I'll lead off this new index, since I persuaded Bryan to include it.
This is a picture of a 70' RAF HSL operating in the Indian Ocean in 1945. When I found the picture in my fathers things a few years ago, I decided to see if I could find out more about the boat. I was surprised to find out that it had been built in Canada, by a subsidiary of Hubert Scott-Paine's British Power Boat Company, Canadian Power Boat Company, in Montreal. There is little enough written about this company. There is an article in the Northern Mariner, in July 1992 (volume II, no. 3) called "Hell Boats of the RCN," by Donald E. Graves. John Lambert and Al Ross have done 2 volumes on coastal forces in World War II. The 3rd should contain the boats by Canadian Power Boats, but it's publication has been delayed, it seems.
Several of the 70' boats were built as motor torpedo boats for the RCN, several as high speed launches for the RCAF, several for the Dutch Navy, 4 of which became American PT boats, and 10 that became RAF high speed launches, one of which was 333.
As you can see from the caption on the side of the picture it was taken from about 200' from a Sunderland (code letter "L") of No. 230 Squadron. It described the boat picking up a dinghy and body. I don't know anything more about the story than that. If anyone can enlighten us, I'd appreciate it.
I'd also ask for any other pictures of RAF launches generally, but my particular (chauvanistic) interest is those built in Canada.
The second picture is an enlargement from the other picture.

