| Description | Designed by the 'master craftsman of marine architects', George Selman, 'Whaleback' MASB 32 was ordered under contract CP51253/39 dated 8 Sep 39 under the war emergency programme as a 70ft MA/SB (MASB 7 - 39 = 33 boats). When MASB 6 (1938 programme) ran trials in Dec 39 her performance was "disappointing". As a result of trials with the first 63ft for South Africa (Which was completed as a MASB and did trials for the RN at Portland before being completed as HSL 141) the Admiralty decided to stop production of the 70ft MASB. The British Powerboat Co stopped the 70ft boats after MASB 21 and built MASB 22 - 39 as faster 63ft boats. Theese boats (like '32) have the bridge and a shorter superstructure further aft than the 63ft HSLs' WARTIME HISTORY
32 was laid down in 1939 by The British Power Boat Company at their Hythe yard. However she was not completed and launched until 24th September 1941. She was originally configured as a Motor Anti Submarine Boat, hence MASB and was given the Service Number 32. Her original Yard Number was, 1571. She was subsequently configured for air sea rescue work. June 1942 edition of The Motor Boat and Yachting On page 139 of the June 1942 edition of The Motor Boat and Yachting 32 is shown with S32 painted on her foredeck. The accompanying article relates to a trip undertaken by journalists on several boats including S32. (We assume that the reason she carries the 'S' prefix (S32)is because of the ASDIC.) The text in part reads: “These motor boats are now primarily employed by the Navy for rescuing airmen from the sea. They are of the by now familiar 63-ft Scott-Paine type, manned by two sub-lieutenants R.N.V.R. and eight naval ratings. Nearly half the hull is occupied by three Napier engines; the crew sleep aboard and the officers ashore. Working in conjunction with these craft are R.A.F. boats of the 60-ft type, their turns of sea duty alternating” The article probably had to have been written in April or May to have made it into the June edition. So … it would appear that 32 had the prefix “S” very early on in her service life and whilst used for Air Sea Rescue work. There has been some debate as to what the 'S' prefix was for, I doubt special operations would have been 'advertised' on her hull, It may have been that the 'ASDIC' was fitted as with other boats sporting the 'S' or perhaps that she had three engines fitted when the norm was two. MASBs 22 to 32 were originally ordered as 70 foot boats with MASBs 7 to 21, but due to the performance figures of the 70' boats they were built as 63 footers as were MASB 33 to 39. Also MASB 40 and 41 originally ordered for the Sweedish Government as T1 and T2 later requisitioned by the Admitalty as were MTB 1-4 ordered by the Norwegian Government in 1939 which were converted to MASB's 42-45 In the year September 1939 to September 1940 BPBC produced 136 boats. From October 1940 to September 1941, 150 boats. October 1941 to September 1942, 112 boats. Peaking at 210 boats in the year October 1942 to September 1943. INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM CONTRACTS LIST OP 52153/39 MASB 32 ordered on 4 Sep 39 P 07871 Completed and commissioned on 24 Sep 41 Announced in Special Military Branch Acquaint (SMBA) No 1023 dated 25 Sep 41. INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM 'RED LISTS' OF MINOR WAR VESSELS IN HOME WATERS 21 Sep 41 To Southampton to be fitted with 'ASDIC' and R/T having been allocated to Dover command for air sea rescue duties under SMBA 1014 dated 17 Sep 41 2 Nov 41 To Dover to operate on air sea rescue duties. 9 Feb 42 Taken in hand (TIH) for slipping repairs at Ramsgate - complete 16 Feb 42. 17 Apr 42 TIH for slipping repairs at Ramsgate - complete 23 Apr 42. 12 Jun 42 TIH for slipping repairs and drying out at Ramsgate - complete 28 Jun 42. 8 Oct 42 TIH for 'fittings' at Ramsgate - complete 13 Oct 42. 3 Jun 43 TIH for repairs at Ramsgate. 6 Jun 43 Operate from Ramsgate on air sea rescue duties with numbers 23-26, 29, 31, 37 & 38. 13 Jun 43 Numbers 23-25, 29, & 31 to Dover. Numbers 26, 33 & 38 operate from Ramsgate. No 32 at Ramsgate for repairs. 20 Jun 43 To Dover to operate on air sea rescue duties. 27 Jun 43 To Ramsgate to operate on air sea rescue duties. 4 Jul 43 To Dover to operate on air sea rescue duties. 1 Aug 43 To Ramsgate to operate on air sea rescue duties. 15 Aug 43 To Dover to operate on air sea rescue duties. 18 Jun 44 To Ramsgate to operate on air sea rescue duties. 5 Sep 44 Announcement in para 2 of SMBA 2440 : MASB's 22 - 29, 31 - 35 , 37 & 38. Pending a decision whether these vessels will be laid-up or brought to produce, such vessels as are still in service will so remain but work on them is to be so restricted to normal maintenance and such minor repair repair work as is within the capacity of the Coastal Force Maritime Staffs. No further A and A's are to be undertaken on theese vessels.' 16 Sep 44 AM161335 Approval to lay-up in reserve - Cat C 1 Oct 44 Remain at Ramsgate to be paid - off. 8 Oct 44 Unallocated. 13 Oct 44 SMBA 2583 Paid - off Cat C. 15 Oct 44 To Poole. 23 Oct 44 De - equipping. 9 Mar 45 SMBA 2675 - Approval to dispose of hull. 14 Sep 45 Handed to DSCD for disposal. 23 Sep 45 Reserve fleet - Poole for disposal with numbers 23, 24, 26 - 29 (last reference) 31- 34 and 36 - 38. OTHER INFORMATION While on Air Sea Rescue duties the 'parent ship' in Ramsgate Harbour was HMS Fervent, and while in Dover Harbour was HMS Lynx. The only award made to a crew member of MASB S32 was a mention in despatches to the chief motor mechanic, Leonard Charles Cobbold, in the New Year Honours List 1943. POST WAR - Fervent, the motor yacht. At present not much is known about where MASB S32 was between her disposal and 1966 when Peter Wallis saw her advertised for sale. When Peter first found Fervent she had been undergoing a refit. However, the owner had got into financial difficulties and needed to sell her in a hurry. After a little haggling, a price was agreed upon and the requisite amount of cash changed hands. There was an enormous amount of work to be done to make Fervent seaworthy. New water and fuel tanks had been fitted but not plumbed in. Three reconditioned Perkins S6M engines fitted with 2:1 reduction gearboxes were in place on newly constructed engine beds (the original Napiers had long since been removed) but not connected to the drive-shafts, plumbing or instruments. No electrical systems had been completed and a fair bit of carpentry, varnishing and painting had to be done. After months of work and thousands of pounds Fervent was ready and made her way down the Thames through Chertsey, Shepperton, Sunbury, Teddington and, finally, Richmond Locks into the tidal waters of the Thames. The remaining voyage to Gibraltar turned out to be a very eventful trip and a steep learning curve for Peter. He arrived in Gibraltar in July 1966 almost pennyless, to such an extent that he was lifting cushions and even pulling up floorboards looking for any loose change that may have fallen into hidden places in order to buy food. His first task was to try and make himself known to every taxi driver in town, offering Fervent for charter at the same hourly rate that most rowing boats and other small craft were on offer at the Marina. It did not take long to become well known and to have a steady clientele. Fervent was in great demand and was out on charter most days of the week either doing fishing trips, just out in the bay where her spacious decks and sturdy rails made an ideal fishing platform for anglers or trips along the Spanish coast to Estapona and Marbella. Restinga. Ceuta and Tangiers in North Africa were popular destinations too. Peter provided an extensive selection of refreshments for his clients. The spacious uncluttered decks and large forward saloon soon drew the attention of the local underwater fishing club who approached Peter to see if he was interested in a regular charter each Sunday over to the North Moroccan coast to dive and fish. Peter jumped at the chance, going so far as to purchase two Luchard 200 bar. type H.6 three stage air compressors for filling aqualungs. One was just a bare compressor which Peter mounted in Fervent’s engine room to be driven by the centre main engine whilst the other was a complete portable unit, with its own petrol engine. The latter fitted very conveniently on the aft deck tucked in behind the wheelhouse, protected from spray. Peter made up elevated air intakes for both compressors so that each would be breathing clean air away from the exhaust fumes of the compressor’s engine as well as those of the main engines. Each Sunday Fervent would slip her mooring at around 8.00am and make her way into the Straits of Gibraltar. From the early hours of the morning onwards, Peter’s sleep would be disturbed as members of the fishing club came on board. Many staggering, falling or swearing after a hard night in any number of the many watering holes available in Gibraltar. Their destination was usually their favoured diving location in the lee of the Spanish owned Isla del Perejil a tiny rocky outcrop 200 metres off the Moroccan coast about 5 kilometres west of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. (The Isla del Perejil sprang to international prominence in July 2002 when, late on Thursday 11th, a dozen poorly armed Moroccan frontier guards equipped with a radio, two flags and a couple of tents “invaded” the tiny island and its inhabitants of lizards, insects and sprigs of wild parsley, from which the island gets its name. The island was subsequently recaptured by a superior (?) Spanish naval force) The crystal clear waters around the islet and the underwater rocky caverns and crevices were home to a myriad species of marine life. Members of the underwater fishing club invariably returned to Gibraltar with a substantial catch which was eagerly purchased by locals waiting at the marina or by the larger hotels such as the Rock and the Caleta. Peter rarely got the chance to sell any fish that he may have caught. The next couple of hours after mooring Fervent were spent cleaning the decks of all the blood, scales and viscera which had been left behind from the scaling, gutting and filleting of the fish during the return journey, not to mention the resulting residue from mal de mer. Some people would never learn not to spew to windward. Then there was always washing up to do in addition to cleaning the three toilets on board etc. By the time that he had finished all his chores he was completely exhausted. The diving alone was usually quite enervating but, unlike his clients, he did not have the opportunity of resting on the way back to Gibraltar. Brokers comments Having recently acted for the vendors in the sale of MGB 81 and HSL 102 we appreciate both the historic and replacement value of these wartime craft. Although the deck of this MASB is currently sheathed in Ply and the wheel house is not original, she makes an excelent base to work from to recreate an original military craft either static or serviceable. Alternatively she is an excellent platform to create more modern finish with excellent sea keeping abilities and a hull that can deliver a real turn of speed when fitted with the right engines. |
