MTB 666 and
crew came together in 1943 and after a
period of rigging and training, they were
stationed in the Shetland Islands for
operations to Norway with a Norwegian
Flotilla, operating out of RNS Lerwick. Late
1943 and early 1944, MTB 666 was engaged in
secret operations to Norway, like dropping
off commandos and pick up and drop off
agents and refugees.
Early April
1944, the flotilla was moved to HMS Mantis,
Lowestoft. With this move the type of
operations also changed. The flotilla was
now engaged in attacking convoys and escort
ships off the coast of occupied Europe. In
the moths that followed MTB 666 was engaged
in several harrowing battles off the Dutch
coast, most notablyin the night of 9/10 June
1944 off Egmond, when the flotilla lost a
MTB 681 while attacking a convoy of trawlers
escorted by the dreaded flak ship and gun
coasters. In three torpedo attacks four or
five ships were sunk, while the British
flotilla also suffered casualties.
A few nights
later the flotilla was engaged in a attack
on a E boot base on Texel, where also a
number of ships were sunk in heavy battle.
Later a convoy was attacked off Walcheren
which also resulted in a heavy battle.
In the early
evening of 4 July 1944 MTB 666 and the other
MTB's in its Flotilla, left Lowestoft. The
plan was to move to the shipping lanes off
the Dutch coast to try and attack a convoy,
which they had been doing the last few
months. They spotted a fair sized convoy
moving south, near IJmuiden. The MTB
attacked. Able Seaman Stan Cross remembers
the attack as one of the fiercest they were
in. Both sides gave terrific fire. The
convoy was escorted by several of the
dreaded gun ships. MTB 666 was hit in the
engine room by a 78mm shell. The engine was
hit and a fire started. All power was cut
which meant the MTB was defenseless. Only
the Browning .303 could be operated but they
were useless at this range. The Germans
closed in and started to pump shells in the
boat. "MTB 666 was a sitting duck" in the
words of Stan Cross. Many onboard were
wounded by now. It was obvious that the ship
was lost and that the crew should abandon
ship. At first they were reluctant to do so,
hoping that they somehow could get the ship
going again. The German fire became so
fierce that they had no choice and the
skipper ordered to abandon ship.
The whole crew
made it into the water. Most of them were
wounded. Several of the engine room crew
were burned, two of them badly, Stoker 1st
Class Peter Mackie and Leading Stoker Brian
Sleath. While in that water, the Germans
shot at the defenseless Brits, although no
one got hit.
When it was
daylight, the crew was picked up by a
trawler and brought to the port of IJmuiden.
Those who could walk were sent directly to
be processed as POW. The rest, about 6 men,
were taken to a hospital, where they were
treated well by the hospital staff.
Stoker 1st
Class Peter Mackie died of his wounds on 9
July. Brian Sleath died on 11 July. The others recovered,
although some had horrific wounds. Two of
the crew were repatriated to England when
their wounds had sufficiently healed.
Both Stoker
1st Class Peter Mackie and Leading
Stoker Brian Sleath were buried at Bergen
Military Cemetery.
Stoker 1st
Class Peter Mackie was 20 and is buried at
Plot 2. Row A. Grave 7.
