Lives of the First World War
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Coastal Motor Boats
Coastal Motor Boats
Remembering the lives of those who served on Coastal Motor Boats ( CMBs ). During the First World War, following a suggestion from three junior officers of the Harwich destroyer force that small motor boats carrying a torpedo might be capable of travelling over the protective minefields and attacking ships of the Imperial German Navy at anchor in their bases, the Admiralty gave tentative approval to the idea and, in the summer of 1915, produced a Staff Requirement requesting designs for a Coastal Motor Boat for service in the North Sea. These boats had a high speed, making use of the lightweight and powerful petrol engines then available, and each was crewed by just three men. They were armed in a variety of ways, with torpedoes, depth charges or for laying mines. Secondary armament was provided by light machine guns. The CMBs were designed by Thornycroft, who had experience in small fast boats. Engines were not proper maritime internal combustion engines (as these were in short supply) but adapted aircraft engines from firms such as Sunbeam and Napier. The concept of a small fast boat that could inflict serious damage and quickly escape went on to be developed further with Motor Torpedo Boats ( MTBs ) in WW2.
Created by: , Yvonne27542
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Born 1887
Royal Navy Engineer Lieutenant Commander
More about Francis Bertrand Yates -
Born 1888
Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander
More about William Henry Hamilton Dobson -
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Born 1893
Died 1941
Royal Navy Naval Cadet
Royal Navy Midshipman HMS Commonwealth
Royal Navy Sub Lieutenant
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More about Walter Napier Thomason Beckett -
Born 1875
Died 1916
Other Empire Force 4933 Driver British Red Cross Society and Order of Saint John of Jerusalem
British Army Second Lieutenant Durham Light Infantry 21st (Training) Battalion
British Army Second Lieutenant Durham Light Infantry 18th (County) Battalion
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More about Gilbert Player -
Born 1891
Died 1981
Royal Navy Sub Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Navy Commander
Royal Navy Lieutenant HM Submarines, Q Ships, HM CMB No 88
More about Gordon Charles Steele -
Born 1890
Died 1968
Royal Navy Captain
Royal Navy Commander
Royal Navy Midshipman HMS Prince of Wales
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More about Augustus Willington Shelton Agar -
Born 1893
Died 1918
Royal Navy C/1070 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, HMS Victory X (CMB33A)
Royal Navy MB1914 Chief Motor Mechanic Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, HMS Victory X (CMB33A)
More about John Foster Harbin Batey -
Born 1897
Died 1918
Royal Navy MB1839 Chief Motor Mechanic Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Coastal Motor Boats
More about Roy Leslie Alexander -
Born 1882
Died 1965
Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander
Royal Navy Rear Admiral
Royal Navy Commander
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More about Eric Gascoigne Robinson -
Born 1888
Died 1919
Royal Navy H.M. Coastal Motor Boat 88BD
Royal Navy 88 Lieutenant
More about Archibald Dayrell-Reed -