Royal Navy Motor Boat Reserve- 1914

[PT Dockyard]

Are there any good sources on this unit, especially showing the craft they used? All of the sources I can find concentrate on the later Elco built launches.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Dave G

[jluetjen]

There was a pretty cool 1930's movie that I once saw dealing the British Motor Torpedo Boats in WWI, culminating in the attack on Zeebrugge. Unfortunately I can't remember the title, nor have I been able to find it since.

While not the film that I had in mind, I did stumble up this British Pathe film about the Zeebrugge raid that does include some motor launch footage: https://youtu.be/kWmi_pBQOYc

I also founded this free e-book with illustrations: Hounding the Hun from the Seas: A Tale of the British M.L.'s on the High Seas

[Takao]

Your probably googling the wrong terms...They were known as Coastal Motor Boats(CMBs) at the time of World War I.

try Googling...British coastal Motor Boats in WWI

and you will find plenty.

[PT Dockyard]

Thanks for these.

The movie is "Today We Live" and has two operations by a 40' CMB with lots of up close filming of the boat and operations. Very cool but it is surrounded by a drippy love story.

The CMBs were totally different-purpose built for torpedo delivery. I am looking for early small civilian craft -yachts mostly I assume-that were pressed into service with the RNMBR.

Thanks!

Dave

[PT Dockyard]

I found one example by accident!


Dave G