ROYAL NAVY SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMAND - ROYAL NAVY M
36)ML 1065 (MOTOR LAUNCH)
Image by A. I.
ML 1065 was a Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML). She was formally assigned to the 108th Motor Launch Flotilla. Historical records detail the vessel's role and operational duties.
Frontline and Operational Roles — Arrival and Strategic Base: ML 1065 was transported by cargo ship directly to the West Africa Command, joining the defensive fleet based at the strategic port of Freetown.
Allied Convoy Escort: The launch actively operated in the protection and escort of Allied merchant vessels transiting along the west coast of Africa. In March and April 1943, for instance, ML 1065 (often operating alongside her sister ship, ML 1066) successfully escorted key merchant vessels—such as the SS *Mary Kingsley*, *Buffle*, and *Persistant*—from locations like Port Etienne to the port of Dakar.
Anti-Submarine Defense and Maritime Patrol: Freetown was one of the most vital assembly points for Atlantic convoys carrying supplies to Europe. ML 1065's daily role involved patrolling coastal routes and harbor entrances to hunt for Axis submarines (U-boats) and intercept potential threats or blockade forces.
Extended Operations in the Region: Beyond Freetown, the vessel provided security support and carried out naval liaison missions to secondary ports and Allied bases in the region, including Bathurst (now Banjul, in The Gambia) and Dakar (in Senegal).
