MGB85
Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: Boats (In alphabetical order)
Forum Name: Motor Gun Boats
Forum Description: Discussion on Motor Gun Boats
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=87
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 10:43am
Topic: MGB85
Posted By: Joeblob
Subject: MGB85
Date Posted: 10 December 2005 at 2:37pm
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Hi I am trying to trace the history of my fathers old boat, MGB 85 which I beleive was one of 12 Elco boats from the USA and formed part of the 7th flotilla based at Lowestoft (HMS Mantis) Any info greatly appreciated |
Replies:
Posted By: alross2
Date Posted: 11 December 2005 at 9:26pm
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Basically, MGB85 was the former PTC4, a 70' ELCO PTC. She and PTC1-12 were transferred to the RN in early 1941 and became motor gunboats. She was paid off on July 7, 1945 and laid up at Gillingham until the end of 1947. After that, I don't know what happened to her. If you can find a copy of John Lambert's and my Allied Coastal Forces of WWII, vol. 2, you'll see a number of drawings and photos of the type. It also contains a bibliography for further reading. Feed free to contact me directly at mailto:alross2@aol.com - alross2@aol.com and I'll email you some photos and drawings that might be of interest.
------------- Al Ross II |
Posted By: alross2
Date Posted: 14 December 2005 at 2:15am
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Here are a couple profiles of the 70' ELCO in RN service.
------------- Al Ross II |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: 10 April 2006 at 11:56am
| Saw your question from before I joined. I'm Peter, trying to track MGB 84. I have some photos which are said to be MGBs 84, 85 and 86. You can contact me on moahine@pocketmail.com.au if you like. |
Posted By: AndyS
Date Posted: 26 September 2006 at 2:46pm
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Hello Al Are you getting anywhere with the next volume of the book on the BPBCo boats? Thanks AndyS |
Posted By: angriff
Date Posted: 04 February 2007 at 7:33pm
| I had the same question about the BPB book, Al Ross.. I had some emails discussions from John Lambert a while back and he was saying that finishing touches was all that was needed. My basic question on that book would it include the BPB French Variant and other vessels such as the CAMPER AND NICHOLSON MGBs 502 - 509? |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: 05 February 2007 at 10:55am
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Joeblob,
Im away from home at the moment, but got a message that someone was querying MGB 85 in Febuary 07. I can"t see if it was other than you but from memory i sent you all I had. Through Al Ross i did get the whole story of MGB 84. There seems no doubt that the ends of 84, 85 and 86 were similar and i did resolve 84 and 86, with 85 being conspicuous by her absence. I am anxious to help in any way I can as i know the frustration and relief of getting to the bottom of the histories. Let me know if I can help further. Peter |
Posted By: Joeblob
Date Posted: 05 February 2007 at 1:26pm
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Peter Thanks for your help, but unfortunately I seem to have come up against a wall regarding MGB85, I had a lot of useful inforormation from Al Ross. Other people on the forum helped in tracing my fathers other boat MTB458 but no luck with the MGB. John |
Posted By: Stormvogel
Date Posted: 06 February 2009 at 9:56am
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Hi,
Between 11th February 1942 & 2nd March 1942 MGB 85 was at HMS St Christopher, Fort William in Scotland. My Grandfather was training on her as Chief Motor Mechanic. Hope this fills a gap.
All the best,
Stormvogel
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Posted By: bruce bb
Date Posted: 20 January 2010 at 5:39pm
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Hi.I have some information about MGB85.My father purchased this boat in 1956 intending to convert it to a houseboat for us to live in. This never happened.He wrote to the admiralty and received what history they had which I still have. The vessel had some damage to the bow but the number 85 was still visible. I have some photos. I also have some switches taken from the wheelhouse with elco engraved on them.My father owned 85 until about 1964 and sold her to someone in Essex.They finished fitting the engine my father had put in her [an ex landing craft engine] and took her away down the river medway under her own power.
I also have some information about MGB84 as well if anyone is interested. Hope this is of interest to you.Please let me know if you would like any pictures or maybe the elco switches from your fathers boat. Regards Bruce. |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 20 January 2010 at 7:39pm
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Hi Bruce,
Very interesting, off down the Medway caught my eye as ever, work at what is now Chatham Marina in the former naval dockyard, a landing craft engine indeed, some pictures on the site or link would be great to see if possible,
Johnk
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Posted By: Joeblob
Date Posted: 21 January 2010 at 8:13am
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Hi Bruce
Thanks for the info, any photos would be greatly appreciated so I can show my father ,who by the way will be 87 in May.
Cheers John. (Joeblob)
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Posted By: Joeblob
Date Posted: 21 January 2010 at 8:54am
| Hi Bruce Thanks for the info, any photos and/or history of 85 would be greatly appreciated as I can show my father, who will be 87 in May and remembers his boats like yesterday. Cheers John |
Posted By: bruce bb
Date Posted: 21 January 2010 at 5:49pm
| Hi John.Glad you got my message.I will get as much as I can to you.Please be patient,I am not to good on the computer.Most of photos are on slides so I will get these printed.I have a letter from the admiralty describing an encounter with MGB85/86 and91 with e boats on 3rd/4th dec 1943 that I will get to you also.My phone number if you would like to get in touch is 01634849868.Regards Bruce. |
Posted By: bruce bb
Date Posted: 21 January 2010 at 6:28pm
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I will do my best to post as much as possible with my very limited computer skills.MGB85 was moored at strood yacht club when my father owned her and I now moor my own boat there,second generation!The landing craft engine was a HUDSON INVADER. A bit smaller than her original engines.Regards Bruce.
PS. The dockyard has changed a bit hasnt it! |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 21 January 2010 at 8:56pm
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Hi Bruce,
Many thanks, know off but not a lot about Strood yacht club, yes the dock has changed! I remember it from before closure, joined Medway Sea Cadets in Pembroke barracks, moved to the apprentice school on closure, now of course a university, understand re pics, as and when you can, many people here also very interested for sure, all the best,
Johnk
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Posted By: Joeblob
Date Posted: 22 January 2010 at 8:51am
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Hi Bruce
Once again thank you, I will look forward to any info you manage to send, modern technology can bite back! I also researched my fathers MTB and managed to get some photcopies of her logbok for VE day from the Royal Navy Historical Branch, most helpful people.
Regards
John
|
Posted By: pjmileham
Date Posted: 21 February 2011 at 11:45am
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Hi Bruce
I came across your post when researching my Uncle, Paddy Wotton, who served aboard MGB84 during the war. Any information would be welcome! I have a few photos if you're interested. Thanks. Paul Mileham |
Posted By: bruce bb
Date Posted: 11 September 2011 at 9:26am
| Hi Paul.I can tell you a little about MGB84.When I was a boy and my father owned MGB85 we would go to Gravesend to look at the boats in the basin there. In the basin was MGB84.My father told me she was used as a test boat by international paints to test new marine paints. That explained her odd paint sceme. Years later I was working in the area and went to the basin in my lunch break and found her moved and someone working on her. I told him about my fathers boat and he said he had got 84 and was going to hire her out to film companies. Sometime later I read in our local paper she had moved to Hoo marina on the river medway and had tragicly caught fire and burnt out. One person lost their life. This is all I can tell you about MGB84. A sad end to a fine vessel.Regards Bruce. |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 12 September 2011 at 8:40am
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Hi there, Yes, think post on the fire on this vessel before, recall from local papers it was a mother and children who were sadly lost, thought? she was an American PT vessel, recall from the press coverage the owner had been in contact with the American embassy regarding plans, and comment from the embassy on the loss....
Johnk
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Posted By: Simon
Date Posted: 17 May 2022 at 12:27am
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MGB 86I owned this vessel and it was moored in the Gravesend Kent (UK) canal basin. The vessel was part of the lease/lend policy with the UK during the war, however it was never returned to the USA at the end of hostility's.It was purchased from a gentleman who lived in Welling Kent (UK) and was always 'Known' as the Dulux (paint manufacturer) test boat, this was not true, but it probably stemmed from the fact that it was all painted white on a regular basis. The original engines had been removed and replaced with what I recall were a pair of Hudson Invader engines (Petrol) and a very unusual propulsion system which was made by Hotchkiss, this had two galvanised tunnels that came inside the hull with two fairly small props giving more of a water jet propulsion with then four fairly large directional rudders. The vessel was exceptionally original even down to still having the I presume standard issue from USA ration pack, this was gold coloured tins stamped USN on the lids in a dot principal. It had such things as corned beef, milk, chocolate, coffee and many more items. The interior of the vessel was remarkable, it was also exceptionally watertight, I never ever had to pump it out. I can only assume the on board generator had been changed as this had a BSA engine powering it. The galley area was very well kitted out with electric hobs and fridge etc, all finished in a cream colour. The wheelhouse was also it seems as it came into service, with switches marked BATTLE LAMPS. It left the Gravesend basin on sale to a man from Barrow in Furness (UK) but as it seems he did not really have a whole lot of knowledge, he only ran on one engine as he had not taken the time to complete the work needed on the second one, it suffered engine failure when opposite the PLA isolation hospital near Gravesend (UK) and hit the sea wall. The damage caused caused it to partially sink. It was sold I understand although this could be wrong, for £1 by the PLA as salvage to a man from the Medway area, he patched it up and had it towed to Hoo Marina on the river Medway. It was used as a houseboat for a while but suffered a fire one evening. It did not sink but the superstructure was damaged. The next part is the sad part, I then understand it was towed to an area in either Greenhithe or Swanscombe (near Gravesend AGAIN) where it was kept on a mud berth. It seems the owner had some issues and went to prison (I do NOT know this is true, but I understand it is) and due to the offences, a party of people set the vessel alight as an act of retaliation, that it seems was the end really of MGB 86, a very sad day to see the end of a really great historic vessel. In my head I can still walk through this little ship and remember all that I saw.
------------- Simon |
Posted By: Simon
Date Posted: 17 May 2022 at 12:27am
|
MGB 86 I owned this vessel and it was moored in the Gravesend Kent (UK) canal basin. The vessel was part of the lease/lend policy with the UK during the war, however it was never returned to the USA at the end of hostility's.It was purchased from a gentleman who lived in Welling Kent (UK) and was always 'Known' as the Dulux (paint manufacturer) test boat, this was not true, but it probably stemmed from the fact that it was all painted white on a regular basis. The original engines had been removed and replaced with what I recall were a pair of Hudson Invader engines (Petrol) and a very unusual propulsion system which was made by Hotchkiss, this had two galvanised tunnels that came inside the hull with two fairly small props giving more of a water jet propulsion with then four fairly large directional rudders. The vessel was exceptionally original even down to still having the I presume standard issue from USA ration pack, this was gold coloured tins stamped USN on the lids in a dot principal. It had such things as corned beef, milk, chocolate, coffee and many more items. The interior of the vessel was remarkable, it was also exceptionally watertight, I never ever had to pump it out. I can only assume the on board generator had been changed as this had a BSA engine powering it. The galley area was very well kitted out with electric hobs and fridge etc, all finished in a cream colour. The wheelhouse was also it seems as it came into service, with switches marked BATTLE LAMPS. It left the Gravesend basin on sale to a man from Barrow in Furness (UK) but as it seems he did not really have a whole lot of knowledge, he only ran on one engine as he had not taken the time to complete the work needed on the second one, it suffered engine failure when opposite the PLA isolation hospital near Gravesend (UK) and hit the sea wall. The damage caused caused it to partially sink. It was sold I understand although this could be wrong, for £1 by the PLA as salvage to a man from the Medway area, he patched it up and had it towed to Hoo Marina on the river Medway. It was used as a houseboat for a while but suffered a fire one evening. It did not sink but the superstructure was damaged. The next part is the sad part, I then understand it was towed to an area in either Greenhithe or Swanscombe (near Gravesend AGAIN) where it was kept on a mud berth. It seems the owner had some issues and went to prison (I do NOT know this is true, but I understand it is) and due to the offences, a party of people set the vessel alight as an act of retaliation, that it seems was the end really of MGB 86, a very sad day to see the end of a really great historic vessel. In my head I can still walk through this little ship and remember all that I saw.
------------- Simon |
Posted By: Stormvogel
Date Posted: 05 November 2025 at 10:32am
| Hello, this may be a bit late (15yrs) but do you still have the photo's of 85? I have managed to pull together photo's of all the boats my Gradfather served on, except for 85. I would be very interested to see them if that is still possible please. Thanks Chris |