Builders Elco Built 1915-1918 Completed 580 | Operators Royal Navy In commission 1915-1920s Type Motor launch | |
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A motor launch (ML) is a small military vessel in British navy service. It was designed for harbour defence and submarine chasing or for armed high speed air-sea rescue.
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World War I service
Although small by naval standards, it was larger than the preceding Coastal Motor Boats of 40 and 55 ft length. The first motor launches entered service in the First World War. These were 580 80-foot-long (24 m) vessels built by the US Elco company for the Admiralty, receiving the designations ML-1 to ML-580. They served between 1916 and the end of the war with the Royal Navy defending the British coast from German submarines. After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 a flotilla of 12 RN Motor Launches traveled down the Rhine performing duty as the Rhine Patrol Flotilla.
World War II Types
Post-war, many motor launches were taken on as pleasure boats. A number of them are on the National Register of Historic Vessels.