WELCOME TO BERT'S MOTOR GUNBOAT PAGE

COASTAL FORCES VETERANS ASSOCIATION MEMBER #2625

Myself.Telegraphist Bert Searle.1942

Pictures of boats and crew of Motor Gunboat 119 and Motor torpedo boat 438

ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF MOTOR GUNBOAT 108 IDENTICAL TO MOTOR GUNBOAT 119

ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF MOTOR TORPEDO BOAT 440 TAKEN FROM THE DECK OF MOTOR TORPEDO BOAT 438 BY PETTY OFFICER MOTOR MECHANIC BOB SHARMAN.

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Motor Gunboat 119 was a 71'6"British Power Boat built on The Isle of Wight and commisioned early 1943 Armament consisted of a Two Pounder (Pom Pom) power operated Turret forward. Twin Vickers 303 Machine guns mounted on deck either side of the bridge. A twin Oerlekon 20mm aft on top of the canopy.Also two depth charges.She was powered by Three Packard Petrol Engines.MGB119 was later converted to a Motor Torpedo Boat and renumbered MTB438. MGB119 formed part of the 10th Motor Gunboat flotilla based at Ramsgate and saw action in the English Channel. After being renumbered to MTB438 she then formed part of the 3rd Motor torpedo boat flotilla based at Lowestoft, Felixstowe and Ostend during which time was employed on protection of the East Coast convoy routes known as Z Patrols and saw action against German Convoys and their escorts off the Dutch Coast. MTB 438 met an untimely end when she was destroyed in the fire and explosions in Ostend Harbour on the 14th of february,1945, along with 11 other boats .

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Below is picture of a typical German E-Boat, the equivalent of the British Motor Torpedo Boat and American PT Boat.

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PICTURE ABOVE IS THE SCENE IN OSTEND HARBOUR FOLLOWING THE FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS ON FEBRUARY 14TH,1945

Above.Artists impression of Motor Torpedo Boat in Action

The White Ensign flown by all ships of the Royal Navy