Ashley, Reginald Claude (Oral history)

British signaller served aboard HMS Iron Duke in GB coastal waters, 3/1914-2/1917; served aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth in GB coastal waters, 2/1917-9/1917; served aboard submarines C4 and D4 in GB coastal waters, 9/1917-11/1918

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Eddington and Blandford, Wiltshire, 1897-1913: family circumstances; education; work as telegraph boy; reasons for recruitment into Royal Navy at Southampton, 2/1913. Aspects of training with HMS Impregnable, Devonport and HMS Ganges Shore Station, Shotley, 2/1913-3/1914: daily routine of training aboard HMS Impregnable; educational classes; difficulty in passing swimming test; lectures; nature of HMS Powerful and Impregnable; training as signaller at HMS Ganges; varied nature of subsequent training as submariner at HMS Dolphin, Gosport, 9/1917. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of swimming instructor; uniform including question of personal adaptations; straw hat; kit inspections; cleaning brasswork and scrubbing decks aboard HMS Impregnable; Periods of service as signaller aboard HMS Iron Duke, 3/1914-2/1917, HMS Queen Elizabeth, 2/1917-9/1917 and submarines C4 and D4, 9/1917-11/1918: duties as signal boy aboard HMS Iron Duke. REEL 3 Continues: duties as signaller aboard submarines including role when surfaced, use of hydrophone before surfacing and operating wireless; role operating diving planes when submerged; question of 'spit and polish'; recharging submarine batteries; relationship between specialist ratings, seamen, stokers and marines. REEL 4 Continues: food; nature of messdecks aboard HMS Impregnable and Iron Duke; absence of fresh food, sleeping arrangements, toilets, lack of washing facilities, air quality and relationship between crew aboard submarines; gambling including running fixed games with loaded dice of 'Crown and Anchor'; question of incidence of homosexuality; food rations and messing systems. REEL 5 Continues: food rations and messing systems; meals; cooks of mess; canteens; rum ration; nature of discipline. REEL 6 Continues: nature of discipline; opinion of naval police and attack by stoker on master of arms aboard HMS Iron Duke; relationship with officers; story of 'round robin' complaints over shore leave on Black Island and issue of 'beer tickets' whilst aboard HMS Iron Duke; refusal of prospect of becoming officer; nature of relationships on lower deck; religious services and role of padres. REEL 7 Continues: naval regattas whilst aboard HMS Impregnable; boxing matches; reputation of HMS Queen Elizabeth; aspects of shore leave in Portsmouth including prevalence of prostitutes, VD problem, theatre visits, nature of pubs including Pelican and Albany, Commercial Room, drinking habits and Aggie Weston's Sailors' Rest Home. REEL 8 Continues: aspects of shore leave in Portsmouth including Aggie Weston's Sailors' Rest Home and Salvation Army hostel; question of adequacy of pay; appendicitis attack and treatment from civilians during train journey to Haslar Hospital, Gosport; socks from Lady Jellicoe Appeal Fund commissioning and sea trials of HMS Iron Duke; coaling ship; Spithead Review, 7/1914; outbreak of war and arrival of Admiral Jellicoe aboard HMS Iron Duke, 8/1914. REEL 9 Continues: move up to Scapa Flow; submarine patrols in motorboats outside of Scapa Flow; recreations and leave; state of crew morale; submarine alarms; aspects of acting as lookout in foretop during Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916-1/6/1916; rescue of survivors from Maine, c3/1914; patrols aboard D4 in North Sea and reports of loss of D3; story of sinking of UB 72, ca 5/1918, including surfacing to recharge batteries, sighting U Boat, exchange of torpedoes, sinking of U Boat question of failure to pick up survivors; view of surrender of German fleet whilst attached to destroyer at Bremner Harbour, 11/1918, including boarding Deutschland, reaction to hoisting white ensign and comparison of British and German submarines. REEL 10 Continues: Post-war career: question of employment; absence of comradeship in Royal Navy; attempt to re-enlist, 1939-1945; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle.