Description
Object description
Photocopy extracts (pp31 - 61 only) from his memoirs covering his mobilisation as an RNR officer after the SS OTRANTO's voyage from Australia to the United Kingdom (September - November 1939), his appointment as the navigating officer in the armed merchant cruiser HMS WOLFE which was initially employed on blockade duties on the Northern Patrol and then on Atlantic convoy escort (November 1939 - summer 1941), his temporary command of the American cargo ship EMPIRE PEREGRINE for her passage from the United States to the United Kingdom (autumn 1941), his qualification as a specialist navigating officer in HMS DRYAD and appointment to the destroyer HMS BULLDOG, which was principally deployed on Arctic and Atlantic convoy escort, including an action against German destroyers in the Barents Sea on 1 May 1942, and the incidents when the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS CURACOA was sunk in collision with the QUEEN MARY and BULLDOG was badly damaged in heavy seas in the Arctic (February 1942 - April 1943), his service as navigating officer of the cruiser HMS ENTERPRISE including patrols in the Bay of Biscay and a very successful action with some German destroyers on 28 December 1943, training exercises with the American Force 'U' prior to D-Day, operations off Normandy from D-Day onwards and a visit to the ship at Arromanches by Winston Churchill (July 1943 - October 1944), his appointment as Staff Officer (Navigation) at Western Approaches Command in Liverpool responsible for radar plotting training (November 1944 - August 1945) and in a similar capacity in HMS DRYAD, the RN navigation school (August 1945 - March 1946). The memoir praises the seamanship of Commander (later Vice Admiral Sir) Maxwell Richmond, but is critical of Vice Admiral Sir Gilbert Stephenson and especially of two of the commanding officers under whom Rhead served.
Content description
Photocopy extracts (pp31 - 61 only) from his memoirs covering his mobilisation as an RNR officer after the SS OTRANTO's voyage from Australia to the United Kingdom (September - November 1939), his appointment as the navigating officer in the armed merchant cruiser HMS WOLFE which was initially employed on blockade duties on the Northern Patrol and then on Atlantic convoy escort (November 1939 - summer 1941), his temporary command of the American cargo ship EMPIRE PEREGRINE for her passage from the United States to the United Kingdom (autumn 1941), his qualification as a specialist navigating officer in HMS DRYAD and appointment to the destroyer HMS BULLDOG, which was principally deployed on Arctic and Atlantic convoy escort, including an action against German destroyers in the Barents Sea on 1 May 1942, and the incidents when the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS CURACOA was sunk in collision with the QUEEN MARY and BULLDOG was badly damaged in heavy seas in the Arctic (February 1942 - April 1943), his service as navigating officer of the cruiser HMS ENTERPRISE including patrols in the Bay of Biscay and a very successful action with some German destroyers on 28 December 1943, training exercises with the American Force 'U' prior to D-Day, operations off Normandy from D-Day onwards and a visit to the ship at Arromanches by Winston Churchill (July 1943 - October 1944), his appointment as Staff Officer (Navigation) at Western Approaches Command in Liverpool responsible for radar plotting training (November 1944 - August 1945) and in a similar capacity in HMS DRYAD, the RN navigation school (August 1945 - March 1946). The memoir praises the seamanship of Commander (later Vice Admiral Sir) Maxwell Richmond, but is critical of Vice Admiral Sir Gilbert Stephenson and especially of two of the commanding officers under whom Rhead served.
History note
Cataloguer RWAS
History note
Catalogue date 1999-03