Sparks, William Alfred (Oral history)

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1217696464
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
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Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1048742191
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1386514897
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
688356976
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Description

Object description

British deck boy with Merchant Navy aboard SS Voltaire, 5/1937-9/1937; worked as deck boy aboard SS Atalanta in GB coastal waters, 1938-1939; worked as galley boy aboard SS Bardale in Mediterranean and North Atlantic, 1939-1941; merchant seaman served as steward and second cook aboard tanker MV British Courage in North Atlantic, 6/1941-12/1941; served aboard SS Asiatic in North Atlantic, 1/1942; served aboard HMT Duchess of Richmond in Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 2/1942-5/1942; served aboard SS Sheridan in North and South Atlantic, 5/1942-11/1942; served aboard SS Tetela in North Atlantic, 11/1942-1/1943; served aboard MV Karamea in North and South Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1/1943-2/1944; served aboard SS Empire Defiance in GB coastal waters, 2/1944-4/1944; served aboard SS Meta in GB coastal waters, 4/1944-11/1944; served aboard SS Themistocles in North and South Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 10/1944-5/1945; served aboard SS Dunsley in GB coastal waters, 1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Birkenhead, GB, 1923-1937: family; education; early interest in sea. Aspects of period as deck boy aboard SS Voltaire, 5/1937-9/1937: background to signing on, 5/1937; uniform; reception; segregation from seamen; accommodation; opinion of food; daily routine including cleaning deck; recreational activities; stand by watch; learning to box compass and steer ship; seasickness; degree of contact with passengers; discipline; pay; problems obtaining employment on leaving ship, 9/1937. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as cabin boy aboard aboard SS Atalanta in GB coastal waters, 1938-1939: joining ship; duties as cabin boy; sleeping arrangements; treatment. Aspects of period as galley boy aboard SS Bardale in Mediterranean and North Atlantic, 1939-1941: joining ship; description of ship; accommodation; dealing with vermin; daily routine as galley boy; first voyage to Romania; nature of convoys; attitude towards German submarines. Aspects of period as steward aboard MV British Courage in North Atlantic, 6/1941-12/1941: joining ship; duties as steward aboard tanker; attitude towards being involved in catering side of ship; attitude toward service aboard tanker. REEL 3 Continues: background to becoming second cook; leave in Birkenhead; awareness of role of Merchant Navy. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Asiatic in North Atlantic, 1/1942: joining ship, 1/1942; accommodation; ship's running aground off Tara, Northern Ireland, 21/1/1942. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMT Duchess of Richmond in North and South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 2/1942-5/1942: joining troopship, 2/1942; accommodation; trooping duties to South Africa; ashore in Cape Town, South Africa; crew relations; duties in bosuns mess; supply of cigarettes and alcohol; discipline; allocation of case of oranges for crew. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Sheridan in North and South Atlantic, 5/1942-11/1942: joining ship, 5/1942. REEL 4 Continues: cargo carried to South America; loading of cargo aboard ship; pilfering of cargoes; coaling ship; keeping station in convoy; steering mistakes made during convoy manoeuvres; use of zig zag manoeuvres; reporting sightings and keeping watch; daily duties on board; discharging and loading cargoes in South America; discovery of army deserter in hold; ashore in South America. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Tetela in North Atlantic, 11/1942-1/1943: joining ship, 11/1942; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1942; ashore in New York, United States of America. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as seaman aboard MV Karamea in North and South Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1/1943-2/1944: joining ship, 1/1943; character of ship; attitude towards stormy weather; promotion to able seaman; crew relations; food and messing arrangements; method of securing cargo; ashore in New Zealand; cargoes carried during year long voyage; reasons for joining trade union; working hours; having V stamped on seaman's card on leaving ship, 2/1944. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Empire Defiance in GB coastal waters, 2/1944-4/1944: joining ship; proposed role of ship as block ship during invasion of Normandy, France; leaving ship, 4/1944. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Meta in GB coastal waters, 4/1944-10/1944: joining ship, 4/1944; coastal runs; watch system run; attitude towards coastal runs; problems with incontinent seaman; relations with captain; degree of threat from German Air Force. REEL 6 Continues: leaving ship, 10/1944; question of receiving bad discharge from master of ship. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Themistocles in Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 10/1944-5/1945: joining ship, 10/1944; character of ship; conditions on board; story of table cloth at Christmas, 25/12/1944; coaling during passage of Panama Canal; attitude towards promotion and career at sea. Aspects of period as seaman aboard SS Dunsley in GB coastal waters, 1945: joining ship, 5/1945; victory celebrations; decision to study for 2nd Mates' ticket; progression of career after leaving ship.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Hart, Peter M (recorder)
Sparks, William Alfred (interviewee/speaker)
Production date: 1987
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 9877

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Sparks, William Alfred (Oral history)

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