During World War II, the parties to the conflict protected their coasts with a variety of off-shore coastal forces that were distinct from their general naval forces. This article lists the coastal forces of each country who had them, and the craft that they used.

Coastal Forces of the United Kingdom Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy established during World War II. It consisted of small coastal defence craft which the Navy designated with names such as: Motor Launch, High Speed Launch, air-sea rescue, 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. Type Designation Built Lost Designed purpose Motor Launches ML, HDML ASR Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) and submarine chasing or for armed high speed Air Sea Rescue. Motor Gun Boats MGB Steam Gun Boats SGB 7 1 Hunting down German E-boats Motor Torpedo Boats MTB

Coastal Forces of the United States The United States Coast Guard provided war time coastal protection. The Coastal Picket Force augmented the Coast Guard with civilian auxiliary service from 1942–1945. Type Designation Built Lost Designed purpose PT boats PT- Submarine chasers SC- and PC-

Coastal Forces of Germany

Type Designation Built Lost Designed purpose Schnellboot (E-boats) S- R boat

Coastal Forces of Italy

Type Designation Built Lost Designed purpose MAS-boat Motoscafo Silurante36

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 They were generally withdrawn and their functions taken over by larger corvettes, frigates, and destroyers. A few remained in service with Third World 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:

Coastal boats reappeared in navies around the world now generally adapted to the need to "patrol" and designated as "patrol boats".

Surviving craft Following is a list of notable surviving coastal craft from World War II. Vessel MGB81 Country Great Britain Type Motor Gun Boat Design British Powerboat Company Built 1942 In the care of Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust Notes HNoMS Hitra Norway submarine chaser Only remaining World War II submarine chaser with intact armament Norwegian Navy article on HNoMS Hitra (in Norwegian) S-130 Germany E-boat 1943 British Military Powerboat Trust Schnellboot S130 Only surviving German E-boot. Participated in Exercise Tiger and attacks on the D-Day invasion fleet. PT 617 US PT-boat 80-foot Elco Battleship Cove Museum Battleship Cove Museum PT-617 Only completely restored 80-foot Elco PT-boat in existence Elco PT-617 PT 796 US PT-boat 78-foot Higgins Battleship Cove Museum Battleship Cove Museum PT-796 restored Higgins PT-796MTB 102UKMTBPrivate venture 1937MTB 102 Trustcapable of 48 knots unladen

See also

Submarine chaser PT boat British Power Boat Company producer of the PT boat prototype Canadian Power Boat Company Patrol boat USCG Patrol Boat Fast Attack Craft modern classification List of patrol vessels of the United States Navy

References

External links Reading list (Royal Naval Museum) Coastal, inshore and special naval warfare The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust Coastal Forces UK National Register of Historic Vessels Coastal Forces in World War Two - a Brief History MTB-/MGB-Battles 1940-1945 in the European Theatre - mostly in German language