Let loose the Dogs of war
Euan Strathcona
DOG BOATS AT WAR by Len Reynolds Sutton Publishing, £25, pp. 289 This book is long overdue. It is not hard to believe that it took the author eight years to assemble this history of what became the work-horse of the small naval fighting ships.
The evolution of the 'Dog boat', the 'D- type', is traced from the earlier A- and C- class gunboats designed and built by the Fairmile company founded by Noel Mack- lin. He devised a system of prefabricated plywood components to be completed by small boatyards round the country. The limiting factor for British motor gunboats and torpedo boats was always the supply of adequately powerful engines; eventually, they were all powered by American-built Packard aeroplane-type engines running on 100-octane petrol, unlike their German counterparts, the Schnellbooten, always known to the allies as E-boats (enemy boats), which had the benefit of powerful, specially developed diesel engines using the much safer fuel oil. Coastal Forces accept- ed going into action standing on 7,000 gal- lons of high-octane petrol. Also, in contrast to the elegant, low-profile E-boats, the D- types were by no means beautiful vessels or that they were as fast or as good in sea- keeping. But they carried a formidable armament on a steadier gun-platform. The 33-man crew, living on board at close quar- ters with primitive facilities, demanded high morale: these little ships offered invaluable operational flexibility which enabled them to undertake a wide range of tasks.
Len Reynolds' meticulous research has drawn together the official action reports from both sides as well as the personal reminiscences of those who took part in actions in many diverse theatres of war. We read of frustrating and uncomfortable defensive patrols protecting our convoy routes in the North Sea and the Channel, interspersed with dramatic battles against determined attacks by marauding E-boats who were often able to concentrate and outnumber the defenders. More to Coastal Forces' taste were the attacks with torpe- does, guns, depth-charges and mines on enemy convoys creeping round the Dutch and French coasts, usually heavily escorted by E-boats, the larger but slower R-boats, `flak-trawlers' and destroyers.
There are hair-raising descriptions of haz- ardous weather on the run to Norway from Lerwick in the Shetland Islands to harass the occupation forces by putting ashore raiding parties and resistance agents as well as lurking under camouflage nets in the fjords to venture out at night to attack enemy shipping when the opportunity arose.
Here too are stirring accounts of similar operations in the Mediterranean, where the author himself rose to command and earned a DSC. There are descriptions of raids into ports, cutting-out operations and stealthy approaches to small ship convoys which were then subjected to devastating broadsides from a line of MGBs in the Hornblower tradition. As the war proceed- ed up the Adriatic several of our boats were damaged by mines as well as by escorting torpedoes. Mobile workshops worked won- ders keeping the fragile craft fighting fit. The role of the D-boats is summed up in the foreword by Lord Lewin:
Throughout our history small craft have played a major part in defending our coastal shipping and attacking that of the enemy. This book is not just a fascinating account of the Dog boat's war but a historic archive for which future maritime historians will have every reason to be grateful.
`Great acceleration!'
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