Description
Object description
British telegraphist served aboard HMS Repulse in North Atlantic and Far East, 1941 including sinking off Malaya, 10/12/1941; evacuee from Singapore, Malaya to Australia via Java, Dutch East Indies, 2/1942
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Barry, GB, 1923-1939: family; education; employment. Recollections of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Repulse in North Atlantic and Far East, 1941: work of telegraphist and equipment used; background to joining ship, 5/1941; space available on board; damage sustained during pursuit of German battleship Bismarck, 5/1941; reasons why ship was a happy one; role of ship during pursuit of German battleship Bismarck; voyage to Far East, 11/1941-12/1941; situation and atmosphere in Singapore, Malaya.
REEL 2 Continues: reasons for sending ship on abortive voyage to Australia; reaction to Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7/12/1941; opinion of Japanese and Americans; question of not leaving Singapore, Malaya with more stealth, 8/12/1941; purpose of voyage north along coast of Malaya; atmosphere on board; shadowing of flotilla by Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service reconnaissance aircraft; decision of flotilla to return to Singapore, Malaya; sighting of Japanese tug; character of Japanese attack on ship; tannoy output during attack; personal morale during action; vibrations on board the ship.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of sinking of HMS Repulse off Malaya, 10/12/1941: torpedo hits on ship; abandoning ship; sinking of the ship; apprehensions in water; swimming away from ship; use of inflatable life belts; period in water; picking up of survivors by destroyers; rescue by destroyer and reception on board; return to Singapore, Malaya. Aspects of period on shore duties in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941-2/1942: reception of survivors at HMS Terror; belief that Singapore was impregnable; allocations of signal staff to army unit, 12/1941-1/1942.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of evacuation from Singapore, Malaya to Fremantle, Australia via Java, Dutch East Indies, 2/1942: evacuation from Singapore to Java aboard depot ship HMS Anking; signals duties in Batavia, Java; train journey across Java from Batavia; voyage from Java to Fremantle, Australia. Aspects of sinking of HMS Repulse off Malaya, 10/12/1941: crew morale after sinking; question of animosity towards HMS Prince of Wales; question of HMS Prince of Wales being an ill prepared ship.