Description
Object description
British seaman served as radio officer with Merchant Navy in GB coastal waters, English Channel, South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1943-1945.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1926-1943: family background in London; joined Merchant Navy age 16, 1942; trained as radar operator at London Radio College, Chiswick; further training as DEMS gunner and fire-fighting course with London Fire Brigade. Aspects of operations as radio officer with Merchant Navy in GB coastal waters, English Channel, South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1943-1945: drafted to first ship SS Empire Pickwick, 1943; laid up in Loch Ewe, Scotland to train for Normandy landings; description of operations along east coast ('E-boat alley'); role in operations during Operation Neptune landing infantry and transport including tanks onto Normandy beaches, France, 6/1944; description of route taken and coming under fire from German gun positions; minefields in sea; watch system; story about shell exploding overhead and setting ship alight; number of trips made and losses during Operation Neptune; posted as radio officer to oil tanker, 8/1944; issued with Special Articles for serving on vessels carrying dangerous cargo; description of trips to US carrying aviation fuel; problem of gas from fuel while in transit; description of delivering supplies of high explosives and armaments from US to Italy and North Africa; description of convoy system and routes; reason for tankers being located in middle of convoy; description of noise made by depth charges; problem of tankers keeping up with convoy and emitting black smoke from funnels; transferred to aviation fuel tanker (Gard) to end of war; problem of overloading; description of US fighter planes being welded onto hooks on deck; story of sailing through tornado in Atlantic and damage to ship, including loss of all fighter aircraft.
REEL 2 Continues: further description of tornado; story of being followed by U-boats to Gibraltar; description of submarine nets at Gibraltar; story of U-boat attack on two convoys; opinion of U-boats and tactics; tanker pumped out and returned to convoy duty; attitude to lack of free time and prohibition of alcohol aboard merchant ship; description of convoy duty along coast of Italy; names of ships served aboard (Empire Pickwick, Gard, Viegal Handsten and Thorshoft); story of Italian frogmen attaching limpet mines to ships in Naples harbour; transported fuel supplies to Leghorn (Livorno); question of only using naval link to transmit messages; story of coming under fire while in port; morale and camaraderie aboard ship; story of taking down Reuters news reports for crew; description of hourly listening schedules, call signs and codes; role as radio officer; use of secret call sign known only to captain and radio officer; responsibility as radio officer to dispose of code books kept in lead lined canvas bags if ship sunk; problem of electrical storms in Indian Ocean blocking out parts of messages; role in operations in Red Sea at end of war; problem of decoding messages on single hearing and importance of maintaining radio silence; sailed to Karachi, India following end of war in Europe, 5/1945; reaction to news of atomic bomb dropped on Japan; returned to US; summary of post-war service with Merchant Navy; description of V1's flying over convoy during Normandy landings, 6/1944; story about V1 exploding in central London.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period in GB, 1942-1943: further comments on training at London Radio College, Chiswick; description of evening work at factory in Wembley assembling bullet racks for Spitfires; story of air raid on factory and casualties. Further aspects of operations as radio officer with Merchant Navy in GB coastal waters, English Channel, South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1943-1945: description of shell travelling through air; attitude to fear and danger of fuel exploding; location of cabin; opinion of rations; amusing story about 'storm soup'; description of watch system, daily routine and duties; recreational activities including reading and listening to US radio broadcasts; story of using oil to clean suit; smoking; communications with Admiralty; restrictions on transmissions except for emergencies; story about captain being instructed over radio in carrying out operation on crew member; method of showing ship's name; description of VE Day celebrations in Karachi, 5/1945; story of landing in Falmouth, GB on VJ Day, 15/Aug/1945; story about bringing nylon stockings from US for family; story of receiving telegram about father's heart attack 9 months late; amusing story about silk stockings; role in setting up Merchant Navy war memorials in Arromanches and Dover; story about tanker being torpedoed.
REEL 4 Continues: reaction to not being allowed to stop and rescue crew of torpedoed tanker; opinion of contribution of Merchant Navy during war; story about visit to D-Day Museum in Normandy; attitude to lack of recognition for Merchant Navy.