Motor Torpedo Boat 102
Starts: 8 May 2008
Finishes: 11 May 2008
Location
Teddington Lock
Teddington
TW11 9NG
Description
The Torpedo Boat has an impressive history. She was built by Vospers Shipyard (without admiralty agreement or financial support), by a great Englishment, Commander Du Caen, who was one of the first to forsee the coming European War. Thus at the start of hostilities in 1939, this craft was armed and ready. Not surprisingly she became the new blueprint for WWII, MTB's. In the year of her launch, the torpedo boat was given the priviledge of escorting the King at the Spithead review of the Royal Navy. In 1940 she took on board the flag officer in charge of the evacution of Dunkirk and patrolled the beaches whilst the troops were taken off by the hundreds of small craft and large ship which responded to the Nation's call.
In 1944 the craft took Winston Churchill and General Eisenhower to France. Whilst on a lighter note, she will be remembered by filmgoers as Michaels Caine's boat in the film The Eaglr Has Landed.
HM Torpedo Boat will pass under London Bridge at 1600 approximately on the 8 May 2008 on route to Teddington lock where she will stay overnight. At 1900 on the 9 May, the MTB will proceed to Windsor, passing through eight locks on the Thames, arriving at approximately 5pm.