The Escape of the 2nd MTB Flotilla

Stoker A/B John Holt; D/SSX13894 [MTB 27] (Burnley Lancs)

5th March 1915 - 25th March 1963

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Jack joined MTB 27 of the 2nd MTB Flotilla after training at HMS Defiance, the Royal Navy's torpedo school on 14th february 1939.

After 3000 miles traveling overland through China and Burma he arrived in a deserted Rangoon. After five weeks he left onboard the SS heinrich Jessen bound for Calcutta along with Lt-Cmdr Gandy & Lt Ashby, Jix Prest, Buddy Hide, Charlie Evans, John pawley, Al Rutter, Les Barker, Ron Priestley, Bill Schillemore, & Lofty Gurd. From Calcutta it was by train across the Indian sub-Continent to Bombay where they boarded the SS Narkunda bound for the UK via Durban at 15.30 on 26th March 1942.

In Durban they took 657 Italian POW's onboard before shaping course for Cape Town where another eleven of the flotilla crew had arrived onboard the SS Larconia including Lt Kennedy, Bill Dyer & Al Downey, who then transferred to the Narkunda. Arriving in Glasgow in the afternoon of the 22nd May there were three officers and 27 ratings of the flotilla who had escaped from Hong Kong 148 days previously.

 

 

 

John in 1933 having just joined the Royal Navy.

 

 

Photo from Jack Holt's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lt Collingwood, Sub-Lt Brewer, Warrant Officer Wright, & Lt Ashby with ratings A/B john Holt in the front row third from the left, & A/B Ed Brazel M.N. is front row right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27, Thornycroft 55 foot ex Kuamintong CMB Kuai 20 completed 10h September 1938 loaded with depth charges and torpedos getting an XDO inspection in February 1940 with Lt Kilbeee as her C/O.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 alongside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 loaded with depth charges in liu of torpedos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John with Edith his wife in the 1950s.

 

 

Photo from Jack Holt's collection ©