Motor Launches of WW2
Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: General Discussion
Forum Name: The Trust
Forum Description: Discussion about the Trust
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=52
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 10:43am
Topic: Motor Launches of WW2
Posted By: motorboat 247
Subject: Motor Launches of WW2
Date Posted: 11 April 2005 at 8:12pm
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My Dad served in the RASC 247 coy motorboats in Africa and Italy during WW2. In his pay book it has laocation as M.L.196 I`m assuming ML stands for motorlaunch but is there a launch with the number 196 or might there be a website which might list this Regards Kevin |
Replies:
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 11 April 2005 at 8:50pm
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Hello Kevin I'm going to stick my neck out here: There was an ML196, (A Fairmile "B" class) that was built in 1941. It was sold out of service in 1947 (By then re-numbered 2196) to the Norwich Sea Cadets who named her "Lord Nelson". Whether that is the same craft that your Dad served on I couldn't say but maybe someone can enlighten us further? Regards ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: motorboat 247
Date Posted: 12 April 2005 at 10:21am
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Hi Pioneer Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated I`ll see if your info leads me anywhere. Ive set down a little more background information. Perhaps it might jog a few memories The RASC fleet Originally the War Department Fleet (some called it the "frogotten Fleet") went from 70 vessels in 1939 to 1,400 in 1945 The called for volunteers from all arms and mostly took people with some sea experience. Dad was in the merchant navy since he was 14 a so logical move for him. In 1940 the force was known as No`s 1 and 2 motor boat companies and stationed at Salcomb and Falmouth they had 40 launches each. By end of 1942 they had 3 companies and No 2 coy was re numbered 247 They were assigned to operation Torch in North Africa They worked with the CMF including supplying special forces (SBS and SAS ) in Yugoslavia corsica Albania, Sardinia, greece and Italy In Oct 1943 247coy formed 3 water transport companies 797 798 and 801 Dad was posted to 797 coy in Jan44 before returning to 247 in Sept 45 HQ was established at Torre del Greco near naples And Bari 797 also serviced the Adriatic out of Ancona also operated small craft out of Venice If anyone has any further information on any of this I would be ever grateful for any snippets of information Many thanks Kevin |
Posted By: Dan Page
Date Posted: 03 January 2013 at 10:04pm
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My grandfather, Thomas Herbert Page was also in 247th Motor Boat Company, serving in the CMF. I have pictures of Tunisia and him and his mates on a beach in Salonika. I would be willing to share these to see if you know anyone on there.
We are awaiting his service record so that might yield some extra info.
Daniel Page
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Posted By: Dan Page
Date Posted: 03 January 2013 at 10:06pm
| Sorry forgot to say he served on the ST Alvaiazere, hopefully spelt correctly. |
Posted By: motorboat 247
Date Posted: 16 January 2013 at 3:35pm
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Hi Daniel great to hear from someone after all these years. Idf be delighted to take a look at the photos. Ive got some myself somewhere. I`ll dig them out. ive gots lots of info on the italy campaign too if yoru interested. Regards Kevin
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Posted By: pagey
Date Posted: 01 February 2013 at 10:21am
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hi kevin, i see you have met daniel, my son. we are doing family research between us,. i have some imformation on my fathers war record and have sent of to glasgow for the full record, (i hope) but it could take up to a year to get it. the imformation i have is that he was attached to 51st heavy reg. (ra) BEF 1939-1940. and that he was company sergeant major with 247 motorboat coy, that is all i have apart from the photos i have of tripoli, scicily greece and italy, i do know he was in yugoslavia from what he told me when i was a kid. Daniel will upload the photos for you to see as i have no skanner. i did reply to you on WW2Talk a few weeks ago. regards Richard Page |
Posted By: Dan Page
Date Posted: 14 April 2013 at 3:45pm
 Thomas Herbert Page on left with an unknown colleague. 247th MBC.
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Posted By: Dan Page
Date Posted: 14 April 2013 at 3:48pm
 T H Page front right
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Posted By: motorboat 247
Date Posted: 14 August 2013 at 7:07pm
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Hi Dan and Daniel Sorry Ive not replied as yet with any photos. I was excited to find someone who`s dad had served with the 247 coy but time has flown by. I`m having trouble uploading the images I have, perhaps i could send them via email If you could send me an address via mailto:Sawdoc999@aol.com" rel="nofollow - Sawdoc999@aol.com I will send. as mentioned I have done quite bit of research on the subject and I dont know where to begin with any info. i do know you may be disappointed with what they send from army records. sometimes its just basic information. I got more from the national archives records office at Kew. tbhey have the war diaries there of 247 and the other motor boat companies. It might be worth a visit. I have brought photocopies back with me but never really had the time to sift through them in detail. If you have any general questions I`ll be glad to try and answer them. Im from the liverpool area not sure how far away you are but we can correspond in email Best regards Kevin |
Posted By: Grant
Date Posted: 04 January 2018 at 2:08am
Hi all, have just come across this forum, my Grandfather George Charles Bramham was a Water SGT with the 247 coy R.A.S.C Motor boats, I have quite a few photos of him with some of his men etc, i will endeavour to post them soon. ------------- Dingding 247 |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 04 January 2018 at 8:52am
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Hi Grant, Many thanks for this and welcome to the forum, be great to see pics of your Grandfather in service there, all the best. Johnk |
Posted By: BernieD
Date Posted: 09 January 2018 at 12:00pm
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My father also served in 247 Coy and I
wondered if anyone could help with a question I have. The War Diary entry for 24th
April 1944 reads “Cutters H268 & H269 on passage from Torre del Greco to
Reggio machine-gunned whilst crossing Salerno Bay by American Air Force. No
damage or casualties!” I have tried to find more info or pictures of H268 or H269 with no
luck and I wondered if anyone could help.
I also have some pics of water transport and people (unidentified) which I could post (when I find out how to attach an image...) if anyone is interested. |
Posted By: Grant
Date Posted: 15 January 2018 at 7:55am
Hi all i too seem to be having trouble uploading images, my grandfather George Bramham water sargeant 247 coy is on left of pic facing one of his men, not sure who other men are or where pic was taken if going off the writing behind them on the wall could well be France? ------------- Dingding 247 |
Posted By: BernieD
Date Posted: 15 January 2018 at 11:17am
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Hello Grant
I can’t help with the picture
location and others with more knowledge/experience may contradict me, but from
the War Diaries (available in the National Archive in Kew) this company was
operational in Sicily and Italy. My father was posted to 247Coy in January 1944 and I have a few pictures of
him (unusually, with annotations on the reverse!) in both of these places. Whether 247 was in France until the Dunkirk evacuation I don’t know, but you may get more info if you post this on the “WW2 Talk” website. BD |
Posted By: Grant
Date Posted: 16 January 2018 at 12:27am
My Grandfathers trawler capsised at sea off Greece, from what i understand he was on a mine sweeping mission, this is a letter of recommendation for bravery, quite incredidle how it was asked for the boots to be returned! He never spoke of this event ------------- Dingding 247 |
Posted By: Grant
Date Posted: 16 January 2018 at 5:00am
Another pic of 247 coy RASC (not sure where pic was taken) Grandfather has written on back left to right George Bramham Isle Of Wight, Harold Greer Isle of Wight and Paddy Bowman (Irish) I have other pictures of Grandfather in Palermo Sicily, looking at the columns behind this pic could be from there ------------- Dingding 247 |
Posted By: BernieD
Date Posted: 16 January 2018 at 10:39am
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Hi again Grant
I have a number of pics of War Diary entries showing the various reports and witness statements, including one from your grandfather, on this incident. The documents suggest that this ship was carrying supplies from Piraeus to Kalamata and was lost in heavy seas. Do you have the entire diary, or would you like me to send the pics I have? If so, send me a private message with your email and I’ll gladly forward them. Bernie |
Posted By: Grant
Date Posted: 17 January 2018 at 7:58am
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I dug up the original photo and yes it has details written on the back it says its at Bouzin Court nr Albert, Somme France 1940 My grandfather has also written 2 mens names on the back of pic aswell but not sure which men they are but he writes.... with George Peters L/CPL and Solly Solomans I shall endeavour to dig up more pics if i can recall where ive stored them ------------- Dingding 247 |
Posted By: Corkerrys
Date Posted: 02 February 2018 at 9:47am
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hi everyone i am researching a casualty on the Ellel war memorial near Lancaster. his name was John Stanley Burrough. his old school was Lancaster Royal Grammer school:
the below has come today from The LRGS archivist : "Born 22nd June 1917. He attended Greaves Central School
before entering LRGS on 29th September 1928. On his record card his father is
stated to be an upholsterer, and his address was 11, Gloucester Avenue,
Bowerham. He left LRGS on 28th January 1936 when in Form VI Modern, and went to
‘Foreign Office/Williamsons’, which you will have to interpret as best you can. . 1945 - 1947 Italy: Venice
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Posted By: Corkerrys
Date Posted: 02 February 2018 at 10:13am
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i think this is related to my post ref J S Burrough who died on 3 July 45, can you please get in touch regards shaun
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Posted By: Corkerrys
Date Posted: 02 February 2018 at 1:55pm
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e mailed you many thanks |
Posted By: 13stow
Date Posted: 08 May 2020 at 4:43pm
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Hi, my mother used to stay with the family as a child and struck up a friendship with Jack (as she knew him). I have a few photographs buried somewhere. She used to sew his army buttons on for him & his last letter to her said he was bringing a present back for her. I think it hit her hard and (unknown by my father) we three were all named for Jack. Jane
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Posted By: Corkerrys
Date Posted: 11 May 2020 at 5:41pm
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Hi John is commemorated on the War memorial here in Galgate lancaster, desperate to find a pic of him for a book i am working on, is that something you could help with?
kind regards Shaun Corkerry |
Posted By: knockerw
Date Posted: 20 May 2020 at 5:36am
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Dear All - my Dad was 247 MB in Italy then Venice have some details and pictures which I shall post here ...he was General Morgans launch man with a few others so had interesting time in Naples before moving North to Venice. Nick ------------- Nick 247MB Coy |
Posted By: knockerw
Date Posted: 20 May 2020 at 5:40am
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I mate - My dad also 247 Naples and Venice Nick ------------- Nick 247MB Coy |
Posted By: John Cater
Date Posted: 04 January 2021 at 8:41pm
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You may be interested to know that the 'Forgotten Fleet' of motorboats in RASC 247Coy is now subject of a new memorial (Mem 20, Garden 2) of the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove at the National Arboretum, Alrewas. My father Len Cater is featured but the memorial is intended to acknowledge the contribution of all RASC motorboat crews to Allied special forces operations throughout WW2.Details can be seen in www.whoplantswins.info online. I'd be delighted to hear from relatives of RASC 247 Coy members as I am still trying to trace details of my dad's activities. He was severely wounded at Dieppe in 1942 and served in the Mediterranean and Adriatic in 1943-45. I don't know the name of his boat. ------------- see Memorial 20, Garden 2 at ASFMG, National Arboretum and www.whoplantswins.info |
Posted By: knockerw
Date Posted: 05 January 2021 at 11:37am
Kevin I believe my dad was 797 in Naples happy to send over a few pictures ------------- Nick 247MB Coy |
Posted By: knockerw
Date Posted: 05 January 2021 at 11:49am
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Will post some pictures of Naples asap ------------- Nick 247MB Coy |
Posted By: knockerw
Date Posted: 05 January 2021 at 12:01pm
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John thanks for update - I look forward to a visit there to think on all 247 ....Nick ------------- Nick 247MB Coy |
Posted By: knockerw
Date Posted: 05 January 2021 at 4:29pm
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Must find my dad's to check ------------- Nick 247MB Coy |
Posted By: John Cater
Date Posted: 10 January 2021 at 2:33pm
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FYI unfortunately www.whoplantswins.info has now been deleted; the memorial is still there though! ------------- see Memorial 20, Garden 2 at ASFMG, National Arboretum and www.whoplantswins.info |
Posted By: Bob Monkhouse
Date Posted: 31 October 2025 at 9:01am
| It's a long shot but I stumbled across this website whilst looking for information on MASB S32 . I would like any information on this boat,I'm a minor member of the restoration group and I'm trying to find any and all info on her, She's in a very poor state at the moment and we are trying to fund her restoration . Would anyone on here have any photos or other information on her and also,again it's a long shot the names of anyone who served on her and any family contacts. My details are on this site somewhere but my phone number is 07982259790 |