Description
Object description
British seaman served as engine room artificer aboard HMS Wyvern and HMS Winchester in Mediterranean and North Sea, 1921-1924, HMS Effingham in East Indies, 1925-1927, HMS Heliotrope in West Indies, 1931-1934, HMS Cairo in Atlantic, 1934-1935, HMS Suffolk on China Station, 1937-1939, HMS Worcester in GB coastal waters, 1939-1941 including Dunkirk evacuation, HMS Fury in Arctic and Mediterranean, 1941-1943 and HMS Lossie in Atlantic, 1944-1945.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of family, childhood and education in London and Southampton, GB, 1900-1916: problem with eyesight; sporting activities; memories of outbreak of First World War including use of Sunday School Hall for troops in Southampton; story of volunteering to join Royal Navy, 10/1915; medical examination and problem with half sight in one eye; description of train journey to Portsmouth, 3/Jan/1916. Aspects of training as artificer with Royal Navy at HMS Fisgard, Portsmouth, GB, 1/1916-1920: sailed aboard launch to Fareham Creek; description of four ships used for accommodation and workshops; given soap and towel; description of accommodation aboard the Hindustan; messing and sleeping arrangements; problem of accessing latrines on smoking deck; story of first job in workshop; drew uniform and kit; daily routine and activities; lectures on theory; weekend visits to home in Southampton; pay;
REEL 2 Continues: duties on training ship; story of meeting school friend; organisation of classes and exams system; graded into trade as fitter and turner; sporting activities; religious beliefs and services; leave; opinion of food; further memories of family life in Southampton; story of contracting chicken pox; story of holidays in Bournemouth.
REEL 3 Continues: posted to barracks in Portsmouth; description of basic training including drill and firing rifle; drafted to HMS Renown. Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Renown in Atlantic and Pacific, 1920: problem of flu outbreak aboard ship; story of Prince of Wales boarding ship and sailing to Barbados; duties as engine room artificer; story of passing through Panama Canal; description of crossing the line ceremony; problem of climate in tropics; role keeping machinery running; story of shore leave in Honolulu, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia; description of return voyage and arrival in Portsmouth, 10/1920. Aspects of period in Portsmouth, GB, 1920-1921: description of work on boiler of destroyer HMS Wyvern in dockyard; death of father; role as 3rd Engine Room Artificer.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Wyvern and HMS Winchester in Mediterranean and North Sea, 1921-1924: description of artificers' mess and sleeping arrangements aboard HMS Wyvern; description of spring and summer cruises in Mediterranean and Fleet exercises in Rosyth; problem of seasickness; description of duties aboard HMS Winchester; story of repairing Commander's car; story of work with echo sounding experiments aboard sloop BC 73 sloop at Portland echo. Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Effingham in East Indies, 7/1925-10/1927: problem of rats aboard ship; story of meeting future wife; sailed to base in Colombo, Ceylon; method of shopping and bartering; story of shore leave in Berbera; amusing story about riding camel in desert; returned to GB, 10/1927; marriage,1928; drafted to HMS Vimy with Atlantic Fleet, 10/1928; drafted to sloop Ross with Submarine School in Portland and Scotland; eft 9/1931; reason for refusing promotion. Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Heliotrope in West Indies, 1931-1934: based in Bermuda; description of ship, duties and voyages; story of sailing through hurricane; role of ship as part of Government Commission visiting islands; various memories of shore leave in West Indies and on US coast.
REEL 5 Continues; description of return voyage to GB with maintenance party, 1933-1934. Aspects of period as chief engine room artificer aboard HMS Cairo, 1/1934-8/1935: role of ship as part of Atlantic Fleet; description of cruises; duties as chief engine room artificer. Aspects of period in Portsmouth, GB, 1935: posted to Eastleigh Barracks and kitted out with Royal Marines uniform; sewed on naval buttons; issued with revolver and lanyard. Aspects of period with Royal Marines Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation (MNBDO) in Egypt, 1935-1936: duties as chief in charge of boat unit in Alexandria, role of unit to provide naval base in event of war; story of recruiting Maltese civilians to man boats; story of playing in concert party. Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Suffolk on China Station, 3/1937-6/1939: description of working up and sea trials at Chatham; story of sailing to port of Sing Tao while occupied by Japanese Fleet; based in Hong Kong; story of learning to drive car with Hong Kong Police; problem of smallpox outbreak aboard ship; description of voyage to Shanghai and along Yangtse River; story of writing letter of condolence to family of seaman who died in smallpox outbreak. Aspects of operations as chief engine room officer aboard HMS Worcester in GB coastal waters, 1939-1941: story of moving family from Portsmouth to Buckinghamshire; description of sea trials, 2/1940; story of ferrying troops from Dunkirk to Dover during Dunkirk evacuation, 5-6/1940; problem of ship running aground and damaging propellers; description of attack by German aircraft and casualties; story of bomb damaging boiler and making emergency repairs; story of colliding with another ship sailing into Dover and damaging bow; sailed to Tilbury for repairs; role in escorting convoys from Harwich and pursuing German E-boats with aid of radar.
REEL 6 Continues: problem of acoustic mines in harbour; drafted to depot ship at Scapa Flow, 1/1941. Aspects of operations as chief engine room artificer aboard HMS Fury in Arctic and Mediterranean, 1941-1943: problem of low morale and ship in poor condition; description of escorting convoys to Murmansk; problem of fog and use of radar; description of escorting convoys to Malta; story of being attacked by aircraft and submarines and loss of ships; story of be arrested by ARP warden for showing light while on leave in GB; promoted Temporary Acting Warrant Engineer. Aspects of operations as Temporary Acting Warrant Engineer aboard HMS Lossie in Atlantic, 1944-1945: lived in Montreal, Canada; description of sea trials, 1/1944; role of ship pursuing German U-boats in Atlantic; story of sinking U boat and capturing crew; description of escorting convoys and rescuing survivors; drafted to merchant ship to carry out repairs in Rangoon Harbour; returned to GB, 11/1945; story of studying for engineering degree during naval service; demobilized, 12/1945. Post-war life and employment in Portsmouth, GB: problem of adjustment to civilian life; worked in brush making factory; comparison of civilian and naval lifestyles
REEL 7 Continues: Various recollections of family life in GB.