| Fast, small, and maneuverable, maritime small craft such as this Motor Gun Boat (MGB), a small, fast vessel mainly armed with guns. were ideal for nighttime extraction of secret operatives from enemy territory. This MGB has 2 Vickers K guns in a twin mount forward, and 2 extra fuel tanks. British MGBs existed for 2 main reasons – to protect other British vessels, such as coastal convoys or flotillas of vulnerable Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs), or to engage and destroy their enemy counterparts. They also had to defend themselves against Axis aircraft. Later in the war many boats carried torpedoes, which allowed them to attack larger enemy vessels such as merchant ships or their escorts. Because of their multi-role purpose, the MGBs carried a variety of onboard weaponry, depending on their mission and source construction. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0706.jpg |
| Image Size | 90.98 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 872 x 1000 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1943 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | |
| Country | Aegean Sea |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
Author of the World War II Multimedia Database