A Book for all Reasons, ibooknet & PBFA: WW2 - Navy - Coastal Forces, Clandestine Naval Ops and Landing Craft
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WAR OF THE MOTOR GUN BOATS - One Man's Personal War at Sea with the Coastal Forces, 1943-1945.
Practorian / Pen and Sword, Barnsley, 2013, 1st edn., xii, 163pp, 16pp half tone photo ills., navy blue cloth lettered in gilt at spine, coloured pictorial montage dustwrapper, the author's experiences in RN Coastal Forces 1943-1945, in the English Channel, North Sea, Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. After training his first operational posting in September 1943 was to RML522, a 'B' class Fairmile Rescue Launch based at HMS Attack, Portland. After nightly patrol between Portland Bill and The Needles by mid-October he was considered sufficiently proficient to be transferred to a more active command. He was drafted to MGB 607, a 'D' class Fairmile gunboat, part of the 17th MGB Flotilla, based at HMS Midge, Great Yarmouth. On his first patrol he experienced the raid by 32 E-boats on convoy FN1160, on 25th October 1943. The author was a telegraphist with a limited view of the action but he includes the detailed account written by MBG 607's navigating officer, Sub. Lt. Arkell. The encounter resulted in half the crew of MGB 607 being killed or wounded but they destryed two E-boats. In attempting to destroy a third they rammed an E-boat, ripping away their entire mess-deck with all their personal posessions. They were found by their sister MGB 603 and towed backwards to HMS MIdge, After 14 days survivors leave he returned to HMS Midge and to MTB 605, identical to MGB 607 apart from a couple of torpedo tubes either side of the bridge, In early 1944 he passed the Telegraphists examination and qualified as a senior telegraphist. He was drafted to the Mediterranean and at Cairo he became a member of the crew of a new boat being assembled there, ML 838, a ‘B’ Class Fairmile of the 43rd ML Flotilla. Once ready for sea ML 838’s task was escorting merchant vessels between Alexandria, Tobruk and Benghazi through JUne and July 1944. In August new orders moved ML 838 to patrol the Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea which remained their task for the rest of the war, transporting Greek commandos, making reconnaisance landings, etc. upper board a little bumped, dustwrapper: lightly rubbed at tips, very good in a very good dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 45538
GBP 32.00 [Appr.: EURO 37.75 US$ 40.91 | JP¥ 6362]
Keywords: war ww2 navy coastal forces hms midge royal arthur scotia mercury telegraphist attack fairmile english channel north sea east coast convoy great yarmouth MGB 607 MTB 605 ML 838 cairo alexandria tobruk benghazi aegean
WAR OF THE MOTOR GUN BOATS - One man's personal war at sea with the Coastal Forces 1943-1945.
Praetorian Press, Barnsley, 2023, 1st thus, paperback, xii, 163pp, 16pp half tone photo ills., large format (9 x 6" approx.), coloured pictorial montage upper wrapper, the author's experiences in RN Coastal Forces 1943-1945, in the English Channel, North Sea, Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. After training his first operational posting in September 1943 was to RML522, a 'B' class Fairmile Rescue Launch based at HMS Attack, Portland. After nightly patrol between Portland Bill and The Needles by mid-October he was considered sufficiently proficient to be transferred to a more active command. He was drafted to MGB 607, a 'D' class Fairmile gunboat, part of the 17th MGB Flotilla, based at HMS Midge, Great Yarmouth. On his first patrol he experienced the raid by 32 E-boats on convoy FN1160, on 25th October 1943. The author was a telegraphist with a limited view of the action but he includes the detailed account written by MBG 607's navigating officer, Sub. Lt. Arkell. The encounter resulted in half the crew of MGB 607 being killed or wounded but they destryed two E-boats. In attempting to destroy a third they rammed an E-boat, ripping away their entire mess-deck with all their personal posessions. They were found by their sister MGB 603 and towed backwards to HMS MIdge, After 14 days survivors leave he returned to HMS Midge and to MTB 605, identical to MGB 607 apart from a couple of torpedo tubes either side of the bridge, In early 1944 he passed the Telegraphists examination and qualified as a senior telegraphist. He was drafted to the Mediterranean and at Cairo he became a member of the crew of a new boat being assembled there, ML 838, a ‘B’ Class Fairmile of the 43rd ML Flotilla. Once ready for sea ML 838’s task was escorting merchant vessels between Alexandria, Tobruk and Benghazi through JUne and July 1944. In August new orders moved ML 838 to patrol the Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea which remained their task for the rest of the war, transporting Greek commandos, making reconnaisance landings, etc. fine,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 45792
GBP 26.00 [Appr.: EURO 30.75 US$ 33.24 | JP¥ 5169]
Keywords: war ww2 navy coastal forces
NIGHT ACTION - MTB Flotilla at War.
Purnell Book Services, London, 1974, club edn., 242pp, 8pp half tone ills., diagrams in text, maps at endpapers, black cloth lettered and decorated in gilt at spine, pictorial dustwrapper, club edition virtually identical to publisher's edition, the wartime experiences of the author, in the destroyer HMS Somali, a dutch vessel Doggersbank at Dunkirk and 1st Lt. destroyer HMS Cotswold until mined on the East Coast in April, 1942. After survivors leave he took over MTB 234, from June 1942 as Senior Officer 21st MTB Flotilla at HMS Beehive (Felixstowe), HMS Mantis (Lowestoft) until December, again at HMS Beehive to end July, 1943, working with MGB's in the North Sea and off the Dutch coast attacking German shipping, a little rubbed and lightly bumped at tips, edges tanned, dustwrapper: rubbed with slight loss at head of spine, relined at upper edges folds, very good in a very good dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 40701
GBP 20.00 [Appr.: EURO 23.5 US$ 25.57 | JP¥ 3976]
Keywords: war ww2 navy mtb mgb rncf royal dunkirk naval coastal forces east coast narrow seas convoy anglia suffolk destroyer somali cotswold felixstowe beehive lowestoft mantis a/s
NIGHT ACTION - MTB Flotilla at War.
Purnell Book Services, London, 1974, club edn., 242pp, 8pp half tone ills., diagrams in text, maps at endpapers, black cloth lettered and decorated in gilt at spine, pictorial dustwrapper, the wartime experiences of the author, in the destroyer HMS Somali, a dutch vessel Doggersbank at Dunkirk and 1st Lt. destroyer HMS Cotswold until mined on the East Coast in April, 1942. After survivors leave he took over MTB 234, from June 1942 as Senior Officer 21st MTB Flotilla at HMS Beehive (Felixstowe), HMS Mantis (Lowestoft) until December, again at HMS Beehive to end July, 1943, working with MGB's in the North Sea and off the Dutch coast attacking German shipping, edges a little tanned, dustwrapper: a little rubbed with sl. loss at extrems., relined at head of spine, laminate shrinking at front flap fold, very good plus in a very good dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44260
GBP 22.00 [Appr.: EURO 26 US$ 28.12 | JP¥ 4374]
Keywords: war ww2 navy mtb mgb rncf east coast convoy anglia suffolk destroyer somali cotswold beehive mantis coastal forces
NIGHT ACTION - MTB Flotilla at War.
Corgi, London, 1976, 1st in imprint, paperback, 285pp, 8pp half tone photo ills., several diagrams in line, [iii] ads., wraparound coloured pictorial wrappers by B. Knight, the wartime experiences of the author, in the destroyer HMS Somali, a dutch vessel Doggersbank at Dunkirk and 1st Lt. destroyer HMS Cotswold until mined on the East Coast in April, 1942. After survivors leave he took over MTB 234, from June 1942 as Senior Officer 21st MTB Flotilla at HMS Beehive (Felixstowe), HMS Mantis (Lowestoft) until December, again at HMS Beehive to end July, 1943, working with MGB's in the North Sea and off the Dutch coast attacking German shipping, edges tanned, light creasing to wrappers, very good,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 45799
GBP 12.00 [Appr.: EURO 14.25 US$ 15.34 | JP¥ 2386]
Keywords: war ww2 navy mtb mgb rncf east coast convoy anglia suffolk destroyer somali cotswold beehive mantis
INSHORE HEROES - The Story of HM Motor Launches in two World Wars.
W. H. Allen, London, 1961 1st. edn., 320pp, half tone photo frontis, 12pp half tone photo ills., 3 in text maps, red cloth lettered in gilt at spine, coloured pictorial dustwrapper by Alan Plummer, a history of the development and operational use of the Royal Navy's motor launches during WW1 (pp 13-59) including Zeebrugge, and WW2 (pp 63-295), with the emphasis on RN Coastal Forces of WW2 when the MLs and HDMLs formed the 'maids-of-all-work' of routine naval duties including escort, minelaying, minesweeping, etc. whilst the faster MGBs and MTBs had much of the glamour, covering the design development of the early vessels, the training programme for their officers and crews at HMS St Christopher (Fort William), further training in anti-submarine duties at HMS Sea Hawk (Ardrishaig), engineer training and drafting at HMS Attack (Portland) and working up crews at into operational units at HMS Bee (Weymouth), with accounts of their exploits in home waters including the operation againt St. Nazaire, in the Mediterranean, the naval contribution to the invasion of Normandy and in the far east, with appendices of vessel specifications, strength and losses in each war, an uncommon title, upper edge dusty, all edges tanned, dustwrapper: price clipped, a little rubbed and creased at extrems., slight loss at tail of spine and flap folds, repaired to reverse, very goood in a very good dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44140
GBP 35.00 [Appr.: EURO 41.25 US$ 44.74 | JP¥ 6958]
Keywords: war ww2 navy coastal forces zeebrugge st nazaire 43132
THE SECRET NAVIES.
Sphere, London, 1980, 1st in imprint, paperback, 318pp, 8pp, half tone photo ills., maps and diagram in text, [i] ads., coloured pictorial montage upper wrapper, an account of three naval units specialising in clandestine activities during WW2: the 15th Motor Gunboat Flotilla which, apart from the RAF, was the principal means of maintaining communication with occupied Europe; the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment, a cover name for a unit specialising in attacking ships in harbour; and the Intelligence Assault Unit, designated as 30 Commando, which, with and sometimes ahead of the advance troops, sought to gather German secret and technical documents and material before they could be destroyed, edges tanned, spine slightly sunned, very good plus,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 45803
GBP 15.00 [Appr.: EURO 17.75 US$ 19.18 | JP¥ 2982]
Keywords: war ww2 navy marines intelligence commando rncf sabotage coastal forces
GUNBOAT COMMAND - The Life of 'Hitch' Lieutenant Commander Robert Hichens DSO*, DSC** RNVR 1909-1943.
Pen and Sword, Barnsley, 2008, reprint, xviii, 348pp, 16pp half tone photo ills., maps in text, black cloth lettered in gilt at spine, coloured pictorial montage dustwrapper, a biography of the author's father, the Cornish country soliicitor who became famous for his exploits in Coastal Forces during WW2 and based on his diaries and his account "We Fought them in Gunboats", Robert Hichens joined the Royal Navy as an experienced yachtsman in October 1939 and found himself commissioned as a Sub-Lt. in the RNV(Supplementary)R, posted to King Alfred for training he passed out in December and was appointed to the fleet minesweeper HMS Halcyon as a Lieutenant, later HMS Niger taking control of gunnery. The biography covers his experiences from his time on the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940 to his death in 1943 when he held the rank of Lt. Cdr., DSO and bar, DSC and 2 bars, in command of the 8th Motor Gun Boat flotilla, and was acknowledged as having made a considerable contribution to the development of the armaments and tactics of the MGB's of RN Coastal Forces, very slightly cocked, dustwrapper: tiny rub at tail of spine, near fine in a near fine dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44166
GBP 12.00 [Appr.: EURO 14.25 US$ 15.34 | JP¥ 2386]
Keywords: war ww2 navy rncf cornwall coastal forces biography halcyon niger dunkirk beehive
WE FOUGHT THEM IN GUNBOATS.
John Spencer / Badger Books, London, 1957, 1st thus, paperback, 191pp, [i] ad., coloured pictorial wrappers (unattrib.), the account of the actions of mainly the 6th and 8th Motor Gun Boat Flotillas of RN Coastal Forces, in the North Sea and English Channel, by the first RNVR officer to be appointed Lt. Cdr. in command of a flotilla of MGB's, and of their forming up at Fowey before posting to Felixstowe (HMS Beehive) in March 1941, with a spell at Dartmouth (HMS Britannia III) July-September, 1942, the Falmouth solicitor who developed the tactics for the use of these new fighting vessels and, in the absence of prompt Admiralty support, found ways to improve the design and armament themselves before he was killed in April, 1943. He left behind the manuscript of this book, a version of which was originally published and subsequently reprinted by Michael Joseph, much edited by the official censor. For this uncommon edition in the 'Badger Books' series David James, one of Hichens flotilla COs, has re-edited the original manuscript and he has restored much of the factual data of the actions and the criticisms of the naval hierarchy that had been removed by the censor from the original edition, edges sl. tanned, spine wrinkled, very good plus,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 45804
GBP 96.00 [Appr.: EURO 112.75 US$ 122.72 | JP¥ 19085]
Keywords: war ww2 navy east coast convoy anglia suffolk fowey felixstowe dartmouth beehive mtb mgb rncf channel islands north sea cabinet
THE LITTLE SHIPS.
Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1944, 3rd imp., 164pp, illustrated frontis and 16pp half tone drawings and photo ills, beige cloth lettered in red at spine and upper board,coloured pictorial dustwrapper by S. E. Turner, an early account of the work of the Royal Navy's Coastal Forces, the Motor Launches, Motor Torpedo Boats and Motor Gun Boats based at the south and east coast ports of the British Isles and venturing out into the enemy held Narrow Seas off the coast of Europe, edges tanned, dustwrapper: rubbed with loss at upper and lower edges which has been restored and then laminated, very good in a fair dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44143
GBP 20.00 [Appr.: EURO 23.5 US$ 25.57 | JP¥ 3976]
Keywords: war ww2 britain topography east coast convoy anglia suffolk navy mtb mgb rncf
RAID ON ST. NAZAIRE.
Macdonald, London, 1970, 1st edn. UK, trade paperback, 160pp, numerous in text maps, half tone photo and line ills., photo pictorial wrappers, Purnell's 'History of the Second World War, Battle Book 14', graphic account of Operation Chariot, the attack involving the ramming of the Normandie dock at St. Nazaire by the destroyer laden with explosives HMS Campbeltown to deny the facilities to the Tirpitz, by a combined force which won 5 VC's, slight sunning to spine, lightly rubbed at tips, edges tanned, very good plus,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 43819
GBP 8.00 [Appr.: EURO 9.5 US$ 10.23 | JP¥ 1590]
Keywords: war ww2 history navy vc operation chariot nazaire tirpitz normandie dock campbeltown rncf mtb mgb ml coastal forces
UNTOLD STORIES OF SMALL BOATS AT WAR - Coastal Forces Veterans Remember.
Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland, 1994, 1st edn., xii, 232pp, [iv] blank, half tone photo ills. and cartoons in text, black cloth lettered in gilt at spine, coloured pictorial wraparound dustwrapper, a collection of the experiences of members of Coastal Forces, first published in their veterans' in-house newsletter, including brief histories of the clandestine experiences of MGB 318 in 1942-3 (by the compiler and David Birkin, DSC); about the capture and execution of the Norwegian crew of MTB 345 in July 1943; an eight hour sweep by 58th Flotilla MTB's from Lowestoft and their actions against German vessels off the Dutch coast in July 1944; the Bruneval raid of February 1943. etc., with many other accounts from the many theatres of WW2 in which Coastal Forces operated, a little bumped at cnrs., edges tanned, dustwrapper: lightly rubbed at tips, spine slightly sunned, very good in a very good plus dustwrapper,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44178
GBP 20.00 [Appr.: EURO 23.5 US$ 25.57 | JP¥ 3976]
Keywords: war ww2 navy rncf coastal forces clandestine combined operations narrow seas lowestoft mtb mgb hdml hmml north sea mediterranean aegean
UNTOLD STORIES OF SMALL BOATS AT WAR - Coastal Forces Veterans Remember.
Consort Print, Fareham, 1996, 1st in imprint, paperback, xii, 252pp, half tone photo ills. and cartoons in text, large format (8 x 6" approx.) coloured pictorial wraparound wrappers, a collection of the experiences of members of Coastal Forces, first published in their veterans' in-house newsletter, including brief histories of the clandestine experiences of MGB 318 in 1942-3 (by the compiler and David Birkin, DSC); about the capture and execution of the Norwegian crew of MTB 345 in July 1943; an eight hour sweep by 58th Flotilla MTB's from Lowestoft and their actions against German vessels off the Dutch coast in July 1944; the Bruneval raid of February 1943. etc., with many other accounts from the many theatres of WW2 in which Coastal Forces operated, this 2nd edition contains an extra 20 page account, from Harold Thompson, co-pilot of the USAAF 388th Bombardment Group B-17 Flying Fortress 'Wee Bonnie' based at Knettishall in Suffolk who was shot down over France in September 1943, evaded capture and with help from the French resistance was one of those rescued by MGB 318, lightly rubbed at tips, very good plus,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44632
GBP 24.00 [Appr.: EURO 28.25 US$ 30.68 | JP¥ 4771]
Keywords: war ww2 navy rncf coastal forces clandestine combined operations narrow seas lowestoft mtb mgb hdml hmml north sea mediterranean aegean
UNTOLD STORIES OF SMALL BOATS AT WAR - Coastal Forces Veterans Remember.
Consort Print, Fareham, 1996, 1st in imprint, paperback, xii, 252pp, half tone photo ills. and cartoons in text, large format (8 x 6" approx.), coloured pictorial wraparound wrappers, a collection of the experiences of members of Coastal Forces, first published in their veterans' in-house newsletter, including brief histories of the clandestine experiences of MGB 318 in 1942-3 (by the compiler and David Birkin, DSC); about the capture and execution of the Norwegian crew of MTB 345 in July 1943; an eight hour sweep by 58th Flotilla MTB's from Lowestoft and their actions against German vessels off the Dutch coast in July 1944; the Bruneval raid of February 1943. etc., with many other accounts from the many theatres of WW2 in which Coastal Forces operated, this 2nd edition contains an extra 20 page account, from Harold Thompson, co-pilot of the USAAF 388th Bombardment Group B-17 Flying Fortress 'Wee Bonnie' based at Knettishall in Suffolk who was shot down over France in September 1943, evaded capture and with help from the French resistance was one of those rescued by MGB 318, fine,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44633
GBP 28.00 [Appr.: EURO 33 US$ 35.79 | JP¥ 5566]
Keywords: war ww2 navy rncf coastal forces clandestine combined operations narrow seas lowestoft mtb mgb hdml hmml north sea mediterranean aegean
DOG BOATS AT WAR - A History of the Operations of the Royal Navy D Class Fairmile Motor Torpedo Boats and Motor Gunboats 1939-1945.
Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2000, 1st in imprint, paperback, x, 289pp, oversize (10.5 x 8 inches approx.), coloured pictorial upper wrapper, an account of the development and service of the the Fairmile Co. type 'D' boat, the longer (115ft) semi-hard chine 4 engine boats that came into service in the Spring of 1942, able to withstand heavier seas than earlier types and with a greatly increased armament, with accounts of actions in Norwegian and Home Waters, and the Mediterranean, from Spring 1942 until 1945, and with tables of awards; war losses; flotiilas, the boats they comprised and where based; and a bibliography of sources and index, faint vertical crease in spine, lightly rubbed at tips, near fine,
A Book for all ReasonsProfessional sellerBook number: 44635
GBP 18.00 [Appr.: EURO 21.25 US$ 23.01 | JP¥ 3578]
Keywords: war ww2 navy mtb mgb