I'm interested in the American built Vospers used by the British Royal navy in the Mediterranean and in particular in MTB 378 commanded by Lt. George P.H. James. I wonder if anything is known about the German "Flak lighters" (Siebelfähren I suppose?) mentioned in the actions he was involved in.
Source: coastal forces veteran forum
MTB 378 Annapolis Yacht Yard, Annapolis, Maryland 15/12/43
For actions in the Gulf of Genoa 8–9/44
MID TLt Norman Leonard Ilett RNVR
MID TSLt George Philip Henry James RNVR
MID LSea Edward Pringle D/JX180612
For the sinking of fifteen ships in the Gulf of Genoa 1944–45
DSC TSLt George Philip Henry James RNVR
DSM LSea Edward Pringle D/JX180612
MID Tel Reginald Gordon Thomas D/JX233345
Known Crew
TLt Norman Leonard Ilett RNVR Commanding Officer MTB 378 MTB 420
TSLt George Philip Henry James RNVR Commanding Officer MTB 378 6/11/44
TSLt D E S Tanner RNVR MTB 378 6/11/44
LSea Edward Pringle D/JX180612
Tel Reginald Gordon Thomas D/JX233345
Wartime Activities
15/12/43 Transferred to Royal Navy under lend lease
Mediterranean
7th MTB Flotilla
Based on Bastia
9-10/5/44 MTBs 376, 377 and 378 with PT 203 attack two Flak Lighters. TLt Robert Varvill is embarked as Senior Officer. One lighter explodes and sinks and the other is damaged.
8 - 9/44 Actions in the Gulf of Genoa
1944 - 45 Sinking of fifteen ships in the Gulf of Genoa
15-6/1/45 MGB 177, MTB 378 and PT 313 intercept a convoy of five Flak Lighters. MGB 177, MTB 378 and PT 313 are illuminated by starshell from shore batteries but close to 700 yds and definitely sink one vessel and possibly sink another.
4/3/45 MTBs 377 and 378 make a torpedo attack on three Flak Lighters sinking one vessel.
Danke voraus.
Arjan
Hallo Arjan,
die Flak Lighters waren die teilweise zu Kampffähren aufgerüsteten MFPs (oder als solche irrtümlich von den Alliierten erkannten Penichen).
In unserer Datenbank werden MTB 378 diese Erfolge zugeschrieben:
--/>/> F 249 am 12.09.1944 (http://www.historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/marinefaehrprahm/ausgabe.php?where_value=149)
--/>/> F 616 am 12.09.1944 (http://www.historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/marinefaehrprahm/ausgabe.php?where_value=150)
:MG:
Darius
Thanks a lot Darius, that didn't take you long to come up with the answer :-). I hadn't thought that would be so easy, and some nice photos too ! I read somewhere that many German documents of that period had been destroyed. Here are some good photos of MTB 378 :
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205158923
Some time ago I posted some pics of the 7th MTB Flotilla :
http://www.stiwotforum.nl/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=15344
For those who can understand English there is also a very interesting interview with Lt. James on the iwm site. He says the American Vospers were better than the Vospers built in Britain and the American radar was much better. There is also some footage that shows the American Vospers being tested by the Royal Navy :
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/us-tests-new-torpedo-boats-for-british-navy/query/Torpedo+boats+US
Gruss,
Arjan
MTB 378 (ex BPT, British PT, 68) after having been returned by the RN to the USN, was among 28 PTs transferred by the USN to Italy at Palermo in February, 1947. She was initially named (4.4.1948) GIS.007 (Galleggiante Inseguimento Siluri, or torpedo recovery boat), since MTBs were among the types of vessels expressly forbidden to the Italian Navy under the Peace Treaty of the same February, 1947.
She was subsequently re-numbered GIS 821 (1.4.1951) becoming an unofficial MTB, then MS (MotoSilurante) 821 as a bona fide MTB (1.11.1952), then again MS 421 on 1.1.1954. Stricken on 31.12.1958.
I attach a sketch by John Lambert found on the recent book "Vosper Motor Torpedo Boats. From 68-ft PV Boat to MTB 538" by Mark Smith, published by himself, 2014.
See also:
http://www.aidmen.it/topic/133-quattro-motosiluranti-della-marina-ex-inglesi-ex-americane-i-disegni/
Thanks a lot Domenico, that's a very nice illustration ! Unfortunately one has to register on the Italian site to see the posted pics but I think I will just do that :-). I have been trying to build a model of MTB 378 and my biggest problem was to find photos/drawings of the stern/transom section. Unlike the British Vospers the American lend-lease boats had mufflers mounted on the transom. Here you can find some pics of my model :
http://www.modelshipwrights.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=227342&ord=&page=3
Only some days ago I discovered one of the "missing links" in the puzzle. One of the "missing" IWM photos happens to be in Dallies-Labourdette's Schnellboot book on page 97. The photo shows MTB 378 in the port of Livorno during a torpedo reload.
Gruss,
Arjan
Hallo Arjan,
schön, dass Du auch mit Klebstoff und Farbe umgehen kannst :-D
Ich denke, dass die britischen und amerikanischen Quellen (Dokumente und persönliche Erlebnisse) noch einiges zu den "Gegnern von damals" im Mittelmeerraum beitragen können.
:MG:
Darius
Today I noticed that the people of the IWM have digitised a lot of "new" photos. Among these were the photos I had hoped they would digitise. These pics show the Lend-Lease Vospers in the port of Leghorn (Livorno). I posted some here :
http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=227342&page=4
Arjan