Description
Object description
British officer served aboard HMS Hercules and HMS Royal Sovereign in North Sea, 1916-1919; present at Battle of Jutland, 1916. Served aboard HMS Milford in South Atlantic,1939-1940; served aboard HMS Dragon in South Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean, 1940-1943; present at capture of Singapore, 2/1942
Content description
REEL 1 : Background in High Wycombe, Bucks: family; death of three brothers in war; education; naval education at Osborne College and Dartmouth; story of going to sea age 15. Recollections of operations as midshipman aboard HMS Hercules in North Sea, 1916-1918: description of HMS Hercules and bases at Scapa Flow and Invergordon; explanation of standby regime of Grand Fleet; duties as midshipman aboard HMS Hercules at sea and on land; position of Fleet and battle cruisers, 5/1916; description of experiences during Battle of Jutland, 31/May-1/Jun/1916; reaction to news of loss of British ships; coaling -up and preparations for further action; state of readiness during night 31/May-1/Jun/1916; question of lack of night-fighting training; attitude to importance of Battle of Jutland; morale; opinion of describing Battle of Jutland as a victory; attitude to loss of ships and casualties; comparison of armour plating on British and German ships; reaction to death of Dartmouth classmates including brother of Anthony Eden.
REEL 2 Continues: morale aboard HMS Hercules; story of Admirals Sturdee and Browning; opinion of Beatty and Jellicoe; developments in gunnery control during war; description of using nets against torpedoes while in harbour; promoted sub-lieutenant and posted to HMS Royal Sovereign, 4/1918. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Royal Sovereign in North Sea, 4/1918-1919: duties as sub-lieutenant; description of aircraft landing platform on HMS Sovereign and problem of aircraft landing; use of aircraft carriers during First World War; description of surrender of German Fleet at Scapa Flow; guard duties at Scapa Flow and use of captured German trawler as patrol boat; description of role during scuttling of German Fleet; rescue of crews; successful attempt to prevent sinking of Nuremberg; organisation of salvage parties.
REEL 3 Continues: role of HMS Royal Sovereign in salvage operations; comparison of speed of scuttling among German ships; reaction of German crews to scuttling; casualties among German crews; description of base at Scapa Flow. Recollections of period as officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1919-19139: story of participation in London Peace March, 1919; awarded MBE; further education at Cambridge University; question of Left-wing activity in Cambridge University; memories of Lord Mountbatten; description of duties aboard Royal Yacht, 1920.
REEL 4 Continues: summary of inter-war naval career; description of role in evacuation of Ibn Saud, King Feisel and King Abdullah from Cyprus; duties on China Station, 1932; problem with Japanese in Shanghai; story of promotion to captain, 1939. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Milford in South Atlantic, 1939-1940: contacts with German Navy during late 1930s; harbour protection duties in Freetown, 1939; story of attempts to negotiate with French Navy in Dakar, 1940; attitude of French Navy to British; story of disablement of French cruiser in Dakar harbour by HMS Hermes; transferred to HMS Dragon, 9/1940. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Dragon in South Atlantic, 1940-1942: description of role in operation to assist De Gaulle occupy Dakar harbour.
REEL 5 Continues: description of daily routine and duties on West Coast of Africa, 1940-1941; problem of dealing with mines and lack of training; question of German naval presence in South Atlantic; pro-British and Free French sympathies of local civilian population; sailed to Singapore, 12/1941; opinion of state of readiness of Singapore and defences; question of adequacy of naval intelligence; description of escort duties; story of rifling storehouse following evacuation of Singapore; relations with civilian authorities; description of evacuation of Singapore role in escorting evacuees to Java; problem of relations with Allied troops in Java; role of HMS Dragon in transporting evacuees.
REEL 6 Continues: reaction to sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse; problem of having no upward-firing anti-aircraft guns aboard HMS Dragon; posted to Far Eastern Fleet, 2/1942. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Dragon with Far Eastern Fleet, 2/1942-9/1943: story of joining Far Eastern Fleet at Mombassa, 2/1942; description of dockyard at Singapore; morale of ship's company; problem of not receiving mail; description of shore duties at Mombassa; flown back to GB and role in preparations for Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch); description of landing in North Africa and lack of opposition; duties in dockyards in Algiers; question of success of Operation Torch; moved up to Salerno and role in Allied landing, 9/1943; story of being taken ill with TB and evacuated back to GB; memory of seeing D-Day fleet leaving Portsmouth form hospital bed.
REEL 7 Continues: further description of landings at Salerno; question of inter-service co-operation; problem of RAF being overstretched prior to US entry into war; description of technological developments during war; importance of family background on career.
