The Motor Torpedo Boat 417

Has anyone got any information on the action in which this man was killed.
Able Seaman, P/JX 428867 Walter Hallsworth HMMTB 417 Royal Navy killed in action on Thursday 16th March 1944 Aged 18.
The Motor Torpedo Boat 417 was under the command of 22-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Graham Hughes from Cheadle.
Regards Richard.

 

I don't have any information on Seaman Hallsworth but the boat was a 70' Vosper.

WW2Ships.com: 70' Vosper MTB

 

Royal Navy Coastal Forces 1940-1945




Able Seaman, P/JX 428867. Walter Hallsworth. HMMTB 417 Royal Navy. Killed in action on Thursday 16th March 1944 Aged 18. The Motor Torpedo Boat 417 under the command of 22-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Graham Hughes from Cheadle was shelled and sunk whilst attacking a German convoy in the English Channel off Calais.

 

Admiralty War Diary for that date

 

Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, March 1944

MTB.417, ship loss

ADAMS, George R, Able Seaman, C/JX 376774, MPK
BERKELEY, Henry R A C, Ty/Sub Lieutenant, RCNVR, MPK
BURRIN, Dennis E, Act/Able Seaman, D/JX 373710, MPK
COCKER, Robert W, Able Seaman, P/JX 296195, MPK
FEARN, Albert, Stoker 2c, C/KX 526403, MPK
GOOSTREE, James, Ordinary Seaman, P/JX 429828, MPK
HALLSWORTH, Walter, Ordinary Seaman, P/JX 428867, MPK
HUGHES, Thomas G, Ty/Sub Lieutenant, RNVR, MPK
JONES, Dennis G, Telegraphist, D/JX 343247, MPK
JONES, Harvey R, Able Seaman, P/JX 339771, MPK
KELLY, Edward, Ordinary Seaman, D/JX 563814, MPK
PARK, Reid G, Ty/Sub Lieutenant, RANVR, MPK
REEVES, Peter, Ty/Act/Petty Officer, D/JX 167806, MPK
ROOPER, Ralph B, Lieutenant, killed
ROSE, Robert, Ordinary Seaman, D/JX 423028, MPK
STEELE, William, Able Seaman, C/JX 299869, MPK
TANDY, Kenneth, Act/Chief Motor Mechanic 4c, P/MX 124788, MPK
WATMORE, Benjamin J, Stoker 1c, C/KX 157236, MPK
WOOLIS, Eric B, Ty/Leading Telegraphist, C/SSX 24985, MPK

 

Also on board HM MTB 417 was the Senior Officer of 9th MTG Flotilla, Lt Ralph B Rooper

Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 -- R

 

Paterson's Forgotten Flotilla's says was hit by gunfire during a clash with escorts V1810 and V1811 of 18.Vp.Flottille and blew up.

The German's claimed four MTB's destroyed. Despite the diary claim, no German escorts were lost in the clash.

Regards,

Steve

 

MTB 417 was ex-Motor Gun Boat 107, a 71ft 9in British Power Boat Company boat (not a Vosper) and was identical in design to MGB 81, preserved at Portsmouth. She served in the 9th MGB Flotilla until redesignated an MTB, when the flotilla became the 2nd MTB Flotilla. Despite the redesignation she didn't have torpedo tubes fitted. MGB 81 became MTB 416.

4 boats were on patrol the night 15/16 March 1944: 417, 418 and 433 (British Power Boats, none with torpedoes) and 362 (a torpedo equipped Vosper). As observed already, 417's skipper was Hughes, with Lt Rooper embarked as senior officer. The boats were vectored onto enemy vessels off Cap Griz-Nez by shore based radar, but 433 and 362 became detached in the dark and 418 almost lost contact when 417's smoke apparatus started playing up.

According to 418's skipper Lieutenant Thompson, at 20:40 417 suddenly turned "violently to port" and 418 suddenly saw 6 R-boats to starboard and 6 or 7 trawlers to port illuminated by starshell fired from the shore. The two boats became separated and 418 pressed home an attack on the enemy R-boats with impressive results, one R-boat being seen to blow up and sink. She then turned to port and came across the line of trawlers which she engaged, leaving one on fire and surrounded by smoke. She disengaged at 20:46 – as she withdrew a group of S-boats pursued but lost touch as they passed the trawlers.

At 20:55, 418 stopped approx 2 miles away and looked for 417 – a burning vessel was observed to the south but when initially approached 418 was illuminated by the flames and she came under fire. After laying smoke and re-approaching, the burning vessel was found to be 417. While 417 burned, with "minor explosions... and large sheets of flame" 418 searched for survivors without success. She came under fire again but waited near the wreck until 417 sank at 21:26, and the search was abandoned at 21:58.

As Steve notes above, the German account is a little different. Coastal Forces actions were fast and conducted in darkness with bright flashes of gunfire, so misidentification and mistaken understanding of what happened is commonplace and understandable. The trawlers were from 18th Vorpostenboote Flotilla – Vps 1802, 1803, 1804, 1810, 1811 and 1815. The shells that sank 417 seem to have come from 1810 and 1811. No S-boats seem to have been present. Almost certainly the R-boats were there, which is supported by a radar track of two groups of enemy ships. The pursuing S-boats were probably the R-boats, but no R-boat appears to have been lost. For their part the Germans claimed to have been attacked by ten MTBs and to have sunk 4 of them.

Here's Thompson's track chart of the engagement.

 

Thank you all so much this is fantastic!
Regards Richard.

 

Thanks Chris.

 

Hello Stephen,
You say 'According to 418's skipper Lieutenant Thompson, at 20:40 417 suddenly turned "violently to port" '.
Would you be able to provide the source of this report as I am writing a story about the service of Sub Lieut Reid Gavin Park RANVR who was one of those aboard MTB117 that night. Park was from Adelaide, South Australia, and had enlisted under the Dominion Yachtmans Scheme. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/502753

 

Hello Stephen,
You say 'According to 418's skipper Lieutenant Thompson, at 20:40 417 suddenly turned "violently to port" '.
Would you be able to provide the source of this report as I am writing a story about the service of Sub Lieut Reid Gavin Park RANVR who was one of those aboard MTB117 that night. Park was from Adelaide, South Australia, and had enlisted under the Dominion Yachtmans Scheme. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/502753