Matt Dixon Posted 3 March , 2004 Share Posted 3 March , 2004 Can anyone tell me where this unit was based, and specifically which ship Lt Arthur Whiting was serving on, when he was killed (torpedoed) on the 22nd August 1918. I know he previously served on anti-submarine duties in the Channel, and was Commander of the Patrol Boat in the Mediterranean. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 4 March , 2004 Share Posted 4 March , 2004 Lt. Arthur Whiting was on H.M.M.L. No.403 when it was sunk in 1918. This motor launch was built in 1915. He is commemorated on the following village memorial as well as Chatham. www.roll-of-honour.com/Buckinghamshire/Willen.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 4 March , 2004 Share Posted 4 March , 2004 HMML 403 was destroyed by explosion whilst trying to salve a German torpedo in Runswick Bay 22nd August 1918. These launches were extremely dangerous and some were lost by fire before the fuel for their petrol engines was reduced to 1 part petrol to 2 parts parrafin. Forty of these boats were delivered to the French. They were mostly built in Canada and were 46 tons gross, 75 x 12 x 4 feet, petrol engined 440 bhp giving 19.5 knots. Most of the crews were ex Motor Boat section. MBs were used in all theatres. Info from Dittmar and Colledge. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 4 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 March , 2004 Thanks gents, what does HMML stand for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 4 March , 2004 Share Posted 4 March , 2004 His Majesty's Motor Launch Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 4 March , 2004 Share Posted 4 March , 2004 Interesting that I should be regarded as a "gent". Is this a compliment ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 4 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 March , 2004 Perhaps gents and ladies would have been more appropriate! Regards etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 4 March , 2004 Share Posted 4 March , 2004 Matt...........I have some info on Arthur Whiting........I'll list it all, although no doubt you have some or most of it. Lieutenant Arthur Whiting Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Lost at Sea Thursday 22nd August 1918 age 32. commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent. Son of Henry Whiting of Caldecote House, Caldecote Street, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Commemorated on the Newport Pagnell & Willen Memorials. (I can get you photo's of both memorials if you can wait until the weekend) Arthur Whiting was born in Willen in 1886 & educated at All Saints School, Bloxham. Prior to the war he was employed at Whiting’s Engineers Limited in London. He was also known as a keen yachtsman & motorist. He volunteered for active service upon the outbreak of war in August 1914, enlisting with the Royal Naval Reserve & spent the early part of the war on patrol duties in the Irish sea & on anti submarine training. Arthur received a promotion from Sub Lieutenant to Full Lieutenant on the 24th July 1916 whilst serving at a naval land station in Egypt. He remained with the Eastern Mediterranean fleet until 1917 when he was transferred to North Sea escort & transport duties. He was lost at sea when his ship was sunk in the North Sea whilst trying to recover a German torpedo, which unfortunately exploded. Information sources Commonwealth War Graves Commission, The Wolverton Express & Bucks Weekly News – 6th September 1918, The Buck Standard – 2nd September 1916, The Bucks Standard – 31st August 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 5 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 March , 2004 Will, Thanks! All Saints was my old school, hence the interest. Any photos from memorials would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 5 March , 2004 Share Posted 5 March , 2004 Will, Thanks! All Saints was my old school, hence the interest. Any photos from memorials would be much appreciated. Matt............No problem, I'll try to get it sorted over the weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 6 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 March , 2004 Will, I used to go through Newport Pagnell a lot, to go fishing at Linford. Sadly this was before I knew about this chap! Any photos would be excellent, if I can ever return the favour, just ask. Cheers Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 6 March , 2004 Share Posted 6 March , 2004 Matt..................The photo's I promised (please forgive any slightly out of focus ones but I let my 4 year old son help & take a couple himself) Newport Pagnell memorial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 6 March , 2004 Share Posted 6 March , 2004 The panel listing Arthur Whiting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 6 March , 2004 Share Posted 6 March , 2004 Willen Memorial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 6 March , 2004 Share Posted 6 March , 2004 Close up of the panel (Not in great shape I'm afraid) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 6 March , 2004 Share Posted 6 March , 2004 & finally a close up of Arthur's commemoration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 7 March , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 March , 2004 Will, You are a scholar and a gentleman my friend, many thanks (to both of you!) Warmest regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 7 March , 2004 Share Posted 7 March , 2004 Will, You are a scholar and a gentleman my friend, many thanks (to both of you!) Warmest regards. Matt.....No problem, glad to be of help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-Hastings Posted 25 March , 2010 Share Posted 25 March , 2010 There is more on this incident here. M.L. 403 was stationed at Whitby, and was called upon to recover and defuse a German torpedo that had been fired at a northbound steamer on 21st August 1918. The steamer's crew watched the torpedo miss, and run into the rocks on the western side of the bay without exploding. On 22nd August, it was decided to recover the torpedo, and M.L. 403, commandered by Lieutenant Arthur Whiting, R.N.V.R was tasked with the recovery. M.L. 403 sailed out of Whitby with a crew of ten, plus two torpedo experts. A large crowd of locals gathered on the cliff above to witness the recovery. The torpedo was safely lifted out of the water, but it would seem that around 14:00, while the torpedo experts attempted to de-fuse it, it exploded, setting off the depth charges and the petrol tank aboard M.L. 403. The explosions broke windows, brought down ceilings, and damaged roof tiles in the village of Runswick. The bow of M.L. 403 was blown close to the shore. Miraculously, the coxswain, who had been feeling unwell, and who was lying in the crew fo'c's'le, survived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 19 May , 2020 Share Posted 19 May , 2020 I am one of the crew members great nephews, Christopher Herbert Stanford was on board ML403, we have been trying to find out more over the last ten years, I was near Runswick bay and thought I would have a quick look around, but it is such a small village and being in a lorry it was impossible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 20 May , 2020 Share Posted 20 May , 2020 (edited) On the 21st August 1918 a German submarine, UC-70 fired a torpedo at the northbound steamer Giralda off Runswick Bay. The steamer’s lookouts watched the torpedo’s wake as it passed them and ran onto rocks in the western side of the bay without exploding. Signals were sent to motor launches anchored in the bay and the submarine was pursued and depth charged.On the 22nd it was decided to recover the torpedo and Lieut. A. Whiting was tasked with the dangerous procedure. It was a perfect summer’s day as ML 403 left Whitby and travelled to Runswick Bay. She was accompanied by a second launch and manned with a crew of ten plus two torpedo experts. The torpedo was soon located about a two hundred meters from the cliffs. People gathered on the cliff top to watch as the torpedo was safely lifted out of the water. Just after 2o'clock as the experts began to remove the warhead there was a large flash, the torpedo had detonated. This was followed quickly by another as the four depth charges on the afterdeck went off in sympathy and then a third explosion as the vessel’s petrol began to burn. The shock from the explosion broke many windows brought down ceilings and damaged roofs in Runswick village. It was heard as far away as Scarborough.When the shocked spectators had picked themselves up and the smoke form burning fuel cleared they saw all that was remaining of the launch was the bow section which had been blown close into the shore. Of the ten crew and two experts only the Coxswain survived. He had been feeling unwell for several days and was laid down in the forecastle at the time of the explosion. He was quickly taken to Middlesborough hospital where he remained for several weeks. ADM 137/2241, ADM 137/803 Ten men died in the incident, only one of them has a grave. Reservist Frank Grant is buried at Hinderwell Cemetery. Edited 20 May , 2020 by Hyacinth1326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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