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.

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  • Edward Humphreys

    Born 1882

    Royal Navy J67040

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  • Archibald Dayrell-Reed

    Born 1888

    Died 1919

    Royal Navy H.M. Coastal Motor Boat 88BD

    Royal Navy 88 Lieutenant

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  • Roy Leslie Alexander

    Born 1897

    Died 1918

    Royal Navy MB1839 Chief Motor Mechanic Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Coastal Motor Boats

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  • Walter Napier Thomason Beckett

    Born 1893

    Died 1941

    Royal Navy Naval Cadet

    Royal Navy Midshipman HMS Commonwealth

    Royal Navy Sub Lieutenant

    …

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  • D Sabbath

    British Army Sub Assistant Surgeon Coastal Motor Boats

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  • William Henry Hamilton Dobson

    Born 1888

    Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander

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  • John Foster Harbin Batey

    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)

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  • Francis Bertrand Yates

    Born 1887

    Royal Navy Engineer Lieutenant Commander

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  • Profile picture for Augustus Willington Shelton Agar

    Augustus Willington Shelton Agar

    Born 1890

    Died 1968

    Royal Navy Captain

    Royal Navy Commander

    Royal Navy Midshipman HMS Prince of Wales

    …

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  • Profile picture for Gilbert Player

    Gilbert Player

    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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  • Profile picture for Gordon Charles Steele

    Gordon Charles Steele

    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

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  • Profile picture for Eric Gascoigne Robinson

    Eric Gascoigne Robinson

    Born 1882

    Died 1965

    Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander

    Royal Navy Rear Admiral

    Royal Navy Commander

    …

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