On the outbreak of war in 1914, the Royal Navy found it required
more small craft than it possessed to carry out minesweeping,
anti-submarine patrols and coastal defence. This led to the
formation of an auxiliary force of civilian vessels, including
motor pleasure boats and yachts, relatively new types of craft
powered by the internal combustion engine. The inclusion of these
vessels came about when a group of motor boat owners suggested to
the Admiralty that their vessels could play an important role in
the defence of Britain. The result was the formation of the Royal
Naval Motor Boat Reserve (RNMBR) in 1912. By mid-1915, the demands
of naval duty had proved too much for these quirky craft. A meeting
in the USA led to their replacement by American-designed Elco motor
launches (MLs), of which 550 were purchased, and these Elco
launches gave great service for the rest of the war, usually
officered by RNVR personnel who won three Victoria Crosses. In
addition to the Elcos, in 1915 some naval officers developed the
hydroplaning coastal motor boats (CMBs), which served with equal
distinction in the latter part of the war. Post-war, both types saw
valuable service in the occupation of the Rhineland and in the
Baltic campaign, where three more VCs were won. Other countries
adopted similar craft. In Italy, the MAS torpedo motor craft
achieved fame and success. And in France, MLs supplied by Britain,
and by Elco, played their part. Germany too utilised small motor
vessels, including the torpedo-armed Luftschiffmotorboote and
Fernlenkboot remotely controlled designs. And when America entered
the war, she built a fleet of so-called 'sub chasers', wooden-built
and designed to counter U-boats along her East Coast. The Petrol
Navy tells the stirring story of these motor-driven boats at war,
of their development and operations and of the many colourful
characters who were their captains and crew. It will acquaint
historians and enthusiasts with an important and previously untold
aspect of the naval war, and will engross those with a more general
interest in the First World War.
General
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