinking destroyers, E-boats and other enemy vessels.
The proportion of continuous service ratings in Coastal Forces was being increased
From 1946 onwards, backbone of Coastal Forces were the D-Boats. Based on the B-class Fairmile, these boats were, for their size very heavily armed. in order to preserve wartime experience for peace.
After VE-day, it was reported from Dunkirk to Victory in Europe. Coastal Forces fought over 780 actions, sinking 800 enemy vessels including 48 E-boats!
Of the 81 enemy midget submarines destroyed, a total of 32 were claimed by Coastal Forces.
Having fired 1169 torpedoes, the percentage of hits and probable hits is better than that of the Submarine Service.
Coastal Forces have been credited with shooting down 32 enemy aircraft.
Coastal Forces carried out twice as many minelaying operations than were credited to other minelaying forces.
That is the magnificent record of Light Coastal Forces which had, in 1944, some 3,000 officers and 22,000 ratings operating from Norway to the Aegean. Of course they suffered losses and during the hostilities 170 of their Little Ships had been sunk or destroyed. More important though was the sad loss of some 2300 Shipmates, who lost their lives or succumbed later to their injuries. That works out at a ration of nearly one in ten — proving that serving in Coastal Forces was not a cushy job. So, whenever anyone asks “What did you do during the war?”, reply proudly
