Description
Object description
Ts memoir (37pp, written 1989) early life growing up in East Grinstead and a children's home in Hoar Cross, Staffordshire, singing in a church choir in Lichfield Cathedral, visits from his mother who was widowed during the First World War and who was later imprisoned, reunion with his half-brother, 11 plus exams (1926), attending a Grammar school in Lichfield, applying to join the Royal Navy aged 15, an interview in Birmingham, joining as a Boy 2nd Class (July 1931), moving to HMS GANGES, the shore establishment in Shotley, posting to the battleship HMS ROYAL OAK (June 1932 - 1934), details of his duties and descriptions of the ship and crew, sailing in the Mediterranean, becoming a Leading Seaman, posting to HMS DRAKE, the shore establishment in Devonport (1934) with a brief secondment to the Royal Navy Shore Patrol, Weymouth, being sent to the Royal Navy Prison at Portsmouth for being absent without leave, his feeling aggrieved at the unfairness of the sentence, details of the prison and harsh punishments, posting to HMS VICTORY, Portsmouth, receiving an apology from the Commodore of Portsmouth on behalf of the Admiralty for his treatment, posting to the battleship HMS RODNEY, promotion to acting Petty Officer, posting to HMS DOLPHIN at Fort Blockhouse, Portsmouth, for submarine training, service in the submarine HMS SEVERN, and then HMS RODNEY and the cruiser HMS KENT, to Shanghai, posting to Whale Island Gunnery School (HMS EXCELLENT), being chosen as one of the gun carriage crew for the state funeral of HM King George V (January 1936), with details of the funeral cortege, promotion to Sub Lieutenant (December 1936), difficulties of adapting to the Wardroom from the lower decks, shore leave in Alexandria (March 1937), a brawl with local Arabs leading to his being stabbed in the back, ending his career.
Content description
Ts memoir (37pp, written 1989) early life growing up in East Grinstead and a children's home in Hoar Cross, Staffordshire, singing in a church choir in Lichfield Cathedral, visits from his mother who was widowed during the First World War and who was later imprisoned, reunion with his half-brother, 11 plus exams (1926), attending a Grammar school in Lichfield, applying to join the Royal Navy aged 15, an interview in Birmingham, joining as a Boy 2nd Class (July 1931), moving to HMS GANGES, the shore establishment in Shotley, posting to the battleship HMS ROYAL OAK (June 1932 - 1934), details of his duties and descriptions of the ship and crew, sailing in the Mediterranean, becoming a Leading Seaman, posting to HMS DRAKE, the shore establishment in Devonport (1934) with a brief secondment to the Royal Navy Shore Patrol, Weymouth, being sent to the Royal Navy Prison at Portsmouth for being absent without leave, his feeling aggrieved at the unfairness of the sentence, details of the prison and harsh punishments, posting to HMS VICTORY, Portsmouth, receiving an apology from the Commodore of Portsmouth on behalf of the Admiralty for his treatment, posting to the battleship HMS RODNEY, promotion to acting Petty Officer, posting to HMS DOLPHIN at Fort Blockhouse, Portsmouth, for submarine training, service in the submarine HMS SEVERN, and then HMS RODNEY and the cruiser HMS KENT, to Shanghai, posting to Whale Island Gunnery School (HMS EXCELLENT), being chosen as one of the gun carriage crew for the state funeral of HM King George V (January 1936), with details of the funeral cortege, promotion to Sub Lieutenant (December 1936), difficulties of adapting to the Wardroom from the lower decks, shore leave in Alexandria (March 1937), a brawl with local Arabs leading to his being stabbed in the back, ending his career.
History note
Cataloguer SJO