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MTB71 Update |
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Following the loss of Motor Gun Boat (MGB) 60, at the boatyard in Lowestoft on 30th April 2004, the Trust immediately started work to locate a replacement craft for display at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) at Duxford. The Trust discovered that Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) 71, owned by Hampshire County Council and housed by the British Military Powerboat Trust (BMPT) could be made available as a highly appropriate alternative. At a ceremony on 21st June 2004 MTB 71 was officially handed over to the Director of the IWM, Robert Crawford by the Chairmen of BMPT and CFHT, Charles du Cane and Lord Strathcona respectively, as reported in Newsletter No4. The continuing existence of MTB 71 is due in a large part to the MTB 71 Trust who have nurtured the craft with much care for a number of years. MTB 71 was built by Vosper's, at first intended for the Royal Norwegian Navy, but was commissioned into the Royal Navy in June 1940. With a length of 60 feet and hard chine wooden construction, MTB 71 achieved 38 knots with two 1100hp Isotta Fraschini engines. She had a crew of 2 officers and 8 men. Her armament was two 18 inch torpedoes in tubes, machine guns and four depth charges. MTB 71 was initially part of the 11th MTB Flotilla in Dover Command and she was deployed against enemy E Boats operating in coastal waters as far as the Dutch coast. Among other operations, she took part in the attempt to thwart the Channel dash of the three German ships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen as they passed through the Straits of Dover after escaping undetected from Brest to return to Germany. There was also a connection with the village of Aldridge which resulted from the response of local people to appeals for funds during the Warship Week savings campaign in February of 1942. The Target of £70,000 was well surpassed at £80,349 which was more than sufficient for the people of the urban district to adopt MTB 71. Now at IWM Duxford in smart grey livery, MTB 71 is on public display and an excellent addition to the Coastal Motor Boat originally manned by Lieutenant Augustus Agar VC, when he successfully sank a Russian cruiser in the Baltic in 1919. CFHT and the MTB 71 Trust will make every effort to assist IWM with the restoration of the upper deck fittings. |
