A fine Second World War Coastal Forces group of seven awarded to Petty Officer W. K. M. Preece, Royal Navy, who won a “mention” for his gallantry as a Coxswain in a classic M.T.B. “firefight” at ‘absurdly close ranges’ in the Adriatic in October 1944

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, Minesweeping 1945-51, Near East (D/JX. 157233 P.O., R.N.), the last with contact wear and edge bruising, otherwise very fine, the remainder rather better (7) £400-500

William Kenneth Michael Preece was mentioned in despatches for his services in M.T.B. 637 during an attack on an enemy convoy in the Adriatic on the night of 11-12 October 1944 (Seedie’s refers).

As part of the 57th M.T.B. / M.G.B. Flotilla, operating out of Brindisi, 637 had already witnessed considerable action, not least in the Corfu Channel in September 1944, when she participated in a highly successful attack on an enemy convoy of schooners and lighters - seven of the latter were sunk and 18 prisoners taken. Such operations were extremely perilous, however, involving as they did a long passage by day, probable action by night, and then the equally long haul back home, but in the same month, as the Germans began to withdraw from the southern Dalmatian Islands, in addition to the Aegean and Greece, a new operational base was made available at Ancona. Sited as it was at the head of the Adriatic, this port opened up a host of new hunting opportunities off the Istrian Peninsula (and Trieste and Venice), and it was as a result of this advantageous deployment that 637 came into action on the night of 11 October 1944, once again under the command of Lieutenant R. C. Davidson, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. Such was the success of the operation, fought off Vir Island, north of Zara, by four M.T.Bs against seven enemy F-Lighters and four Pi-L Boats, that a full account of it was published in the London Gazette on 15 October 1948, as an example of one of the great Coastal Forces actions of the War, and it runs to seven pages, including a modest contribution from Lieutenant Davidson:

‘At 2306, the enemy opened fire and M.T.B. 634 altered course to port to attack with torpedoes. The Senior Officer and M.T.B. 634 were engaging targets unseen by us, but fires could be seen breaking out. My pom-pom gunner was engaging a northbound F-Lighter, but as M.T.B. 638 was on the port beam, no other guns could fire (This was due to the fact that I was manoeuvring to keep station on M.T.B. 634’s gun flashes). However, in a few seconds I opened fire with all guns on a target which was headed northwards. It was bows on to another burning F-Lighter. The range of the target was about seventy-five yards and every detail of the vessel was discerned. At this range none of our guns could miss. She immediately caught fire. The after superstructure of this vessel resembled Wembley Stadium on a dark night, except for the Nazi flag. The gunners reduced it to a blazing wreck, and another large target seen abeam of this blaze was being engaged by M.T.B. 638 with accurate fire. At 2317 two large objects were observed on the port beam and turned out to be upturned vessels.’

All of our M.T.Bs returned safely to base, having sunk no less than ten of the enemy’s force, and, possibly - although still unconfirmed - one or two E-Boats. And among those crew members in Davidson’s 637 to be recognised in the subsequent list of Honours and Awards, was Petty Officer Preece, whose “mention” was announced in The London Gazette on 13 February 1945. The original recommendation stated:

‘For coolness, skill and devotion to duty. Petty Officer Preece was Coxswain of His Majesty’s M.T.B. 637 and was outstanding thoughout the entire action, displaying coolness and skill at the wheel under enemy fire.’

Ten days later, the M.T.Bs of 57th Flotilla were again in action, this time off Dugi, when 637, in company with four other boats, contributed to the capture of two I-Boats and 92 prisoners, in addition to compelling the enemy to scuttle two more I-Boats and a Siebel Ferry.

Unfortunately, the date on which Preece joined 637 remains unknown, but it is worth noting that this M.T.B. had seen a good deal of fighting off North Africa throughout 1943, most importantly in the last action of Stewart Gould - one of the great names to emerge from Coastal Forces in the 1939-45 War - off Cap Bon on 28 April of that year. On that occasion she was commanded by Lieutenant E. F. Smyth, who won an immediate D.S.C., while Gould - who many thought worthy of a V.C. - was awarded a posthumous “mention”. He had already won a brace of D.S.Cs. For the definitive account of these Mediterranean operations, and frequent mention of 637, see Dog Boats at War, Royal Navy D Class M.T.Bs and M.G.Bs 1939-45, by Leonard C. Reynolds, O.B.E., D.S.C.