Description
Object description
British seaman served aboard HMS Prince of Wales, Force Z in Far East, 1941 including sinking off Malaya, 10/12/1941; officer served aboard HMS Orwell, 17th Destoyer Flotilla in Arctic, 11/1942-12/1943
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Edinburgh, GB, 1920-1941: family; education; employment; attitude towards Second World War. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Prince of Wales, Force Z in Far East, 1941 including sinking off Malaya, 10/12/1941: status as Commission Warrant candidate; loading ammunition in Scapa Flow prior to voyage to Far East; embarkation leave and punishment for being late back; conditions on board during voyage; degree of training on board; reception in South Africa; question of calibre of crew; attitude of European civilians in Colombo, Ceylon and Singapore, Malaya; his understanding of purpose of voyage; start of war in Far East, 12/1941; sailing of Force Z, 8/12/1941; his action station.
REEL 2 Continues: Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service attack on the ship; attempt to escape via hatchway; throwing furniture overboard; preparations to abandon ship via Carley Float; transfer to HMS Express; lifting of HMS Express by sinking HMS Prince of Wales; fate of those crew in sea; disappearance of seaman in holes made by torpedoes; overloading of HMS Express; personal morale; reception in Singapore, Singapore. Aspects of period on shore duties in Singapore, Malaya and escape to Ceylon, 1941-1942: dockyard guard duties; voyage to Columbo, Ceylon aboard SS Erinpura including conditions on board; contrast between living standards of officers and men in Far East. Reflections on sinking of HMS Prince of Wales, Force Z off Malaya, 10/12/1941: belief that the Japanese had been lucky in their attack; tendency to apportion blame to RAF.
REEL 3 Continues: opinion of efficiency of crew during attack. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Orwell, 17th Destroyer Flotilla in Arctic, 11/1942-12/1943: memories of Battle of the Barents Sea, 31/12/1942 including sight of HMS Onslow being hit by shells; duties as watch keeping officer; strain on eyesight; formation of ice on inside walls of ship; issue of warm clothing; means of preventing being washed overboard; position of escort in relation to convoy; navigation on board destroyer; rarity of German submarine attacks; German Air Force attacks on convoys; merchant vessel losses; rescue of survivors.
REEL 4 Continues: discomforts on board ship; fraternisation with Russian pilot; ashore in Polyarnoe, Soviet Union; loss of voice due to cold air; burial at sea in Kola Inlet; style of décor of Soviet ship's wardroom; lack of visible strong Soviet military presence; plotting work during Battle of the North Cape, 26/12/1943. Question of opinions expressed by former seamen about the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales off Malaya, 10/12/1941.
