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WW2 rescue boat faces bleak future
WW2 rescue boat faces bleak future - Telegraph
HSL 102 (525)Engineer Phil Clabburn spent three years restoring 64-foot High Speed Launch 102, after finding its rotting shell in 1992.
He spent some £500,000 on rebuilding the wooden boat, capable of 38 knots, which is the last surviving vessel of the RAF's wartime Air Sea Rescue team.
In 1996 the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who had last inspected the vessel in 1941, attended its relaunch. More recently it was used in the film Enigma starring Kate Winslet.
Its prominence as a historic vessel has been recognised by The National Historic Ships Committee which has included it in its Core Collection, alongside the likes of HMS Victory, the Cutty Sark and SS Great Britain.
Mr Clabburn, 42, said: "I've been trying to sell her for about four years because I can no longer afford to keep her.
"I am going to try to sell her abroad but if I can't do that I will have no choice but to turn her back to how I found her which would be a tragedy."
The boat is on sale for £385,000. It is currently moored at Berthon Marina in Lymington, Hants.
He said it was "the biggest and fastest powerboat in the world when it was built in 1936."
The 100 class HSL was designed by Fred Cooper, the man behind Donald Campbell's Bluebird.
In 1941 38 aircrew were saved thanks to HSL 102, which was patrolling the English Channel during the Battle of Britain.
It was operational during Dunkirk and survived an attack in which the wireless operator was killed.
During the war more than 11,000 aircrew were saved by such boats.
British Military Powerboat Trust, Coastal Forces, Gunboats, Target Boats, High Speed Launches, Motor Gun Boats, Torpedo Boats, Patrol Boats, Seaplane Tenders
Wouldn't it be better to donate her ... rather than let her go to rot ??Originally Posted by Kyt
I understand he's put a lot of money into it ... and he'd like that back but if nobody will buy her .... give her to a museum or Trust or something if she means that much to him and he did it as a labour of love !!
Australia I suspect he might be a bit hard up now, Annie, otherwise someone with his passion would certainly donate the vessel. A crying shame that people as dedicated as him are better recognised and assisted. Now, if I sell everything I own, steal some of Kyt's books and sell them, we might have a Chat flagship! Morse would be happy!
As part of my research, l have been trying to find out what happened to HSL 108. Does anyone have any ideas?
Nick
Hi Nick .... it seems you've asked in a lot of places about the HSL 108 !!I know you have a lot of information about your Dad already !
I came across this and the thought occurred to me that this man may have some answers ... you might try a message to him .... its worth a shot .... if the experts here don't see this post first !
Colin Davies68 YEARS OF RAF MARINE CRAFT SERVICE
On the 31st of March 1986 the RAF Marine Branch was disbanded; the marine craft were handed over to a civilian contractor on the 1st February 1986. Thus ended 68 years of unbroken marine craft service to the RAF. How did it begin?
At the time when the Air Force was formed in 1918, water was thought to provide an ideal flat surface; float planes and sea planes were common and the newly formed RAF inherited many of them from the RNAS, instead of tractors, trucks and trailers boats were necessary to ferry aircrew and servicing teams to and from moorings, to refuel & re-arm the aircraft, and to tow them to and from the slipways. When planes were taxying, taking off and landing, the attendant safety boat was there to clear the water and lay a flare path in darkness; if there was a mishap it rescued the pilot and salvaged the pieces. As take of and landing speeds and distances increased, and as aircraft, including those based inland flew further out to sea, it became clear that the ex-navy boats were too slow and unseaworthy.
Late in 1929, Hubert Scott-Payne, creator of the "Miss Britain" record breaking speed boats of that era,approached Captain Beaufort-Greenwood, father of the Marine Craft Service. As a result a new breed of high speed marine craft was ordered by the Air Ministry; these were fast boats that planed over the waves instead of cutting through them. The prototype Seaplane Tender No: 200 was evaluated by Aircraftsman Shaw aka "Lawrence of Arabia" who was serving at RAF Mount Batten at the time. ( I wonder how many pieces of equipment were evaluated by AC2s. But then how many AC2s had held The Queens Commision in the Army,one asks oneself). The fundamental design concept of the 200 Class seaplane tender was to remain in RAF service for over fifty years. It lead to the design of the ’100 Class’ boats which became famous as the wartime HSL (High Speed Launch) of the Air Sea Rescue Service, capable of operating at long range in open sea conditions.
These boats and their crews contributed to the very frontiers of aeroplane advancement, achievement and exploration in the 1930’s. they tended and supported the float planes which won the Schneider Cup for Great Britain for three years in succession, and the seaplanes which made those pioneering flights across the Atlantic and to Africa, to Australia and the Orient.
The WW2 Years
Few HSLs had been built by the outbreak of war in 1939. The ASR service was not formed until February 1941 when losses of aircrew in the sea averaged 200 per month. Marshal of the Air Force, Sir John Salmond was appointed Director of Aircraft & Aircrew Safety later that year. Despite his muscle at the top, the production of sufficient HSLs for rescue duties was delayed by the Admiralty’s intransigence. ( Procurement problem, the Navy thought that just because it floated, they should have a say! it was because of the Admiralty’s attitude that Scott-Payne upped sticks and moved his design teams to Canada and produced boats over there for the Canadian and US Military as well. The American PT Boats were a Scott-Payne design hull.)
Yet, by 1945 300 HSLs supported by supported by substantial numbers of Pinnaces and Seaplane Tenders modified for the rescue role, and some 4000 marine personnel, were in service at 108 units in the UK and overseas. Although records were not kept in the early part of the war, ASR was accredited with saving well over 13,000 lives. The boats were in the front line an all the amphibious operations from Dunkirk to D-Day. Five seaplane tenders from RAF Calshot took some 500 men off the beaches at Dunkirk; on D-Day,136ASR launches were deployed in the assault area. Throughout the campaign, many boats were deliberately attacked and sunk.
In November1942, in recognition of their work, His majesty king George VI approved the distinguishing shoulder badge to marine craft crews. After the war, in acknowledgement of their operational record, the King granted Royal approval for the designation of sea-going marine craft as His Majesty’s Air Force Vessels’, entitled to wear the Union Flag forward - an honour previously reserved for HM Ships of the Royal Navy alone.
Annie
Sorry ! ... I forgot this .....Hi Nick .... it seems you've asked in a lot of places about the HSL 108 !!
I came across this and the thought occurred to me that this man may have some answers ... you might try a message to him .... its worth a shot .... if the experts here don't see this post first !
Colin Davies
Annie
https://www.forcesreunited.org.uk/fo...ic.asp?T=10372
I suppose you've already tried getting in touch here ....
British Military Powerboat Trust, Coastal Forces, Gunboats, Target Boats, High Speed Launches, Motor Gun Boats, Torpedo Boats, Patrol Boats, Seaplane Tenders
Last edited by liverpool annie; 10-12-2008 at 11:33 AM.
Hsl 108
Thanks Annie,
I will go through these to see what l can find.
I will get a web site going at some point on my findings but l have had a lot of help from a Dutchman, Hans Nauta, who is going to issue a book on the events of 1st July 1941 and it is only right that l let him lead.
My understanding is that following it's capture on 1st/2nd July 1941, HSL 108 was recovered and taken to Borkum and then Wilhelmshaven from which point, l believe that it was renamed 'Sengwarden' as part of 1./Sperrbecher Flottilla.
During the war as a POW, Roger Daggett, one of the surviving launch crew, saw HSL 108 in a German magazine in German colors being used to pick up survivors from the 'Lobster pot' survival buoys along the Dutch coast between Wilhelshaven and Flushing (Vlissingen). Roger attended my Father's funeral and l recently discussed this with him.
I also understand that there is a photograph in existence taken on the surrender of Keil, with the caption 'German E boat coming alondside' which the 'pros.' think to be a HSL in German colors. Photo remembered but not produced as yet.
My search includes anyone who was with my Father, it is amazing the connections that you come across.
I recently joined the 'Blenheim Society' and was contacted by the Brother of Douglas Barker. Douglas was shot down about a month after my Father and had very similar experiences, same POW camps, etc. but we thought, no other connection. Further research shows that Douglas was on the same raid as my Father on 30th June 1941 with a joint operation between 139 and 18 Squadrons.
A certain Sgt. James McCairns, l believe, escorted my Father on this raid and was shot down shortly afterwards. A few months later, James and my Father escaped together as per McCairns E&E report but were recaptured. McCairns subsequently escaped again and was successful in returning to England, the rest is fairly well known.
My Grandparents and, l believe, Roger Daggett's parents, received mail from McCairns after his return for sometime until his death in 1946.
But the search continues:- Recently my middle son Sean wanted to go to the IWM in London as part of his school research into WW2. Walking around by the Desert rat truch he was standing next to a bent nose cone and said, 'Dad, is this from Grandpa's friend?'. Sure enough, the caption underneith showed that it was from a nose cone of a Lysander piloted by James McCairns that was damaged during a SOE pick up/drop off.
Small world.
Still researching.
Regards,
Nick
Australia Amazingly small world, Nick. Looks like you're following some good threads.
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