FIRST BRITISH ADMIRALTY ORDER
ML.1-50 series,
ordered 9 April 1915 in USA through Canadian
Vickers as anti-submarine vessels, built Elco,
Bayonne, New Jersey, 34t/39grt (H - 25grt), 75ft,
petrol engined, 19kts, initially 1-13pdr,
replaced with 1-3pdr in most plus depth charges,
8 crew, commissioned; 50 boats, 2 lost plus 1
after Armistice:
ML.1-ML.10 (total 10), no other details
ML.11, served in Dover Command,
battle honour - Zeebrugge (Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.12-ML.15
(total 4), no other details
ML.16,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.17,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.18,
included in the War Loss Section in Jane’s
Fighting Ships, but lost after Armistice; 29
September 1919 presumably in North Sea area - ML.18,
ML.62, ML.191 lost on passage from Norway, no other
details (J/Cn/D)
ML.19,
31 January 1916 in North Sea area - destroyed by fire
at Harwich (+J/C/Cn/D)
ML.20,
no other details
ML.21,
no other details
ML.22,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.23,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.24-ML.29
(total 6), no other details
ML.30,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.31-ML.37
(total 7), no other details
ML.38,
Conway lists her as transferred to French Navy, but
this appears to be a misprint for ML.380 (Cn)
ML.39,
no other details
ML.40,
18 May 1916 in eastern Mediterranean - destroyed by
fire in Suez Canal (+J/Cn/D)
ML.41-ML.50
(total 10), no other details
SECOND BRITISH ADMIRALTY ORDER
ML.51-550 series,
ordered 8 June 1915 in USA through Canadian
Vickers, built Elco, Bayonne, New Jersey, last
delivered 3 November 1916, 37t/46grt (H - 37grt),
86ft, petrol engined, 19kts, initially 1-13pdr,
replaced with 1-3pdr plus depth charges, 8 crew,
commissioned; 40 from ML.114-548 series
transferred to French Navy leaving 460 to RN, 20
lost plus 7 after Armistice:
ML.51,
no other details
ML.52,
29 November 1917 in English Channel area - destroyed
by fire in Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight (+J/C/Cn/D)
ML.53-ML.54 (total
2), no other details
ML.55,
28 January 1918 in Thames Estuary area - destroyed by
fire at yard of Messrs Wills and Packham,
Sittingbourne, Kent (+J/Cn/D)
ML.56-ML.59
(total 4), no other details
ML.60,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.61,
no other details
ML.62,
included in the War Loss Section in Jane’s
Fighting Ships, but lost after Armistice; 29
September 1919 presumably in North Sea area - ML.18,
ML.62, ML.191 lost on passage from Norway, no other
details (J/Cn/D)
ML.63,
no other details
ML.64,
10 June 1918 in North Sea area - destroyed by fire in
Granton Harbour, Edinburgh (+J/Cn/D)
ML.65-ML.78
(total 14), no other details
ML.79,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML80,
no other details
ML.81
(right) Lt Hugh Hunter RNVR in command, served in North Sea,
also possibly English Channel; early 1917 in North
Sea area - damaged by a petrol fire at Aberdeen or
possibly Peterhead, E Scotland (Dr A T Hunter MD of
Canada, whose father was second in command)
ML82,
no other details
ML83
(fright)
ML84-ML.96
(total 13), no other details
ML.97,
sold in a damaged condition, not known when, where
and how damaged (Cn/D)
ML.98-ML.102
(total 5), no other details
ML.103,
battle honour - Belgian Coast 1914-18 (Cn/th)
ML.104,
no other details
ML.105,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge (Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.106-ML.109
(total 4), no other details
ML.110,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge 4.1918, war loss; 23 April
1918 in North Sea - lost in action during Raid on
Zeebrugge (Cn/D/H/J/dp/th)
ML.111-ML.113
(total 3), no other details
ML.114-ML.548
series - 40 boats in this series were transferred
to France and delivered 1916-17. They were
numbered in the V for Vedette V.1-V.40 series.
The British part of Conway's allocates them to a
V.1-V.73 series, but V.41-73 covered three other
classes of French ML's
ML.114,
to French Navy (Cn)
ML.115-ML.117,
3 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.118-ML.120
(total 3), no other details
ML.121,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918, included in the War Loss Section in
Jane’s Fighting Ships, but lost after Armistice;
22 December 1918 in English Channel - lost by
collision off Seine Bank, France (J/Cn/D)
ML.122-ML.126
(total 5), no other details
ML.127,
sold in a damaged condition, not known when, where
and how damaged (Cn/D)
ML.128,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.129-ML.134
(total 6), no other details
ML.135,
commanding officer was Canadian Lt G L Cassady (sic),
awarded a DSC for his part in sinking a U-boat off
Dartmouth in the summer of 1918. U-boat was probably
UC.49, sunk in English Channel off Start Point, in
50.20N, 03.30E, on 8 August 1918, depth-charged by
destroyer HM Opossum, joined by a number of ML's
(Andy Hunter, Canada - see WW1Memoir-ML.htm; also Kemp's "U-boats
Destroyed")
ML.136-ML.148
(total 13), no other details
ML.149,
10 September 1916 in central Mediterranean -
destroyed by fire at Taranto, SE Italy (+J/Cn/D)
ML.150-ML.151
(total 2), no other details
ML.152,
in Conway’s as lost after the Armistice; 2
January 1920 in Baltic - grounded on southern Oland
island, Sweden (Cn/D)
ML.153-ML.190
(total 38), no other details
ML.191,
included in the War Loss Section in Jane’s
Fighting Ships, but lost after Armistice; 29
September 1919 presumably in North Sea area - ML.18,
ML.62, ML.191 lost on passage from Norway, no other
details (J/Cn/D) (for possible photograph - see WW1Memoir-ML.htm)
ML.192-ML.195
(total 4), no other details
ML.196,
in Conway’s as lost after the Armistice, caught
fire and sank, no other details (Cn/D)
ML.197,
31 January 1917 in St George’s Channel - wrecked
near Ballincourty/Ballinacourty Lighthouse, Co
Waterford on SE Ireland coast (+J/Cn/D)
ML.198-ML.210
(total 13), no other details
ML.211,
commanded by Canadian Lt John Hunter RNVR from 8 June 1917 until 9
January 1919 (right)
ML.212-ML.222
(total 11), no other details
ML.223,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.224-228
(total 5), no other details
ML.229,
motor launch, US Elco-built; sold in a damaged
condition, not known when, where and how damaged
(Cn/D) BUT (source?? - ML.229, one of 11 British
ML’s on the Rhine. Almost destroyed by petrol
explosion and fire in 1919. Probably not repaired)
ML.230,
ML’s 230, 253, 255 being transported as deck
cargo - normally 4 ML’s per ship - aboard
collier INVERBERVIE 4,309grt, sailing Cardiff &
Messina for Taranto with cargo of coal; 14 September
1916 in central Mediterranean - lost when INVERVERBIE
(H/L/D - also spelt INVERBERVIE) torpedoed without
warning by Austro-Hungarian submarine U.IV (U.4) and
sunk in Gulf of Squillace, 17 miles S by W from Cape
Rizzuto, Italy (te - in 38.55N, 16.15E; L - 15 miles
SW of Cape Rizzuto) (Cn/D/H/J/L/te)
ML.231-ML.238
(total 8), no other details
ML.239,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.240,
no other details
ML.241,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.242-ML.246
(total 5), no other details
ML.247,
29 September 1918 in Atlantic off SW England - one of
four ML’s which entered St Ives Bay for shelter
during strong southerly gale, wind veered and
"increased to hurricane force", threatening
to blow them ashore. Two boats started engines and
worked into deeper water, the local lifeboat went to
the aid of the other two, one of which then managed
to get started and entered St Ives Harbour, the other
developed engine trouble one mile off Clodgy Point
and drifted towards the rocks. By the time the
lifeboat had been relaunched and reached ML.247, she
had struck the rocks and blown up on Oar Rock, west
of Clodgy Point, St. Ives (WI - in 50.13.10N,
05.29.42W); all but one crew lost in the explosion or
probably drowned, one man washed ashore and saved by
people on the beach. A further two hour search only
revealed wreckage (+J/Cn/W/D)
ML.248,
no other details
ML.249,
served in Dover Command (Cn/dp)
ML.250-ML.251
(total 2), no other details
ML.252,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.253,
ML’s 230, 253, 255 being transported as deck
cargo - normally 4 ML’s per ship - aboard
collier INVERBERVIE 4,309grt, sailing Cardiff &
Messina for Taranto with cargo of coal; 14 September
1916 in central Mediterranean - lost with INVERVERBIE
(H/L/D - also spelt INVERBERVIE) torpedoed without
warning by Austro-Hungarian submarine U.IV (U.4) and
sunk in Gulf of Squillace, 17 miles S by W from Cape
Rizzuto, Italy (te - in 38.55N, 16.15E; L - 15 miles
SW of Cape Rizzuto) (Cn/D/H/J/L/te)
ML.254,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918, Ostend 5.1918, war loss; 10 May 1918
in North Sea - sunk to avoid capture during Raid on
Ostend. VC-boat - Lt Geoffrey Drummond RNVR
(Cn/D/H/J/dp/th)
ML.255,
ML’s 230, 253, 255 being transported as deck
cargo - normally 4 ML’s per ship - aboard
collier INVERBERVIE 4,309grt, sailing Cardiff &
Messina for Taranto with cargo of coal; 14 September
1916 in central Mediterranean - lost with INVERVERBIE
(H/L/D - also spelt INVERBERVIE) torpedoed without
warning by Austro-Hungarian submarine U.IV (U.4) and
sunk in Gulf of Squillace, 17 miles S by W from Cape
Rizzuto, Italy (te - in 38.55N, 16.15E; L - 15 miles
SW of Cape Rizzuto) (Cn/D/H/J/L/te)
ML.256-ML.257
(total 2), no other details
ML.258,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.259-ML.261
(total 3), no other details
ML.262,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.263-271
(total 9), no other details
ML.272,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.273,
no other details
ML.274,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.275,
no other details
ML.276,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge (Ostend) 4.1918, Ostend
5.1918, VC-boat - Lt Roland Bourke RNVR (3 battle
honours + VC)
(Cn/dp/th)
ML.277,
no other details
ML.278,
served in Dover Command, war loss; 15 January 1918 in
Strait of Dover - wrecked on Dunkirk Pier
(Cn/D/H/J/dp)
ML.279,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge (Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.280,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/dp)
ML.281,
no other details
ML.282,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge 4.1918, VC-boat - Lt Percy
Dean RNVR (Cn/dp/th)
ML.283,
served in Dover Command, battle honours - Belgian
Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge (Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.284,
no other details
ML.285
(right)
ML.286-ML.288
(total 3), no other details
ML.289,
Albert Medal (George Cross)-boat - Deckhand Stanners
RNR (Cn/dx)
ML.290-ML.304
(total 15), no other details
ML.305 -
"Based at Leith, patrolled Islands & Scapa Flow.
Would put-up on Isle of May. Able Seaman (or he may have been
Coxswain) Herbert Stapleton mentioned in dispatches after raising
the alarm when HM Queen Elizabeth (Admiral Beatty’s Flag Ship)
caught fire." (with thanks to Brenda Duggan, grand-daughter of
Herbert Stapleton)
ML.306-ML.307
(total 2), no other details
ML.308,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.309-ML.313
(total 5), no other details
ML.314,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.315-ML.344
(total 30), no other details
ML.345,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.346-ML.355
(total 10), no other details
ML.356,
served in Dover Command, war loss; 11 April 1918 in
Strait of Dover - sunk after collision off Dover,
Kent. Albert Medal (George Cross)-boat - Lt A G Bagot
RNVR (Cn/D/H/J/dp/th)
ML.357-ML.368
(total 12), no other details
ML.369
(right)
ML.370-ML.379
(total 10), no other details
ML.380,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(believed misprinted as ML.38 in Conway) (Cn)
ML.381-389
(total 9), no other details
ML.390,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.391,
no other details
ML.392,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.393,
no other details
ML.394,
possibly served in Dover Command before transfer as
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn/dp)
ML.395,
no other details
ML.396,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.397,
probably served in Dover Command, battle honour -
Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/th)
ML.398-ML.399
(total 2), no other details
ML.400,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.401,
no other details
ML.402,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.403,
war loss; 22 August 1918 in North Sea area -
salvaging a German torpedo and blown up in Runswick
Bay, near Whitby, Yorkshire, NE England (Cn/D/H/J)
ML.404,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.405-412
(total 8), no other details
ML.413,
21 April 1918 in Strait of Gibraltar - sank German
UB.71 with depth charges
ML.414-415
(total 2), no other details
ML.416,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.417, no other details
ML.418,
identified as at Gallipoli as of May 1918 (Donald Carmichael)
ML.419, no other details
ML.420,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.421,
war loss; 6 April 1918 - wrecked in Seaford Bay,
presumably Sussex, in English Channel (D - collision
off Whitby, in the North Sea) (+J/Cn/D)
ML.422,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.423,
no other details
ML.424,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918, war loss; 23 April 1918 in North Sea - lost
in action during Raid on Zeebrugge (Cn/D/H/J/dp/th)
ML.425-428
(total 4), no other details
ML.429,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.430,
no other details
ML.431,
war loss; 22 April 1917 in English Channel area -
destroyed by accidental fire at Poole, Dorset (W -
described as a 'B' Class motor launch, in Poole
Harbour, around 50.42N, 02W) (Cn/D/H/J/W)
ML.432-433
(total 2), no other details
ML.434,
in Conway’s as lost after the Armistice, caught
fire on the Danube river, no other details (Cn/D)
ML.435-441
(total 7), no other details
ML.442,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.443,
no other details
ML.444,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.445,
no other details
ML.446,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.447,
no other details
ML.448,
served in Dover Command, probably before transfer as
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn/dp)
ML.449-ML.454,
6 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.455,
no other details
ML.456,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.457,
no other details
ML.458-ML.460,
3 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.461,
no other details
ML.462,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.463,
no other details
ML.464,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series
(Cn)
ML.465, no other details
ML.466, identified
as at Gallipoli as of May 1918 (Donald Carmichael)
ML.467-ML.468
(total 2), no other details
ML.469-ML.472,
4 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.473,
no other details
ML.474,
war loss; 23 July 1917 in Aegean Sea - hit by Turkish
shell and destroyed by fire near Chios island, off W
Turkish coast (Cn/D/H/J)
ML.475-ML.481
(total 7), no other details
ML.482
(right)
ML.483-ML.488
(total 6), no other details
ML.489,
one of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40
series(Cn)
ML.490,
no other details
ML.491-ML.493,
3 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.494-ML.510 (total
17), no other details
ML.511,
served out of Portsmouth, commanded by Irish
yachtsman Conor O'Brien (Jeffrey Charles referencing
PRO archives)
ML.512,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.513,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.514-520
(total 7), no other details
ML.521,
in Conway’s as lost after the Armistice, caught
fire and sank at Portsmouth, date not known (Cn/D)
ML.522-524
(total 3), no other details
ML.525,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.526,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.527-530
(total 4), no other details
ML.531,
commanded by Canadian Lt Russell Odell RNVR (right)
ML.532,
probably served in Dover Command, battle honours -
Belgian Coast 1914-18, Zeebrugge (Ostend) 4.1918
(Cn/th)
ML.533,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.534,
war loss;13 April 1917 in central Mediterranean -
destroyed by fire at Taranto, SE Italy (Cn/D/H/J)
ML.535-537
(total 3), no other details
ML.538,
served in Dover Command (Cn/dp)
ML.539,
no other details
ML.540,
ML’s 540, 541 being transported as deck cargo -
normally 4 ML’s per ship - aboard cargo
steamship HUNSTRICK 8151grt, sailing London for
Salonica, also with government stores & troops; 8
June 1917 in Strait of Gibraltar - torpedoed by
submarine and sunk 80 miles WNW of Cape Spartel, N
tip of Morocco (L - 53 miles NW of) (Cn/D/H/J/L)
ML.541,
ML’s 540, 541 being transported as deck cargo -
normally 4 ML’s per ship - aboard cargo
steamship HUNSTRICK 8151grt, sailing London for
Salonica, also with government stores & troops; 8
June 1917 in Strait of Gibraltar - torpedoed by
submarine and sunk 80 miles WNW of Cape Spartel, N
tip of Morocco (L - 53 miles NW of) (Cn/D/H/J/L)
ML.542,
no other details
ML.543-ML.544,
2 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.545-546 (total
2), no other details
ML.547-548,
2 of 40 to France, renumbered in V.1-V.40 series (Cn)
ML.549,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.550,
no other details
FINAL ORDER
ML.551-580,
final 30 ordered July 1917, launched in
1918, 37t, 80ftx12ft, 19kts, 1-13pdr, replaced by
1-3pdr in most, 8 crew; 30 boats, 1 lost and 1
after Armistice:
ML.551,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.552,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.553-554
(total 2), no other details
ML.555,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.556,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
(Ostend) 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.557,
probably served in Dover Command, battle honour -
Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/th)
ML.558,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.559,
no other details
ML.560,
served in Dover Command, Zeebrugge 4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.561,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918, war loss; 21 October 1918 in North Sea -
mined, sank off Ostend (Cn/D/H/J/dp/th)
ML.562,
served in Dover Command, battle honour - Zeebrugge
4.1918 (Cn/dp/th)
ML.563-565
(total 3), no other details
ML.566,
included in the War Loss Section in Jane’s
Fighting Ships, but lost after Armistice; 22 December
1918 in English Channel - swamped off Cape Barfleur,
France (J/Cn/D/J)
ML.567-580
(total 14), no other details
