TonyP

Sorry to be (very) late to the party. Hopefully some info that may help, or point in the right direction, rather than confuse the issue. Keith - I was informed that 8th Norwich Sea Scouts had a WWI gunboat which was moored in the cut between their HQ and Pulls Ferry, between the Wars. Think I have seen a photo of this, but that was before the Library fire. This could be the same boat as that which is sunk on Salhouse Broad (Water Witch?) - there couldn't have been that many WWI gunboats on the Broads between the wars in the service of the Sea Scouts. Carol (AdnamsGirl) - Norwich Sea Cadets used (at least) two MTB's as a base - both were Fairmile D Class (Dogboats). First one being MTB 740 from 1945 to around 1954, which fits with your photo no.2 of 1951 (shown 'fully dressed') on the BMPT forum. This was ordered from Collins of Oulton Broad in Aug 1942 and commissioned Aug '44 - believe to have been commanded by G Walsh RNVR July '44 to mid '45 and served with the 53 MTB flotilla. Sold 1946 Norwich Sea Cadets. Then from 1954, MTB 724, built at Wallasea Bay, Rochford, Essex. Ordered Aug '42, Commissioned Sept '43, sold July '54. Commanded by T/Lt J F N Humphreys RNVR Aug '43 to mid '45 and served with 64th MTB Flotilla. Extensive crew and operational history plus photo at worldnavalships.com/forum (this is not the other MTB that you have photo's of - different configuration). I don't know much about MTB 653, other than it too was a Fairmile Class D built by Alex Robertson and Sons Ltd of Sandbank, Scotland, ordered Nov '41, supplied to the Norwegian Navy on completion, returned to RN Jan '45 and sold Dec '45. It's white paint scheme fits with your information of it having seen service in the Mediterranean Theatre. Quite what it was doing in Norwich in 1971 is anybody's guess, but the insertion of windows in it's topsides would tend to indicate that it had been converted into a houseboat in a similar manner to Ron Ashby's MGB56 (Morning Flight), now sadly sunk for the last twenty years in the Island basin at Thorpe. There is a bit of differing information about her - some info lists her as a Thornycroft 75 (73'9"), others as a British Power Boat MkV (71'6"), but I would tend to go with a British Power Boat 70 footer, judging from her lines. This also ties in with her alotted Pennant number (confusing as almost all (bar a few exceptions) MGB's were re-numbered as MTB's in '43) and as I understand it, that she was originally fitted with tripple marinised RR Merlin engines. Martin - that fits with the history of MTB 102 - the star of the film The Eagle Has Landed (and a couple of others). Paul - Agree with Grendel and Roy - most likely MTB 102 if mid 90's. Yes, she (like almost all the others) had her engines replaced since they were almost all exclusively sold off engineless and 102 was at both Dunkirk and Normandy for D-Day landings. During the 90's she was in restored military spec, moored at Brundal Marina and regularly seen out and about on this stretch of the Yare (I went for a nice trip on her around this time). As for MTB 653 - see above and this is the first mention I've seen re: MTB 257 being on the Broads. If she had been about, then she was a very rare beast indeed - a J S White and Co of Cowes built 75 footer - one of only two built (but similar to a Thornycroft 75). Original Pennants MGB47 and 48 dating to 1940. Originally built for the Polish Navy as MTB's, but requestioned by the Admiralty and fitted out as MGB's. No.48 later being transferred to the Polish Navy as S1 (presumably No.49 being re-numbered as MTB 257 in 1943). As with MTB 102, she was originally fitted with tripple Isotta-Fraschinni engines. To all, I hope some of this may help/confirm others findings or at least serve to drive other investigations onwards. Cheers, Tony.