MTB667

A newly constructed Motor Torpedo Boat number 667 had been brought to Brightlingsea from the builder’s yard in Burnham-on-Crouch in March 1943.

After the completion of her acceptance trials most of the crew were sent on leave. A small number of the crew remained on board to look after the boat.

On the morning of 5th March some crew members returned to find that some of the crew were very ill. Surgeon Lieutenant Haywood was summoned along with medical personnel to find that three of the men were dead as a result of asphyxiation from methyl bromide a chemical used in the fire extinguisher system which had leaked into the boat.

Two of the three dead were;

Chief Motor Mechanic Charles Edward Harris [MI 466], Motor Mechanic Frederick William Phair [MI 467], the third man was taken by his relatives for burial elsewhere.

Harris and Phair are buried in All Saints Churchyard and for many years members from Brightlingsea RNA have held a memorial service for them; more recently standards and members from other RNA branches in Essex and Suffolk and Brightlingsea Royal British Legion have come to Brightlingsea to be part of the service.