The 18 Smaller Ships MLs, MGB, MTB

The original plan of attack concocted by Mountbatten's staff envisaged the use of two specially lightened destroyers, both of which would steam to the port across the estuary shallows. One of these, her bow packed with explosives, would ram the outer caisson of the Normandie dock, while the other, having acted as escort on the way in, would carry off the crew of the ramming ship plus the survivors of both vessels' Commando complements.

Seen by Combined Operations as a clean, efficient and economical solution to the problem of knocking out the vital dry dock, this plan fell foul of the Admiralty's desperate need of ships, and it was only with great difficulty that even the ramming destroyer was secured, leaving the slack to be taken up by the much smaller vessels of Coastal Forces.

To ensure sufficient deck-space, a total of eighteen 'Little Ships' would take part in the raid, sailing into action in two columns, between the heads of which would ride the old destroyer CAMPBELTOWN. The force would include a headquarters gunboat and a specially adapted MTB; but the bulk of the numbers would consist of 65-ton wooden-hulled 'B' Type motor launches, normally used for patrol, escort or anti-submarine duties, and entirely unsuited to the role of assault ships.

"Designed by the Fairmile Construction Company, the 'B's measured a mere 112 feet in length by 18 feet across the beam. In normal service they carried a crew of sixteen officers and men; however for this attack that number would effectively be doubled by the inclusion of extra officers and ratings, as well as by squads of up to fifteen commandos. Barely able to defend themselves, their existing obsolescent 3-pounder guns could be replaced by much more modern and effective Oerlikon cannon; but as these fired only 20mm explosive bullets, they would still be no stronger than the weakest of the German guns they could expect to be ranged against them."


MGB 314 (IWM 53260)	MTB 74

Eight of the MLs, numbers 298, 306, 307, 341, 443, 446, 447 and 457, made up the newly formed 28th Flotilla, whose units had as yet had little time to train together. Four MLs, numbers 192, 262, 267 and 268, belonged to the 20th Flotilla, whose C.O., Lieutenant-Commander Billie Stephens, RNVR, would be responsible for all MLs in the 'CHARIOT' force. The remaining four, MLs 156, 160, 177 and 270, were torpedo-carrying variants belonging to the 7th Flotilla.

In all of these boats "...there was a preponderance of 'Wavy-Navy' officers and 'Hostilities Only' ratings. Thrown together in very close proximity, they shared the tedium of patrol and escort duties that were only very occasionally relieved by bursts of action. In the majority of cases wardroom and messdeck had a closer and friendlier relationship than would have been possible on big ships. Discipline was more democratic, people got to know each others' little ways, and in a well-run boat a 'family' atmosphere could exist which enhanced rather than diminished the overall effectiveness of the crew.

"For the men themselves, the primary living and sleeping space was the messdeck, a large compartment with six folding bunks along each side, which occupied most of the forward third of the hull. Immediately aft of the messdeck was the messdeck lobby, a small, open space, approximately amidships, which contained the main access to the upper deck. Opening off the lobby were four small compartments; on the port side the Petty Officers' cabin and wc, the spaces reserved for the coxswain and engine-room chief, and, on the starboard side, the radio room and galley. Aft of these compartments was the engine-room, containing two American 600 horse-power V12 Hall-Scott 'Defender' marine engines, which could power the boat to a little over twenty knots. This particular compartment, which had the petrol tanks immediately behind it, was sealed off from the interior of the boat and could only be accessed from the deck above. Right behind the petrol tanks, and occupying much of the after portion of the boat, were the officers' quarters, comprising a small wardroom and officers' pantry and wc. This portion of the hull was accessed from the upper deck by its own companionway. Right at the stern were a number of small storage spaces , the after magazine and the steering gear.

The main deck itself was flat and open, forward and aft of the low superstructure which occupied the middle third of the space. The superstructure did not extend right across the full width of the deck, leaving walkways along either side which, for the purposes of 'CHARIOT', were used as the mounting sites for rectangular auxiliary fuel tanks. The foremost portion of the superstructure contained the enclosed wheelhouse, behind and slightly above which was the open bridge. Immediately abaft the bridge, the deck was only slightly raised, this lowest portion of the superstructure containing the companionway to the messdeck lobby, the stubby funnel and the engine-room ventilators.

As modified for 'CHARIOT', the foredeck housed the bandstand mounting for the forward 20mm Oerlikon cannon, as well as its ready use ammunition lockers, while the after portion of the deck housed the second Oerlikon mounting, the depth-charges, where fitted, and the apparatus for making smoke, which was situated right at the stern. In addition to the Oerlikons, some bridge-wings were fitted with studs on which could be mounted stripped-Lewis guns. Additional Lewis mountings, for anti-aircraft use, were to be found on the after part of the superstructure, or on the after-deck.

Of round-bilge construction, the Fairmile 'B's were capable of standing up to very severe sea conditions, although in certain circumstances they could roll and corkscrew mercilessly, as Newman's commandos were soon to discover for themselves. Consigned to a dusty and forgotten corner of the Navy, the 'B's lived a solitary existence, seen by many only as a wartime necessity; coastal forces vessels were tolerated - no more. They were never taken as seriously as steel-hulled ships: however, as 'CHARIOT' would show, their crews would behave under fire in such a manner as to prove themselves more than worthy custodians of the very best traditions of the Senior Service."