Hi to forum members. Hoping for a little assistance if at all possible as my searches so far have not proved fruitful. I am looking for more information on HM MTB 422. Had RANVR Sub-Lieutenant Cecil James Cochran on board and have been told by his son he spoke about patrols/attacks on Naples and being based in Malta with MID (24/1/45) but no details. Thanking all in advance and any help would be much appreciated. Regards Michael
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36903/supplement/516/data.pdf TD His service records - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...eports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=6970254&isAv=N There are 7 pages in all of his service records I have only posted 3 This image/record mentions his "MID"
Now we know some ships numbers you can start to delve even deeper HMS MTB 76 (MTB 76) of the Royal Navy - British Motor Torpedo Boat of the Vosper 72 feet-type class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net C J Cochran , RANVR - Allied Warship Commanders of WWII - uboat.net maybe you can add some details to the above to help them expand their web site TD PT-92 HM MTB-422 ex-RPT-8 ex-PT-92 Commanded by TS/Lt. Cecil James Cochran, RNVR from August - September 1944 [Seems as though may have missed the fact he was RANVR and not RNVR] PT-92 HM MTB-422 (ex-USS PT-92) passing wrecks at Livorno, Italy. She is armed with a 40 mm Bofors aft, a 20 mm oerlikon amidships, two twin .5" cal. Browning mgs abreast the bridge, and 2-21" torpedo tubes Imperial War Museum photo from "Warships of World War II" by H. T. Lenton & J. J. College
I have the following photos on my hard disk, apparently all showing MTB 422's Flotilla, but I did not record where I found them. Since I prefixed all the original filename with "Rufus Fisher", it was probably in a temporary page in an auctioneer's ("Dix Noonan Webb Auctioneers & Valuers") website , since the only mention of Rufus Fisher I could find is this one: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 961 Four: Able Seaman R. Fisher, Royal Navy 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (4) £180-220 Rufus Fisher was born in Lancashire in September 1924 and joined the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman at the training establishment H.M.S. Raleigh in December 1942. Posted to the Coastal Forces base Hannibal at Algiers in April 1943, he was advanced to Able Seaman and served in M.L. 458. In April 1944, he was transferred to Malta, where, in the following June, he joined M.T.B. 375, in which vessel he served until July 1945. Fisher was released in April 1946 but joined the Royal Fleet Reserve in October 1948 and attended several "refresher" courses between then and his final demobilisation in March 1954. Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient's Certificate of Service, Torpedo History Sheet and Trade Certificate; National Registration Identity Card (March, 1946); a small card signed by a Lieutenant-Commander, U.S.N., of 'Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 22', confirming the recipient's attachment to 'Task Force 86' (undated); an impressive and interesting wartime photograph album (approximately 100 images), many of Coastal Forces craft and personnel; and a folder appertaining to the East Lancashire Branch of the Coastal Forces Veterans Association. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Source (text format): Full text of "An auction of orders, decorations, medals and militaria, including medals from the collection of the late Oliver Stirling Lee (part II) ... [03/02/2005]" Source (book format - page 147 of 202): An auction of orders, decorations, medals and militaria, including medals from the collection of the late Oliver Stirling Lee (part II) ... [03/02/2005] : Dix Noonan Webb : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Some of the photos are on the navsource page as linked by TD, and some again are online on the IWM website or on other websites. I kept the original filenames, where "ron" means "Squadron" Rufus Fisher - 1019: Rufus Fisher - 1020: Rufus Fisher - 1021: Rufus Fisher - 1022: Rufus Fisher - 1023: Rufus Fisher - 1024: Rufus Fisher - 1025: Rufus Fisher - 1026: Rufus Fisher - b class ml malta: Rufus Fisher - MTB 375: Rufus Fisher - mtb 422: Rufus Fisher - mtb 423: Rufus Fisher - ron 15 and 22 on ops: Rufus Fisher - ron 15 pt base bastia corsica: Rufus Fisher - ron 15 returning to harbour: Rufus Fisher - ron 22 daylight ops: Michel
Photo "Rufus Fisher - mtb 422" is IWM A27457: Caption: "MTB 422 sails past ships sunk by the retreating Germans as it leaves the entrance of the harbour at Leghorn, Italy. This vessel is part of a small force of British MTBs which, together with American patrol boats, turned the 45 mile stretch of enemy held coast between Sezi and Genoa into their hunting ground." Source: File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A27457.jpg - Wikimedia Commons THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Photo A27457 in the previous post is part of a 22-photo series (A27447 to A27463) shot by Official Navy Photographer Lt F.A. Hudson, unfortunately not all of them online. The title of the series is "They're hitting the enemy off Genoa. February 1945, Leghorn, Italy. The small force of British MTB's which with American patrol boats, have turned the 45 mile stretch of enemy held coast between [La] Spezia and Genoa into their hunting ground." A27447 (photo not online) – "Commander R A Allen, DSO, OBE, RNVR, who commands the flotilla." This is the third photo in the newpaper clipping "Rufus Fisher - 1025". A27448 – "From the bridge of an MTB showing the aft Bofors gun and MTB 378 at speed astern in the Mediterranean": This is the first photo in the newpaper clipping "Rufus Fisher - 1025". A27449 (photo not online) – "At dusk as an MTB sped on her way towards the enemy coast." This is the photo in newspaper clipping "Rufus Fisher - 1026" showing MTB 378. A27450 – "MTB 378 at speed and ready for action": A27451 (photo not online) – "Men of one of the MTB's of the flotilla. Left to right: Sub Lieut J B Crawford, of Christchurch, New Zealand; Sub Lieut G H Bullwinkle, of Beckenham, Kent, the Commanding Officer; and Leading Seaman L F W Reeves, of Luton, Bedfordshire." A27452 (photo not online) – "On the bridge of their MTB. Left to right: Sub Lieut J P H James, of Edmonton, London; Sub Lieut D E S Tanner, of Croydon; and Leading Seaman Ted Pringle, of Bootle." This is the second photo in the newpaper clipping "Rufus Fisher - 1025". A27453 (photo not online) – "An MTB reloaded with torpedoes after a successful operation." This photo (or either of the next two) is probably "Rufus Fisher - 1024", which is also online elsewhere: A27454 (photo not online) – "An MTB being reloaded after a successful operation." A27455 (photo not online) – "An MTB being reloaded after a successful operation." A27456 (photo not online) – "MTB officers walking through the damaged Italian port of Leghorn to join their craft." A27457 – see previous post A27458 – "MTB 376 leaving harbour on an operation": A27459 (photo not online) – "Officers watching one of the American Patrol ships leaving harbour on an operation." A27460 – "MTB 423 leaves harbour": Source: File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A27460.jpg - Wikimedia Commons A27461 (photo not online) – "View of the damaged port as an MTB left harbour." Possibly this other photo of MTB 376: A27462 (photo not online) – "MTB at speed." A27463 (photo not online) – "MTB at speed." Michel
To Tricky Dicky and Michael I must thank you for your help. It is quite amazing. I will continue to expand on what I can and thank you for taking the time and interest. Very much appreciated. Michael
If you need access to his full service record go to this link - Session expired | RecordSearch | National Archives of Australia Select 'Guest' then select 'Name Search' - enter his full names as requested , and in Catergory select 'Navy Personnel Records' then select 'Search' and his basic record will appear - on the top right is w symbol for a document, select this and it will open up his online records TD
