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A brand new boat and crew. Built by Boat Construction Company Falmouth in June 1944. We were boarded out until she was ready. The latest “D” class MTB were considered pound for pound the most heavily armed vessels in the Royal Navy. 115’ long with 21’ beam and crew of about 33 she carried 2 x 6 pounders, 2 twin .5 and 2 twin .303 MGs , twin oerlikon, 4 x 18” torpedoes, depth charges, rocket flares and smoke apparatus.

We did some sea trials along the coast but the shore batteries used us for target practice. Completed trials along the west coast. Did a dummy torpedo attack on a Holyhead to Belfast ferry — severe reprimand! Became based at Great Yarmouth, spent some time at Ostend on various patrols, also rescued many of the crew of SS SANSIP which had hit a mine and sunk. |The Sea was coated with thick oil and so were the poor souls we took aboard. Once below they just clung to anything, terrified, just wouldn’t let go. They became very ill and many did not survive, we did our best. We struck part of the submerged SANSIP which worried us, but it proved not serious. The owners in Liverpool sent £25 towards mess funds! Later we were sent to Arromanches and patrolled the beaches, protecting the supply lines against U Boat or E Boat still in the area. Following the liberation of Bayeux a group of us were taken by lorry to a point just outside the city where we were joined by a similar number each from the army and air force. Thus grouped we marched into Bayeux to “show the flag”, quite a memorable occasion.

On our return to Great Yarmouth we did a little mine sweeping and sundry work. We dressed “overall” with the rest of the flotilla to celebrate VE Day in May 1945 and then took the boat to Porchester Creek to be “paid off”.

It's funny that, I started out laying mines along the French coast and finished sweeping mines along the English coast.

Next story: HMS Greenwich
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