173
- 4 ***
their base had been fairly frequently bombed and they had boon employed on various duties during the day in addition to their usual night patrols, so that officers and crews wore needing a rest. As Commanding Officers of the Flotilla in TB.10 and of the TB.Base organisation at Aberdeen, I was beginning to feel the lack of sleep severely.
December 12th. On Friday, December 12th,MTB.10 went on slipway to chane damaged propeller, and I proceeded on a motor-bicycle to hilitary Hondquarters to speak with the Extended Defence Officer and receive verbal orders for a special patrol in Junk Bay. I observed some shollin; of Hon Kong from the Japanese in Kowloon. It was overcast and there was not much bombing of Aberdeen this day.
at 1830 when MTB's 07, 09, 11 and 12 were alon, sido the Aberdeen Dock Entrance preparatory to receiving final orders for patrols after my telephoning to the extended Defence Cffice, a Japanese plane suddenly appeared at 1,000 feet from a low cloud,making towards the Dock. Locurate Lewis gun tracer fire was at once opened by all four MTB's and the plane zoomed up and turned sharply away, a slight glow being observed on it, the plane making off to the southward in the dusk whore it was also fired on by MTB.26 under woigh. This plane was rumoured to have come down in the sea off Stanley but I could get no official confirmation from Military Headquarters, which however, admitted the rumour as being a strong one, I believe this plane was brought down.
Night stations were taken by MTB's:- 07, 09 Putoi, 11 and 12 (the latter rufitted and in service again) off Haiwan and MTB.26 on a special/
and