My thanks to Terry Mills, Rod's friend and wartime colleague, who has allowed me to use part of his records of his involvement with the 35^thMTB Flotilla.

"In March 1944 three new 71ft 6in Gunboats, re-classified as MTB’s (minus torpedo tubes) numbered 447, 448 & 449 were lying at a Jetty at the British Power Boat Yard, Hythe, Southampton Water, waiting commissioning on the arrival of their Officers, crews and stores to become the first three boats of the new 35th MTB Flotilla and the start of a friendship that would outlast time.

It was there that Rod and I first met as we suffered the rigours of blending crew and stores together before proceeding to HMS ‘Bee’ at  Weymouth and work up the vessel to a fine-tuned unit fit to carry out the task of hounding the enemy in the Channel and North Sea.  I am not sure how long the work up took, save it was demanding on time and effort, the only solace being the four ale bar of the Golden Lion where I and Rod leaned heavily on the bar during the short time of spells ashore.  Rod joined the Flotilla from Dover, MS ‘Wasp’ where he had been a spare Gun Boat officer and blooded in battle.  He was appointed as No.1 to Lt Rodney Sykes on MTB 448 whilst I continued as No.1 to Lt Peter Warren where we had served together on MGB 58 before transfer, less their original crew, to commission MTB 449 with a fresh team.

The work-up complete, the three boats were sent to Newhaven to get the feel of the Channel before the impending invasion.  During this short period we fired our guns in anger and felt better for it.  MTB 449 had a 2 pdr Pom-Pom on the fore-deck, a powered twin Oerlikon turret  behind the cockpit, plus a single Oerlikon unit aft.  She was subsequently fitted with 18” Torpedo Tubes and a 6pdr replaced the Pom-Pom - a formidable outfit, well able to carry out her designed role: earning her Skipper, Cox’n, Gunner and No 1 Their Lordships recognition for the part they played in the war effort.  Sadly the tubes were never fired in anger (being rudely damaged by an enemy shell to the disgust of the Skipper when most required). Newhaven was a ferry terminal where Rod and I drowned our misery aboard or in the mess ashore, the nearest highlife being many miles away in Brighton and the boats at short notice to correct the Hun’s mining intentions off the English shore.  It was here an unkindly shell curtailed Dudley Dixon’s (the Flotilla Commander) enthusiasm to ‘engage the enemy more closely’. A forced degree of discomfort he accepted until the night of the invasion when he promptly discharged himself from hospital to lead his flotilla guarding the Western edge of the ‘Spout’ (down which the Invasion Fleet sailed on that momentous occasion)

Just before the invasion the flotilla mustered with many other MGB's and MTB's in Portsmouth Harbour, the 35^thFlotilla being allocated berths alongside HMS ’Vernon’, the Torpedo and Mining Training Establishment. Unfortunately we were not well received by the ‘died-in-the-wool’ instruction staff (mostly Commissioned Torpedo Gunners); who did not appreciate the laxity of the ‘gung-ho’ RNVR officers amongst the formalities of a peace-time training establishment.  This necessitated shore going for other items of attraction, Rod gaining the interest of a flirtatious lady willing to guide his thoughts away from seagoing escapades.  This incident had its problem.  ‘Vernon’ was on the Portsmouth side of the harbour whilst HMS ‘Daedelus’ (The Fleet Air Arm Base) was beyond Gosport on the other side, and it was there that Leading Wren Pilcher, Rod’s fiancée, was employed on signals duty!  Here co-operation was essential and I took on the role of Jean’s escort as necessity demanded or when Rod was away at sea.

During the mêlée of the invasion and days after until Cherbourg was relieved, the flotillas guarding the ‘Spout’ from enemy infiltration normally worked night about.  One morning, I was going down to muster the crew and saw a dishevelled Rod cursing his socks as he walked shoeless down the jetty. Rod usually wore a red one on his left leg and a green one on his right for luck.  On this occasion the socks were on their opposite feet; Rod’s boat was at the bottom of the deep blue sea and all he had to show for it was the ship’s binoculars.  Apparently his Skipper, Sykes, had engaged the enemy E-boats with great gallantry, dividing their line in a manner Nelson would have approved. This penetration aroused considerable objection by the enemy who exercised their spite tearing the bottom out of the MTB with their combined gunfire and immobilising 448.  The enemy retired licking their wounds whilst Lieutenant Neil Watson (a New Zealander) came alongside in 453 and, finding 448 beyond a tow directed their 6pdr Gunner, Andrew Bangor, to give the coup de grâce to the wounded warrior. 

Rod rejoined the flotilla after a short ‘Survivor’s’ leave and relieved Bertie Smail as Dudley Dixon’s No.1 in 450. Bertie Smail was given command of new boat 482, a super updated flush deck ‘proper’ Torpedo Boat (originally destined as a replacement for 448) which was quickly commandeered by Dixon, Bertie Smail taking over 450. Peter Warren was given new boat 478 whose crew, Harry Ashby and Dickie Barlow took over 449."

Have you noticed all the Coastal Forces Bases were named after flying beasties? HMS Midge at Lowestoft, HMS Mantis at Yarmouth and HMS Beehive at Felixstowe, all on the East Coast. Ramsgate and Dover were HMS Wasp. Portsmouth was HMS Hornet and Weymouth, the Training Base, was HMS Bee and later HMS Grasshopper. Dartmouth and Newhaven were used as casual bases but were not given ‘beastie’ names.

Sadly Terry - Terence Eric Bromley Mills "Crossed the Bar" on the 1st February 2013.

The photo above left shows from left to right, Rod Timms, "Guns", "No1", Leslie Yock, Terry Mills and "Bertie" Smail standing outside HMS Beehive.

Officers of the 35^th MTB Flotilla

September 1943 to May 1945

Senior Officer Lt J Dudley Dixon

MTB 447's CO was Ian Glennie, his 1^st Lt was Barrie Roberts. Jimmie James followed as CO, Barrie Roberts remained as 1^st Lt.

MTB 448's CO was Rodney Sykes, the only 1^stLt was Rod Timms. MTB 448 sunk in June 1944.

MTB 449's CO was Peter Warren, his 1^st Lt was Terry Mills. Harry Ashby then took over as CO with Dickie Barlow as his 1^st Lt.

MTB 450's CO was Dudley Dixon, his 1^stLt was Bertie Smail. When Bertie Smail left Rod Timms took over as 1^st Lt.

When CO Dudley Dixon left Bertie Smail rejoined as CO with Ron Wood-Spencer as 1^st Lt.

MTB 451's CO was Jumper Collins, his 1^stLt was Tommy Thompson. David Balkwill then took over as 1^stLt. When Jumper Collins left (was killed in action) Chas Allen was the CO with David Balkwill remaining as 1^st Lt.

MTB 452's CO was Leslie Yock, his 1^st Lt was Lawrence Kenny.

MTB 453's CO was Neil Watson, his 1^stLt was Peter Hodson. When Tony Halstead took over as CO Peter Hodson was the 1^st Lt.

MTB 454's CO was Bob Dyke, his 1^stLt Guy Natusch. Pete Irvine took over as CO with Guy Natusch staying on as his 1^st Lt.

MTB 478's CO was Harry Ashby his 1^st Lt was Dickie Barlow. Peter Warren took over as CO with Terry Mills as his 1^st Lt.

MTB 481's CO was Brian MacGinty with Martin Higham as his 1^st Lt. Gordon Carr subsequently took over as 1^st Lt.

MTB 482's CO was Bertie Smail and 1^stLt Ron Wood-Spencer. They were succeeded by Dudley Dixon as CO and Rod Timms as 1^st Lt

The above changes of CO's and 1^st Lt's did not all take place at the same time, as can be seen Officers moved boats within the Flotilla. Rod was 1^stLt of MTB 448 from its commissioning on 23/9/1943 until it was sunk on 10/6/1944. He moved to MTB 450 on 18/6/1944 until 5/12/1944 when he moved to MTB 482. MTB 482 was "paid off" on 28/5/1945.

There are no dates in Rod's records as to the exact movements of the Officers in the above chart. However Rod remained Dudley Dixon's 1^st Lt throughout the time he was with the 35^th. On occasions Rod listed the operations, the boats involved and the Officers on board. So although the dates of "start/finish" are not known we do know some dates when certain Officers were on certain boats. The information above (correctly copied from Rod's records) does not show Peter Hodson as being on 450 but his log repeatedly mentions "Hodders" as being in 450! In my opinion the log is probably right. Dudley Dixon was on sick leave for a while after an action, this probably accounts for the change.