Harbour Defence Motor Launch

The Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML) was a British small motor vessel of the Second World War.

The HDML was designed by W J Holt at the Admiralty in early 1939. During World War II 486 HDMLs were built, mainly by yacht builders, in the United Kingdom and a number of other allied countries. In view of their later expanded combat roles in some Commonwealth navies some HDMLs were re-designated as Seaward Defence Motor Launches (SDML) or Seaward Defence Boats (SDB). [ [http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_SDB_1323 Sea Power Centre history page for SDB 1323] ]

Design and construction

HDMLs had a displacement hull of convert|72|ft|m long with a beam of convert|16|ft|m and a loaded draught of convert|5|ft|m. The loaded displacement was 54 tons. The hull had a pronounced flare forward to throw the bow wave clear, and providing considerable lift to prevent all but the heaviest seas from coming aboard. Although sea-kindly, there is a considerable tendency to roll, especially when taking seas at anything other than right angles. The cause, surprisingly, was their considerable reserve of stability, the effect of which was to impart a powerful righting moment if the ship was pushed over in a seaway. This, coupled with the round bilged hull and lack of bilge keels, would set up a rapid and violent rolling.

One of the design criteria, was that it had to be capable of turning within the turning circle of a submerged submarine. To achieve this, HDMLs were fitted with two very large rudders and, to reduce the resistance to turning, the keel ended 13 feet from the stern. A side effect of this was that the hull lacked directional stability, and was extremely difficult to hold on a straight course.

The hull was of round bilge wooden construction, planked with two diagonally opposed skins with a layer of oiled calico between them – known as “double-diagonal” construction. The hull is completed with frames or “timbers” riveted perpendicularly from the keel to the gunwale on the inside of the planking, forming a very strong hull. The hull is further strengthened by the addition of longitudinal stringers riveted inside the timbers together with further timbers, known as "web frames" fastened inside the stringers opposite every third main timber. HDMLs were fitted with a deeper section rubbing strake aft. Its purpose was to roll depth charges (kept and delivered from racks on the side decks) clear of the hull and propellers.

Most HDML hulls were planked in mahogany, but later in the war when this became scarce, larch was used although this tended to lead to leaky hulls. The decks were also of double-diagonal construction, and generally made of softwood. Ships operating in tropical waters (including the Mediterranean) were sheathed in copper below the waterline to prevent attack by marine borers.

In order to lessen the chances of ships sinking in the event of damage to the hull, they were divided into six watertight compartments. Provided that the bulkheads were not damaged, the ship could remain afloat with any one compartment flooded.

Accommodation

HDMLs were designed to accommodate a crew of 10. There were berths for 6 ratings in the fore cabin, which also contained a galley coal fired stove – Admiralty Pattern 3160. In the forepeak, was a Baby Blake sea toilet and hand wash basin. The officers were berthed in the after end of the ship; the petty officers being in a cabin on the port side just aft of the engine room, they had their own separate toilet and hand wash basin. A small “Courtier” coal fired stove provided heating.

The commissioned officers had comparatively roomy accommodation in the wardroom aft, although it suffered from being situated above the propeller shafts, so that it was subject to a certain amount of noise and vibration. The wardroom also contained: the ship’s safe, a dining table and seating, a wine and spirit locker, a small coal stove and a tiny footbath.

The ship’s radio room was a small compartment situated aft on the starboard side, adjacent to the petty officers’ toilet.

On the main deck, was the chartroom, which contained the chart table, a casual berth and a second steering position. On the forward bulkhead was fitted the navigational switchboard, which included a duplicate set of engine revolution indicators, switches for the navigation lights, “Kent” clear-view screens and the “action-stations” alarm.

The main steering position was on the open bridge where the two engine room telegraphs were fitted. There were also voice pipes connected to the inside steering position, the engine room, the radio room and the wardroom.

Armament

To begin with HDMLs were commonly fitted with a QF 2-pounder gun on the foredeck, an Oerlikon 20 mm High Angle/Low Angle cannon on the stern cabin (this could also be used for anti-aircraft defence) and a 0.303 Vickers machine gun on each side of the bridge. They carried 10 depth charges, on the aft decks. The 2-pounder guns were not particularly accurate, possibly in view of the boats' tendency to roll, and many were replaced by another Oerlikon HA/LA gun.

ervice

HDMLs were originally intended for the defence of estuarial and local waters, they proved such a sea-kindly and versatile design that they were used in every theatre of operation as the war progressed. They were to be found escorting convoys off the West Coast of Africa, carrying out covert activities in the Mediterranean and undertaking anti-submarine patrols off Iceland.

To begin with, HDMLs for foreign service were transported as deck cargo on larger ships, which is why the length was restricted to 72 feet. However, later in the war, with many merchant ships being sunk, it was found to be much safer to steam them abroad under their own power and some HDMLs (including 1301) undertook fairly substantial ocean voyages. Many belonging to the Mediterranean fleet sailed from UK to Malta via Gibraltar in convoys, voyages which necessitated going well out into the Atlantic in order to keep clear of the enemy occupied coast. Three HDMLs were fitted with a second mast and sails with the intention of sailing to the Caribbean. In the event, they did not make this voyage, and joined the Mediterranean fleet.

HDMLs were normally manned by Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) officers with temporary commissions, and “hostilities only” ratings. However the crews gained an enviable reputation for their skill and expertise in the handling and fighting of their vessels.

Post-war

After the war HDMLs were adapted for other purposes such as surveying or were allocated to RNVR units to provide valuable seagoing experience for this important part-time navy. Some were sold to countries such as Burma, Malaya, Sri Lanka and the Philippines and became the backbone of their smaller navies. Many were sold out of Naval service to become private motor yachts or passenger boats, purposes for which they were ideally suited, with their diesel engines and roomy accommodation. Such was the superior design and build of these craft, that a number still survive today in their civilian role. Others continued in government service as HM Custom Cutters, before finding their way onto the civilian market at the end of their working lives.

Builders

"This is a partial list of known builders";Australia
*McFarlane and Sons, Birkenhead, South Australia
*McFarland, Adelaide
*Jack, Launceston, Tasmania
*Purdon & Featherstone, Hobart, Tasmania

;United Kingdom
*Berthon Boat Co Ltd,Lymington
*M W Blackmore & Sons Ltd, Bideford
*G Bunn, Wroxham
*A H Moody & Sons, Swanick Shore
*R A Newman & Sons, Poole
*Leo Robinson, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft
*Anderson, Rigden & Perkins, Whitstable.
*Bolson, Poole, Dorset.
*Bute Slip, Clyde, Scotland.
*Elkins, Christchurch, [Dorset] .
*Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
*Hillyard, Littlehampton, West Sussex.
*Lady Bee, [Isleworth] .
*McGruer, Clynder, Scotland.
*McClean, Renfrew, Scotland.
*Morgan Giles, Teignmouth Devon.
*Ranalagh Yacht Yard, Wooton, Isle of Wight.
*Robinson, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
*Sittingbourne Shipbuilding Co, Kent.
*Sussex Shipbuilding Co, Shoreham-by-Sea.
*Thornycroft, Hampton, London.
*Herbert Woods, Potter Heigham, Norfolk.

;USA
*Ackerman, Azusa, California.
*Dodge, Newport News.
*Edgar, Rye, New York.
*Elscot, City Island, New York.
*Everett, Washington
*Freeport Shipyard, Long Island
*Grays Harbour, Aberdeen, Washington.
*Harris & Parsons, Greenwich, Rhode Island
*Hiltebrant, Kingston, New York
*Huskins Yacht Corp.
*Leek, New Jersey.
*Madden & Lewis, Sausalito, California.
*Perkins & Vaughn, Wickford, Rhode Island
*Quincy Adams.
*Thorsen, Ellsworth, Maine.
*Truscott, St. Joseph, Michigan.

;others
*Africa Marine, Mombasa.
*Alcock Ashdown, Karachi.
*Armedi Shipyard, Bombay.
*Bombay Dockyard.
*Bombay Steam Navigation.
*Garden Reach, Calcutta.
*Hooghly Dock & Eng. Calcutta.
*India General Navigation, Calcutta.
*Irrawadi Flotilla Co., Rangoon.
*Mohatta, Karachi.
*Nichol, Durban, South Africa.
*Pehara, Alexandria, Egypt.
*Rangoon Dockyard, Rangoon.
*Scindia, Bombay.
*Spadbrow, Durban, South Africa.
*Thornycroft, Singapore.
*Walker, Colombo,Ceylon.

Notes

References

* Adapted from “Medusa” by Mike Boyce
* [http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.cfm UK National Historic Ships Register]
*"Allied Coastal Forces" Vol.1 by John Lambert and Al Ross

ee also

*Motor Launch
*Motor Gun Boat
*Motor Torpedo Boat
*Submarine chaser
*National Historic Ships (many surviving HDMLs in British waters are on its register.)
*British Coastal Forces of World War II

External links

* [http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boats%20for%20sale/HDML_1301/index.htm HDML 1301 today]
* [http://www.combinedops.com/HDML%201301.htm HDML 1301's exploits in the Mediterranean ]
* [http://www.naval-history.net/WW2Ships-HDML1001.htm HDML 1001]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/02/a2372302.shtml Personal account of life aboard HDML 1383]
* Enter HDML or Harbour Defence Motor Launch into search box of [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/ BBC's WW2 Peoples' War] for more individual accounts.
* [http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.cfm/event/getVessel/vref/522 HDML 1387 later HMS Medusa at National Historic Ships Register]
* [http://www.hmsmedusa.org.uk/ HMS Medusa website including list of known survivors]