She is called Ocean Monarch, more photos taken in Lowestoft Haven Marina November 2010 here; Boat Hoist | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Brilliant Christian! Lovely shots of the diagonal lamination, but she looks in need of a bit of TLC. Original triple engines in place?
Hello Mike Unknown I'm afraid, at least the center one was usually removed on live-aboards and houseboats to allow interior passage between the fwd and aft cabins. She seem low enough in the water to have some machinery left. regards, Christian.
Hmm, reading the specs for the Mk1 and Mk2 General Service Pinnace they both seem to have TWIN RR engines. Error on the spec?
The later 63ft GSPs had twin RRs the wartime 60ft had 3 (usually Perkins). The previously posted link is sending you to that page, the correct page for the 60ft boats is here; Boats of the RAF ASR&MCS Branch
Cheers Christian, makes sense now. You obviously have considerable interest in, and knowledge of these vessels. Would you mind explaining your interest?
Hi Mike My dad who is now 87 used to own boats like these and others of that era as family yachts. He'd fix them up and sell them on, he had about 30 in total (he also owned his own yacht marina with yard facilities). He decided he was too old to look after the last two in about 2005, so he sold them. I saw that he missed them so I decided to build him a model of each one of them (plus some others he liked but never owned) as they were during their service years, see the photos here; The best amateur photography lives on Webshots Whilst researching for the models I developed an interest in surviving vessels of the type. Regards, Christian.
Thanks Christian, brilliant models and photographs. You have reminded me of a similar vessel I came across a couple of years ago. Must look out the pictures (on a different computer) and find out what happened to her.
Christian, Fantastic models. Now don't we think there is a real market for the old Kielcraft models that we used to make? I have one sitting in the loft. What do you think Christian, how about a deal? Regards, Nick PS: Where is HSL 108?
Nick, just realised why you are interested in HSL 108. All I can find about her is here, I suspect you already know about it. HSL 108 was a RAF asr launch operating from Gorleston. In 1941 it was attacked in the North Sea by an Arado 196 and disabled. Picked up by seaplane, the crew was captured. The boat was recovered by the Germans and was later seen and photographed in Wilhelmshaven. It is believed to have been repaired and used by the Kriegsmarine (or possibly the Luftwaffe). The salvage of the boat was not simple and not without danger. It is therefore understandable that HSL 108 already promised to BSN (Befehlshaber der Sicherung) by Gruppe Nord was after inter-service wrangling handed over to Luftwaffe command of Ships/Boats, at Keil. The interests of the Kriegsmarine having to stand behind the wishes of the Luftwaffe. The HSL 108 was refurbished and pressed into duty by the Luftwaffe. Whilst in Sagan, Roger Daggett saw in a German magazine a picture of HSL 108 in German colours. It was being used for picking up survivors from the German ‘Lobster-pot’ survival buoys along the Dutch coast between Wilhelmshaven and Flushing (Now Vlissingen). During the war, many aircrew, both bomber and fighter command, reported sightings of an RAF Air-Sea rescue launch operating just off the Dutch Coast. This was likely to be HSL 108 but it is still not clear as to it’s ultimate fate. From British Military Powerboat Team website.
The previously posted link is sending you to that page, the correct page for the 60ft boats is here; Ooops sorry , my fault I didnt notice the 3 ft difference. Glad you've answered the original posters query so well. Lovely models too.
christian, do you feel this is a WWI mosquito boat or the RAF boat? particularly the cuddy cabin and perhaps different front hull shape of an earlier boat? any help appreciated; do either of these boats have any value historically thanks richard
Hi Richard There is no doubt Ocean Monarch is a 60ft GSP. Interesting question as to whether she has any historical value, only as much as any of man's tools dating back to shaped flints I suppose. It's nice to keep a couple in museums for posterity but in the meantime she is providing affordable accommodation which is more important to those concerned. A much better example of this very class (No. 1262) was gifted to the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine and they left it to rot, she is now good for firewood only. See; RAF 1262 · National Historic Ships UK They apparently didn't think much of her historical significance, an error I fear. Regards, Christian.
Thanks Mike, Yes, l have all this and been in contact in the past with Roger who has since very sadly passed away and more recently with his son. But what happened to her? I hope that somewhere she is parked up on a river bank providing a similar level of accommodation to the boat mentioned here. I am aware of a photgraph taken in Kiel Harbour at the end of the war with the caption of E Boat or Scnell Boat coming along side to surrender. I have heard about it and l know that the boat shown is not an E boat but thought to be an HSL or something similar but struggling to find it. Finding that photograph would move the story on a few years. One of the crew died on board during the original attack. A bit more on what l have:- The British rescue launch was no longer sea-worthy. Two Vorpostenboot (armed trawlers) VP1108 and VP806 were sent to the area with a view, from Luftwaffe command, to sink the boat. This was disputed by CIC Security North Sea (Kriegsmarine) who wanted to salvage the launch, and use it for naval control for the movement of traffic in Cuxhaven. It was for this reason the launch was saved. When the launch was sighted she was drifting into a minefield. Two dinghies were launched from the Vorpostenboots to go aboard the launch. When the boat crews boarded it was deserted apart from the dead W/T operator Guilfoyle. After searching the launch and securing the many holes in the hull to provide buoyancy, the dead W/T operator was given a burial at sea. The launch was taken in tow back to Vorpostenboot VP1108 where she was lashed alongside and taken to Borkum and then on the 3rd July to lock No. 3 at Wilhelmshaven. Two years after this incident on 2nd August 1943, Vorpostenboot VP1108 was sunk at approximately the same spot as HSL 108 was captured, by a British torpedo aircraft with only one casualty, just like HSL 108. Regards, Nick
Christian, I found the photos I was looking for, a restoration project known as 'Osprey'. Don't know what happened to her - any ideas?
christinak what is the history of ocean monach? has this ship been restored? do you think this ship is the one i photographed? thanks richard
