Boats saved from the scrapheap on show in Portsmouth
They saved lives in the war, and two vintage motor boats have now arrived at their new home in Portsmouth.
The craft were saved for posterity by the naval base's property trust with the help of a 580,000 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.
When built, HSL 102 and MGB 81 were among the fastest boats of their type in the world, and played important roles at Dunkirk in 1940 and in D-Day in 1944.
Peter Goodship, chief executive of the property trust, said: 'These unique craft are a legacy to the heroism of those who crewed them during the war.
'Both boats made significant contributions to the war effort and saved the lives of many sailors and airmen.
'The trust is especially grateful to the National Heritage Memorial Fund, without which this would not have been possible.'
One of the boats, MGB 81, was active during the US landing at Omaha Beach on D-Day and received the battle honour 'Normandy 1944'.
The other, HSL 102, is the only surviving example of the 100 class high speed launch and was stationed at RAF Calshot during the Battle of Britain, retrieving shot-down airmen from the sea.
Among those welcoming the boats to Portsmouth was Lieutenant James Shadbolt, who was thrilled to see the boat class he had worked on 65 years ago.
He recalled that they had been highly dangerous, being made of a large fuel tank surround by plywood alone.
Lt Shadbolt, who was made an MBE and is a veteran of the Navy's 8th Motor Gunboat Flotilla, said: 'I'm delighted these two motorboats will now be safeguarded.
'It's wonderful to know that future generations will be able to experience first-hand these extremely exciting machines just as we did as young men during the war. The engines were very, very loud - you could hear them five miles away.'
The property trust has both boats on display at Gunwharf Quays Marina, and hopes people will be able to charter the boats and experience what it was like driving at full speed 70 years ago.
It also hopes to use them occasionally to take people to Priddy's Hard and the revamped Explosion museum, where boats like 102 were based during the war.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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