Coastal Forces Base HMS Hornet

HMS Hornet was the Royal Navy’s principal Coastal Forces base during the Second World War, located at Haslar Creek, Gosport, Hampshire, opposite Portsmouth Dockyard.

Recommissioned in December 1939, it became home to flotillas of Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs), Motor Gun Boats (MGBs), and Motor Launches (MLs), which carried out raids, convoy protection, clandestine landings, and air-sea rescue. The base was a hive of activity, with boats constantly moving in and out of Portsmouth Harbour.

From veterans’ accounts, Hornet was closely linked with the nearby submarine base HMS Dolphin, and the two often shared facilities. After the war, Hornet briefly became “Dolphin II” before closing in 1956. The site later became the Hornet Sailing Club and the Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre, where a memorial now commemorates its wartime role.

Captured German E-boats (S-boats) were brought to Hornet in May 1945 after surrender, including S130, S212, and S213. These were tested by the Royal Navy as experimental craft. Veterans also recall the “Gay-class” fast patrol boats operating from Hornet in the 1950s, capable of 45 knots but limited by fuel and sea conditions.

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Source

• Text: TracesofWar
• Photos: Tim Sheerman-Chase