RAF - HSL 102

‘The seas shall not have them’

HSL 102, built by the British Power Boat Company at Hythe in 1936, is one of only 22 100-Class High Speed Launches which were used by the RAF to rescue World War 2 airmen from the seas.  The launches operated from various bases around the coast of Britain and saved more than 13,000 lives during the course of the war. HSL 102 is known to have operated from Blyth in the north-east and also from Newhaven on the south coast.

The inspiration behind these craft was Aircraftsman T E Shaw, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, who instigated development of a larger craft for offshore rescue work following his success in producing a prototype seaplane tender, RAF 200.

HSL 102 was capable of a speed of up to 42 knots and took part in the Battle of Britain.  During a two-month period in 1941 she rescued 38 aircrew from the North Sea, including the crews of two German bombers.  As a result, in July that year she was inspected by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.