[2] Regularly deployed in flotillas of six, The Little Ships relieved larger escort craft urgently needed elsewhere by carrying out anti-submarine patrols, port defence and rescue duties in home waters.

"[7] Originally designated and painted up as CML (coastal motor launch) 01–36, the Canadian Fairmile B was built of double mahogany wood with an eight-inch oak keel.

[11] In two days, a Fairmile could have its weapons and equipment reconfigured to serve as an escort, minesweeper, minelayer, navigation leader, coastal raider, patrol boat, ambulance or rescue launch.

"[7] With rumours of vessels sunk by German U-boats inside Canadian waters, shipbuilders on the Great Lakes and inland waterways of Ontario urgently worked to churn out more MLs, with the first nine arriving in Halifax in the fall of 1941.

Equipped with their unique gasoline engines, motor mechanics were particularly sought for and throughout the winter of 1941-42 extensive recruitment, training and preparation of the new boats and crews was undertaken.

[7] Meanwhile, in Newfoundland and Halifax, ML crews were relieved from convoy escort duty and placed on long and uninteresting anti-submarine patrols, where although contacts were made, no evidence of a “kill” were.

[7] Tasked with countering lurking German U-boats, the 72nd and 73rd ML Flotillas (each of six boats) left Halifax in mid-December for Trinidad via Boston and other east coast ports.

Upon reaching Savannah, Georgia, the 72nd ML Flotilla was forced to return home due to the stress foul weather put on the boats and crews during the transit south.

[9] Back home, listed as part of the 71st Flotilla – Gaspé Force, on 8 June 1943 HMC ML 053 was credited with recovering an intact mine laid in the Halifax approaches by the German submarine U-119.

[16] Following the invasion, the MTBs of the 29th MBT Flotilla patrolled the 15 km distance between the eastern edge of the assault area and the German naval base at Le Havre.

The 29th was battle-weary, and we were beginning to feel that we could not last much longer under the severe conditions: mines going off, shore batteries pounding on us; and dive bombers, like vicious bats, roaring out of the night and putting the fear of God into us…the personnel of the 29th were falling victim to horrible, haunting fears, and the boats, whose arduous task of defending the anchorage had almost burned them out, were badly in need of repair.”Based at Coastal Forces base HMS Beehive at Felixstowe in October 1944, the 29th MBT Flotilla was later transferred to Coastal Forces Mobile Unit (CFMU) No.

Operating their British-built Fairmile D MTBs out of Plymouth, the 65th MTB Flotilla was tasked with patrolling Allied convoy routes and conducting striking German shipping along the coast of northern Brittany.

Firing flares to light up the enemy convoy and then launching every torpedo they carried, followed by accurate gunfire, the MTBs of the 65th sunk two ships and possibly a third despite receiving considerable damage to themselves.

The 65th MTB Flotilla was decommissioned after more than a year of almost constant action with German E-boats, räumboote (R-boats) and armed trawlers along the coast of the English Channel prior to the invasion of France.

Larger than earlier MTB or motor gun boat (MGB) designs, the Fairmile D was driven by four Packard 12-cylinder 1250 hp supercharged patrol engines and could achieve 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) at full load.