Coastal Forces
Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy initially established during World War I, and then again in World War II under the command of Rear-Admiral, Coastal Forces. It remained active until the last minesweepers to wear the "HM Coastal Fo ...
was a division of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
established during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. It consisted of small coastal defence craft which the Navy designated with names such as: Motor Launch, High Speed Launch,
air-sea rescue
Air-sea rescue (ASR or A/SR, also known as sea-air rescue), and aeronautical and maritime search and rescue (AMSAR) by the ICAO and International Maritime Organization, IMO, is the coordinated search and rescue (SAR) of the survivors of emergenc ...
, Motor Gun Boat and Motor Torpedo Boat. It did not include landing craft, trawlers or purpose-built minesweepers. Other Navies operated equivalent boats, but classified and named them somewhat differently.
This article attempts to pull together, for comparative purposes, some statistics concerning the coastal forces of different navies. It starts with the above British definition of "Coastal Forces" and attempts to identify the equivalent boats in other navies.
Coastal Forces of the United Kingdom
Coastal Forces of the United States
Coastal Forces of Germany
Coastal Forces of Italy
Coastal Forces of Japan
Post war
Post war there seemed to be no need for small coastal force vessels. They were generally withdrawn and their functions taken over by larger
corvette
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...
s,
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
s, and
destroyers
In navy, naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a Naval fleet, fleet, convoy or Carrier battle group, battle group and defend them against powerful short range attack ...
. A few remained in service with
Third World
The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...
navies. The RN's last boats built in any number were the
Dark-class fast patrol boats of the mid-1950s; Coastal Forces was reduced in 1957 to a few vessels.
In time, the need for smaller vessels re-asserted itself, as in this experience of the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
:
Coastal boats reappeared in navies around the world now generally adapted to the need to "patrol" and designated as "
patrol boat
A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and the ...
s".
Surviving craft
Following is a list of notable surviving coastal craft from World War II.
See also
*
Submarine chaser
A submarine chaser or subchaser is a small naval vessel that is specifically intended for anti-submarine warfare. Many of the American submarine chasers used in World War I found their way to Allied nations by way of Lend-Lease in World War II.
...
*
PT boat
A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, valued for its maneuverability and speed but hampered at the beginning of the wa ...
*
British Power Boat Company
The British Power Boat Company was a British manufacturer of motor boats, particularly racing boats and later military patrol boats.
History
The company was formed on 30 September 1927 when Hubert Scott-Paine bought and renamed the Hythe Shipya ...
producer of the PT boat prototype
*
Canadian Power Boat Company Canadian Power Boat Company was a manufacturer of motor torpedo boats and similar craft in Canada during World War II.
A prototype 70-foot boat was built by Hubert Scott-Paine's British Power Boat Company and shipped to Canada in 1940. Canadian P ...
*
Patrol boat
A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and the ...
*
USCG Patrol Boat
The Island-class patrol boat is a class of cutters of the United States Coast Guard. 49 cutters of the class were built, of which 37 remain in commission. Their hull numbers are WPB-1301 through WPB-1349.
Overview
The Island-class patrol boat ...
*
Fast Attack Craft
A fast attack craft (FAC) is a small, fast, agile, offensive, often affordable warship armed with anti-ship missiles, gun or torpedoes. FACs are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the seakeeping and all-round defensive ...
modern classification
*
List of patrol vessels of the United States Navy
This is a list of patrol vessels of the United States Navy.
Patrol craft coastal (PC)
The original PC hull number sequence ended in 1964, and was then restarted with '1' for this class.
''Cyclone''-class
By hull number
*
*
*
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*
*
* ...
References
External links
Reading list (Royal Naval Museum)
The Coastal Forces Heritage TrustUK National Register of Historic VesselsMTB-/MGB-Battles 1940-1945 in the European Theatre- ''mostly in German language''
* {{usurped,
}
World War II naval ships