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WW2 Naval High Speed Launch


leon21

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Here's a photo of Portsmouths Naval Base Property Trusts ( HSL 102 high speed boat ), the only surviving example of the

100-Class high speed launch it was stationed at RAF Calshot during the Battle of Britain, retrieving shot down airmen.

Photo taken when visiting Portsmouth recently.

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love thta photo. Personally I am a fan of PT boats and German S Boats but love the stories and images of all these fast little boats zooming about the channel and their exploits.

 

Incidentally Faslane just got a shipment of new RHIB boats I assume for Commando use and security. I saw them going up the A82 on Sunday. All in a dark green paint with absolutely no glare off them at all, was a really interesting paint as it really obscured the craft and made it just look dark and hidden, wasn't just a simply Olive Drab land rover type paint job. Had 6-8 bucket seats in the back and a small roof overed pilot area. These were big boats, took up the entire back end of a lorry trailer. No props on them either, built in engines with some serious water jets out the back. Only can wonder what they will get up to!

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  • 6 months later...

Spotted this card when looking through a cigarette picture album interesting information on back.

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Although not connected to a high speed launch this thread reminded me of a jacket we got in last week. Inside the jacket was the officers name, being an unusual name Robyns I was able to research who he was and what he served on.I found it quite interesting.

 

Officers mess dress complete with officers gold wire Commando qualification badge to top left sleeve. Lower sleeve features officers gold wire Divers badge for shallow water and Chief Engineer Royal Corps of Transport Fleet. Medal award loops and label to inside is named to P.J. Robyns and dated Camberley 1966. Robyns was Captain of the Ex WW2 Tank landing craft HMAV Audemer LCT (Landing Craft Tank) Mk 8 which had it's superstructure enlarged, to house extra staff when the vessel was converted to a Squadron HQ in 1961.The HMAV Audemer was also commanded by Captain Robyns when it took part in the Queens Silver Jubilee review in 1977. During the Cold War the Audemer was used as a transport ship to and from the rocket tracking station on Hirta, St Kilda, Scotland.

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HMAV Audemer LCT (Landing Craft Tank) First picture taken just after the war and 2nd and third photos from after 1961 as it has had it's superstructure enlarged, to house extra staff when it was converted to a Squadron HQ.

Audemer1.jpg

HMAV Audemer1.jpg

HMAV Audemer3.jpg

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Audemer at the the rocket tracking station on Hirta, St Kilda, Scotland.

HMAV_Audemer)4.jpg

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Still going strong in 2010, the ship looks slightly smaller here and must have had further modifications.

Audemer 6.jpg

Audemer 7.jpg

Audemer 52010.jpg

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managed to find this :) The ship does look allot smaller and is described as L113 Audemer instead of the usual L4061 Audemer ,I'm pretty sure it is the same ship ,what do you guys think?

 

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I'm not so sure Kenny. I think those are 2 different class of ships. L4061 is a LCT and L113 is an RLC.

 

They would have had to chop a serious amount of the ship off and entirely re-engineer the bow and stern to make that the same ship.

 

The RLCs are Ramped Craft Logistic. and L113 was built in 1987 (it is about to or has retired?). L4061 was sold in 1978 http://www.navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_aws_lct8.htm It must have gone to a foreign country or scrap else I cannot fathom (if it was in good condition) why it would not be pressed into Falkland Service - a time when amphibious shipping was desperately needed.

 

There is some info on RLCs at: http://ukarmedforcescommentary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-many-letters-of-amphibiosity.html

You need to scroll way down to the R section

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I'm no expert on British Naval Ships Kenny but would have to agree with Greg they do look two different Ships.

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Excellent Greg, you have completed the story ,unless of course you can find anything out about the Makovla :)

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I had a typo it was named MV Mokola... records are difficult but

 

states scuttled 1985:

http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=23537

 

states scuttled 1995:

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?191675

 

Wrecksites also has a location in Africa around the Gold Coast (Nigeria delta).... this is speculation on my part but possibly used as a costal/shallow inland supply vessel and just scuttled when too expensive to repair or used as a breaker. Shallow draft cargo ships are very useful in the region the map put it and are used extensively where such ships would provide no value anywhere else in the world by shipping companies.

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