Our Aims

Our Objectives

The "object" of the Coastal Forces Heritage Trust is the advancement of the education of the public in the history of Coastal Forces by restoration and permanent display for the public benefit, of Coastal Forces craft together with relevant artefacts, records and memorabilia relating to such craft, and those who served therein.

This is being achieved by:

Saving WW2 Coastal Forces vessels.
Encouraging Veteran Organisations
Setting up an archive of artefacts and historical documents
Establishing Memorial plaques at the major WW2 Coastal Forces bases
Creating an archive of video recorded interviews
Planning for a major Coastal forces display in the Royal Naval Museum at Portsmouth.

The Trust have established a permanent display at the former Coastal Forces base at Gosport, HMS Hornet and are gradually establishing a commemoration at each of the former Coastal Forces bases.

A huge number of small vessels were built for or pressed into service with the Royal navy in WW2. We have adopted the definition of "Coastal Forces" as those craft that came under the command of Rear Admiral Coastal Forces. These include Motor Torpedo Boats, Motor Anti-Submarine Boats, Motor Gun Boats, Motor Launches and Steam Gun Boats. Also included are the post war Fast Patrol Boats and Fast Training Boats.

(Motor Minesweepers, Coastal Minesweepers, Inshore Minesweepers, Motor Fishing Vessels, Landing Craft, trawlers and Torpedo Boats of 1877-1909 currently fall outside our scope of activity).

We are funded entirely by private donation.