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MTB 345
MTB 345 was an experimental motor torpedo boat constructed in 1941, which saw limited service with the Royal Navy before being transferred to the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy on 16 March 1943. She sailed with the Royal Norwegian Navy for three months in 1943, until captured by German forces on 28 July 1943, during her second mission to the coast of occupied Norway. Two days after their capture, the crew of MTB 345 were executed by the Germans based on Hitler's Commando Order. Following their capture of MTB 345, the Germans pressed the motor torpedo boat into Kriegsmarine service, renaming her SA 12. The fate of SA 12 since December 1943 is unknown.
After the end of the Second World War, the British Admiralty investigated the Commando Order killings in Norway, and sought out German officers suspected of involvement. In a war crimes trial, Generaloberst (Colonel General) Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was sentenced to death for his role in the Commando Order executions that occurred in Norway during the occupation, including the killing of MTB 345's crew. Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service, SD) commander Hans Wilhelm Blomberg was executed in January 1946 for his role in the killing, while Admiral Otto von Schrader committed suicide in Norwegian custody in July 1945 before he could be brought to trial.
Following the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, and the subsequent 62-day Norwegian campaign that ended in June 1940 with the German conquest of the country, the Royal Norwegian Navy was exiled in the United Kingdom. One way the exiled Norwegian forces attempted to strike back was by motor torpedo boat attacks on German-controlled shipping. After initial operations in the English Channel from July 1940 onwards, operations against the coast of occupied Norway from the Shetland Islands began in November 1942 and continued throughout the war in Europe. In total 30 motor torpedo boats served in the Royal Norwegian Navy during the war years.
MTB 345 was one of three coastal motor torpedo boats designed and built as an experiment by John I. Thornycroft & Company in Southampton, England, the other two being MTB 344 and MTB 346. Originally, the three MTBs had been intended to be transported to their operating areas on board larger ships, a concept which was never carried out. MTB 345 was launched in 1941 and completed on 22 November of that year. She had a displacement of 16.05 tons, a length of 55 feet (16.76 m) and a beam of 11 feet (3.35 m). Her two Thornycroft RY/12 1,326 brake horsepower petrol engines could propel her at 41 kn (76 km/h; 47 mph). She was armed with twin Lewis machine guns, two 18-inch torpedo tubes and two depth charges.
Initially intended for service with the British Royal Navy, MTB 345 in January 1942 formed part of the 12th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla, being set up at Dartmouth, England. After working up, the flotilla was to be laid up at Portsmouth, England. At the time she was under the command of Temporary Sub-lieutenant D. Mortimer of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
MTB 345 was acquired by the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy from the Royal Navy on 16 March 1943, as part of a plan to increase attacks on German and German-controlled shipping off the coast of Norway by expanding operations during the summer months. Most of the attacks up until that point had occurred under the cover of darkness, a tactic which prohibited attacks during the round-the-clock light of the Norwegian summer. The sinking of the escorted German iron ore carrier Altenfels by MTB 626 on 5 June 1943 had demonstrated the feasibility of summer operations on the coast of Norway.
MTB 345 was transported from Weymouth in England to Inverness in Scotland by train, and was relaunched on 24 April 1943. The motor torpedo boat was ready for operations on 5 May and arrived at the Norwegian naval base at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands on 6 May. The vessel's commander was Lieutenant Alv Haldor Andresen, who was also the initiator of the experiment with light motor torpedo boats on the coast of Norway. MTB 345 formed part of 30th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla.
MTB 345 was a small vessel, and as such considered to be well suited for operations on the coast of occupied Norway. Subterfuge was seen as essential for the success of motor torpedo boat missions off Norway, and the summer light made hiding from German observers much harder. To be able to operate against shipping off Norway, MTB 345 had to be resupplied by other, larger vessels. MTB 345 was a fast vessel, being capable of a top speed of 41 knots (75.93 km/h; 47.18 mph). Her secondary, silent electric engine could propel her at 6 knots (11.11 km/h; 6.90 mph). The main problem with MTB 345 was her very short range, requiring refuelling during operations.
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MTB 345 AI simulator
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MTB 345
MTB 345 was an experimental motor torpedo boat constructed in 1941, which saw limited service with the Royal Navy before being transferred to the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy on 16 March 1943. She sailed with the Royal Norwegian Navy for three months in 1943, until captured by German forces on 28 July 1943, during her second mission to the coast of occupied Norway. Two days after their capture, the crew of MTB 345 were executed by the Germans based on Hitler's Commando Order. Following their capture of MTB 345, the Germans pressed the motor torpedo boat into Kriegsmarine service, renaming her SA 12. The fate of SA 12 since December 1943 is unknown.
After the end of the Second World War, the British Admiralty investigated the Commando Order killings in Norway, and sought out German officers suspected of involvement. In a war crimes trial, Generaloberst (Colonel General) Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was sentenced to death for his role in the Commando Order executions that occurred in Norway during the occupation, including the killing of MTB 345's crew. Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service, SD) commander Hans Wilhelm Blomberg was executed in January 1946 for his role in the killing, while Admiral Otto von Schrader committed suicide in Norwegian custody in July 1945 before he could be brought to trial.
Following the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, and the subsequent 62-day Norwegian campaign that ended in June 1940 with the German conquest of the country, the Royal Norwegian Navy was exiled in the United Kingdom. One way the exiled Norwegian forces attempted to strike back was by motor torpedo boat attacks on German-controlled shipping. After initial operations in the English Channel from July 1940 onwards, operations against the coast of occupied Norway from the Shetland Islands began in November 1942 and continued throughout the war in Europe. In total 30 motor torpedo boats served in the Royal Norwegian Navy during the war years.
MTB 345 was one of three coastal motor torpedo boats designed and built as an experiment by John I. Thornycroft & Company in Southampton, England, the other two being MTB 344 and MTB 346. Originally, the three MTBs had been intended to be transported to their operating areas on board larger ships, a concept which was never carried out. MTB 345 was launched in 1941 and completed on 22 November of that year. She had a displacement of 16.05 tons, a length of 55 feet (16.76 m) and a beam of 11 feet (3.35 m). Her two Thornycroft RY/12 1,326 brake horsepower petrol engines could propel her at 41 kn (76 km/h; 47 mph). She was armed with twin Lewis machine guns, two 18-inch torpedo tubes and two depth charges.
Initially intended for service with the British Royal Navy, MTB 345 in January 1942 formed part of the 12th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla, being set up at Dartmouth, England. After working up, the flotilla was to be laid up at Portsmouth, England. At the time she was under the command of Temporary Sub-lieutenant D. Mortimer of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
MTB 345 was acquired by the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy from the Royal Navy on 16 March 1943, as part of a plan to increase attacks on German and German-controlled shipping off the coast of Norway by expanding operations during the summer months. Most of the attacks up until that point had occurred under the cover of darkness, a tactic which prohibited attacks during the round-the-clock light of the Norwegian summer. The sinking of the escorted German iron ore carrier Altenfels by MTB 626 on 5 June 1943 had demonstrated the feasibility of summer operations on the coast of Norway.
MTB 345 was transported from Weymouth in England to Inverness in Scotland by train, and was relaunched on 24 April 1943. The motor torpedo boat was ready for operations on 5 May and arrived at the Norwegian naval base at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands on 6 May. The vessel's commander was Lieutenant Alv Haldor Andresen, who was also the initiator of the experiment with light motor torpedo boats on the coast of Norway. MTB 345 formed part of 30th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla.
MTB 345 was a small vessel, and as such considered to be well suited for operations on the coast of occupied Norway. Subterfuge was seen as essential for the success of motor torpedo boat missions off Norway, and the summer light made hiding from German observers much harder. To be able to operate against shipping off Norway, MTB 345 had to be resupplied by other, larger vessels. MTB 345 was a fast vessel, being capable of a top speed of 41 knots (75.93 km/h; 47.18 mph). Her secondary, silent electric engine could propel her at 6 knots (11.11 km/h; 6.90 mph). The main problem with MTB 345 was her very short range, requiring refuelling during operations.