HSL 102 Yard No. 1038 joined the RAF fleet in 1937 to increase the operational range duties of the 200 class seaplane tenders. She began her service career at RNAS Donibristle which was a former Fleet Air Arm base located east of Rosyth, on the Firth of Forth in Scotland where she was taken on charge on the 27th
October 1937. HSL 102 was one of the many
craft to be involved with Operation Dynamo rescuing Allied forces from the beaches at Dunkirk and on completion she was returned to the builders at Hythe in July 1940 for modifications.
Repairs completed, she was allocated to No.15 Air Sea Rescue Unit operating from Blyth and from April 1941. HSL 102 was subsequently transferred to operate from the seaplane base at Felixstowe (photo left), more repairs followed and during 1942 the craft was based first at Newhaven and then returned to operate from Felixstowe once again. During her time as an Air Sea Rescue Launch, she saved the lives of numerous “ditched” pilots from the sea.
With the introduction of better craft towards the end of the war, some of the class were transferred to other duties. The RAF service of HSL 102 ended on the 4th
to the Admiralty to become Control and Target Towing Launch No. 12. With a strengthened stem she was employed towing gunnery targets. Post WWII the CT/12 (ex HSL 102) was surplus and like many other craft sold off in April 1946.
After her sale from the Admiralty like so many other ex-naval patrol craft she became a houseboat and was found in Dartmouth in 1993. Phil Clabburn purchased her and had her towed to Plymouth where she was lifted out and taken by road to the then home of Powerboat Restorations in Fawley, Southampton. This was the base of National Power PLC who generously provided the space and facilities for her restoration, during which areas of her double diagonal planking were renewed as were her bulkheads, frames and chine. New floor beams were laid, and new bearers constructed. 60,000 screws were removed from the hull, which was then re-fastened.
Another short 4 minutes YouTube video of 102 racing across the sea – go to
https://bit.ly/3cqSblV.
March 1943 when she was transferred
HSL 102 at time of coding to Cat 4 at Gunwharf Quay Portsmouth March 2011
A completely new deck was added, and a new wheelhouse was built from the original drawings. Once rebuilt, the hull was completely sheathed in grp. She was re-launched in July 1996 which was my first involvement with her.
The Report • September 2022 • Issue 101 | 53
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128
