HMMTB 718 "Something Special": The Story of MTB 718

In the Second World War MTB 718 served as a unit of the SIS/Admiralty department headed by DDOD(I) – Deputy Director of Operations (Irregular). In his 1946 war review Captain Frank Slocum, DDOD(I), wrote:

“In May 1944 MTB 718 steamed to Lerwick from Dartmouth in three days and sailed for Norway on the fourth day to embark a party of agents on the run. She completed the operation in daylight, there being no darkness in those latitudes by that time. In the winter of 1944 and the spring of 1945 clandestine operations, mainly to re-victual or rescue various stations, proceeded normally...but four stand out as exceptional. These are AQUARIUS III (to rescue four agents from a small island in the southern approach to Egersund); LOLA (to land two agents on an island near Mandal); SELMA (to land two agents near Egersund) – all executed by MTB 718 ...

Whether measured by the risks from the enemy or the navigational hazards of the long voyages involved, these were out-standing performances. At such distances from base special navigational aids do not function. Weather forecasts were imprecise and unreliable and no W/T contact could be maintained. Also there was the wintry sea. From Operation LOLA MTB 718 just returned in a force 8 sea with over 3 ft. of water in the engine room and a hull so severely strained that it took over a month to repair. ... Clandestine operations came to an end when MTB 718 successfully completed Operation SELMA on 13th April 1945.”

This is the story of MTB 718.