The Ship That Died of Shame – Background to the boats seen

Tim Deacon self published a book, Polish Motor Torpedo Boats and Motor Gun Boats, in 2012 and has kindly provided us with interesting background information and detail regarding the craft seen in this film. Tim is currently working on the 2nd Edition of his book but an abridged version of the first publication can be read here.

The film in fact used three different, but similar, Motor Torpedo Boats in the making of the film (+ a superb model) namely ‘HMS Gay Dragoon’ in the opening sequences, Vosper ‘MTB 528’ in the scrapyard sequences (Harry Pound’s Scrapyard opposite Porchester Castle, Hampshire) and finally Polish ‘MTB S-10’ which was converted to a privately owned motor yacht ‘Taifun’, in the ‘post war’ sequences.

Capture 6

The boat in the ‘capture’ was the hull of MTB 528.

Capture 9

Tim provides us with an up to date (June 2018) shot of Weymouth Quay where the MTB was alongside.

Capture 16

The Polish MTB S-10 leaving Felixstowe Harbour in 1944, a still from a film made by the Polish Navy. Taken from Tim’s own publication.

Tim does give a talk about the film/book ‘The True Story of The Ship That Died of Shame’ incorporating Nicholas Monsarrat’s original short story of 1952, the film of 1954 and the later life of S-10 smuggling in The Med in the late 1950s and her involvement in the Suez Crisis and subsequent sinking.

He also tells us that used to live on Polish MTB S-8 as a houseboat in Southampton; she was one of the five ‘sister ships’ to S-10. There were six built altogether on the Isle of Wight at J Samuel White’s Cowes Shipyard, launched in 1944, and one, S-7, is still afloat today in Shoreham Harbour as Houseboat ‘Thanet’! Remarkable!