What is going on here?
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=460
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 1:33pm
Topic: What is going on here?
Posted By: Pioneer
Subject: What is going on here?
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 11:49am
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Can anyone enlighten me with this? What looks like a MASB and a moored medical station (for downed Pilots?) there seems to be civilian personnel aboard.
------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Replies:
Posted By: clive
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 1:04pm
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I have a page from motorboat and yachting june 1942 (an article on MASB '32) there is a picture of one of these craft. The description of the picture reads 'A rescue float near the Goodwin Sands' while in the text it says 'A red and yellow refuge float' I hope this helps... ------------- masbie something in the water. www.freewebs.com/masb32/ |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 1:48pm
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Thank you Clive, I am wondering whether this may be a 'test', I note the prow of another craft and that civilians are about - an intriguing shot - not too sure of the White Ensign - could that be an RAF Jack? ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: tramontana
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 1:49pm
He has the look of one of them ther' Boffins unless he is from the Secret Services, could be an Agent re S as in S32 Clive
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Posted By: tramontana
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 1:55pm
| On reflection they look more like Builders reps or Test people as Pioneer indicated, it looks like a Navy crew to me. |
Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 2:24pm
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That’s defiantly one of the emergency life rafts that were station around the coast. The idea being that any plane unable to make it home would ditch near one of these and wait for the crew to be picked up. I believe the only air man ever rescued from one of these was German! They were painted bright yellow. The Scottish maritime museum has one of the last remaining examples in their car park. Perhaps this is at wars end and their bringing it back in? Alternatively perhaps its being deployed. Also if this was shot at sea then there must have been at least 3 craft. Well unless the photographer could walk on water. ------------- |
Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 2:34pm
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Note how someone’s jumped aboard and checked below before mooring her alongside to allow the boffins access. Perhaps its routine check and re-supply drop with some ‘boffins’ along to see how its holding up. ------------- |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 2:35pm
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Thank you gentlemen - settled a few answers - definately a moored Rescue Craft then - I wonder how many there were dotted around the Coast? I would not think this being at the War's end - the MASB appears to be lightly armed - but it could be being deployed or - considering the civilians - under Trials? ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: dgray
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 3:26pm
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English ones were apparently known as 'Cuckoos' and German ones were called 'Lobster pots'. The one in the photo is apparently ASR 10 and there were three 'Cuckoos' located off Great Yarmouth , serviced by Gorleston ASR craft. Source ' Crash Boats of Gorleston' by Tony Oliver. ISBN 1-903953-84-7 £10 from Woodfield Publishing. A great read. ------------- Don Only a number, not even a name. How shall posterity hear of thy fame? |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 3:52pm
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Hi all,
Very interesting piece above, had heard about these things before. How is 32 coming along?,
JohnK |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 4:11pm
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I do think that 'northeastuser' may be correct re-supplying. On the original photo, one of the 2 civvy's on the MASB - the one without a hat, seems to be holding a large leather pouch with what looks like a white cross - this can just be made out as a white blob here. Lobster Pots? and Cuckoo's - clever slice of humour for those dark days. ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: clive
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 4:33pm
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Hi John, '32 is making steady progress, hull sides are all nailed up and chines being made ready to go on, then just skin fittings to be replaced and gunwhale to be made and fitted. '32 operated from Ramsgate and Dover on air sea rescue duties with these boats: 6 Jun 43 Operate from Ramsgate on air sea rescue duties with numbers 23-26, 29, 31, 37 & 38. 13 Jun 43 Numbers 23-25, 29, & 31 to Dover. Numbers 26, 33 & 38 operate from Ramsgate. No 32 at Ramsgate for repairs. so as one of the boats is MASB twenty something perhaps the other boat is '32 or the 'cameraboat'? who knows, I would prefer another pic of the whole of '32... ------------- masbie something in the water. www.freewebs.com/masb32/ |
Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 4:52pm
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so clive, did you establish if S32 had anything to do with the designation of seagull? ------------- |
Posted By: clive
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 5:53pm
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Hi Billy, No, I think the 'S' meant she had 'ASDIC' fitted only because other boats (of other types too) which had the 'ASDIC' also had an 'S' prefix to their number. ------------- masbie something in the water. www.freewebs.com/masb32/ |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 8:28pm
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Just to add a little more to the confusion over the prefix "S" - there were some boat classes with "Q" (ML's) - "R" (again ML's) - "W" and "V" (some "D's") ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: johnk
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 9:02pm
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Hi Clive,
Many thanks for the update, had a look on Newsons site and saw the new pics. Spent Thursday un-slipping Velo 2 the Rhine River gun boat, very good stuff, a great job on re-plating the bow section, nice clean and painted hull, new anodes plus works to the props and sundries. Hope as I know I keep mentioning, that perhas a return to the south coast is on the cards, to Ramsgate harbour perhaps, though understand quite a haul and exspensive in fuel, always a stop could be made at Chatham! though a 12 mile detour up the Medway which is a pain. She is really looking good, a tribute to the work of Newsons, looking forward to seeing Spitfire sorted and another piece of our maritime history back in shape.
Johnk |
Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 30 November 2007 at 9:07pm
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Im not even sure that the Seagull thing was official, came across a period reference that said that ASR boats while on station were referred to as seagull e.g. seagull 32 and had their number painted on the fore deck prefixed with a large S to identify them to allied aircraft. It meant that HSL57 (made up number) for example would have been referred to on the radio as Seagull 57 and had S57 painted on her foredeck regardless of type. Anyway I have no idea if its true or just a period interpretation of the time. ------------- |
Posted By: tramontana
Date Posted: 02 December 2007 at 6:06pm
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As far as I am aware "Seagull" was all A.S.R. Launches communication pre-cursor call sign followed by their number so there is no communication interface malfunction with say H.S.L.102 and M.T.B.102. would you agree Magic Fingers Going back to the picture it looks like a first installation , the chap stood next to the Boffin in the mac looks like a typical Shipyard Gaffer with his battered trilby which was/ is a sign of his Rank in a Shipyard and may be from the builders of the float, It could be a rare photo of the Boffin (in the mac) who could be the Designer of it/them. S32 had the S designation throughout it's R.N. life even before A.S.R. work as a M.A.S.B. which had "ASDIC" fitted as confirmed by Christian if I remember correctly.
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Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 02 December 2007 at 6:26pm
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Ahh so it was official radio practice for ASR vessels. I did wonder. So during the war, would other vessels such as M.T.B 102 have been identified over the radio as an M.T.B? I understand the need not to confuse , but it would seem to be giving a lot away to broadcast what type of vessels were at sea on patrol. Though I expect radio work was kept to a minimum and two similar numbered vessels rarely served within the same are. On the subject or radio communication, would it mostly have been encrypted Morse code for security? And I assume voice from aircraft and boat to boat. Just curious. ------------- |
Posted By: rafwebfoot
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 1:14pm
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Hi folks. Just to clarify some of the earlier posts. ASR FLOATS or nicknamed CUCKOO. The picture shows No 10 being moored hence the boffin and the ASR launch. The boat at Irvine I believe has this number painted up (only one side was painted when I last visited perhaps they couldnt afford to paint all of her) but it is doubtful if she is ASR10. SEAGULL was the official call sign for ASR craft during WW2. It bore no resemblence to the boats official RAF number and to the best of my knowledge was never painted on UK craft but it was sometimes painted on the transom of Far East craft. The foredeck number was the official boat number with no prefix, and also a red and white chequer pattern. For 'D' day the boats involved carried a white five pointed star on the foredeck. ------------- FAIR WINDS AND A FAVOURABLE TIDE Donald |
Posted By: tramontana
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 7:38pm
| Encryption during W.W.2 was mostly manual. morse code broadcasts did not end until the "Tons" went out of business. |
Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 8:11pm
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Well that clears that up. Thank you guys, Just shows you can't always trust what you read. Even if it is a period refrence. ------------- |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 06 December 2007 at 12:49pm
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Another image of these strange craft - kindly sent by 'Christian'
Courtesy; 'Shipping' ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: John E P Cook
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 6:13pm
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I think you will find that the civilian with the briefcase is a representative of the
Geneva Protocal, since Neutral Rescue Craft are overseen by The Swiss Govt in wartime.
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Posted By: Digger
Date Posted: 15 August 2014 at 9:34am
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Interesting thread, I seem to recall watching an old British film may have been filmed just after the war with one of these in it. I think there was a downed German Pilot/crew taking refuge. Anyone else remember it. ------------- would love a chance to go on a WW2 MTB if anyone has one. would gladly supply the Rum Ration |
Posted By: rallyman46
Date Posted: 02 March 2023 at 11:48pm
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Slowly - JohnK - We'll tell you more in due course - all a bit delicate at present - p |