Description
Object description
British seaman trained a coder at HMS Wellesley, Liverpool in GB, 10/1940-1/1941; served aboard HMS Maori, 4th and 14th Destroyer Flotillas in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean, 1/1941-2/1942 including sinking in Grand Harbour, Malta, 12/2/1942; served aboard HMS Cleopatra, 15th Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean, 3/1942-4/1943; served as coder with Headquarters, Allied Command on Malta, 4/1943-9/1943; served aboard HMS Gavotte in Mediterranean, 10/1943-3/1944; served with Royal Navy Signals School at HMS Glenholt, Plymouth, GB, 5/1944-7/1944; served aboard HMS Palomares in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Red Sea, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in St Helens and Widnes, GB, 1909-1939: family; education; effects of First World War; employment as clerk and commercial artist; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of training as coder at HMS Wellesley, Liverpool, GB, 10/1940-1/1941: call up and reasons for choice of coder, 10/1940; instruction in coding; basis of simple coding and decoding. Aspects of period as coder with HMS Drake, Devonport in GB, 1/1941: drafting to Devonport Barracks. Recollections of operations as coder aboard HMS Maori, 4th Destroyer Flotilla in GB coastal waters and Atlantic, 1/1941-5/1941: drafting to destroyer at Newcastle upon Tyne, 1/1941; situation during refit.
REEL 2 Continues: coding establishment on board; mess accommodation; messing arrangements and role of mess caterer; ablutions; recreational activities including photography; watch system worked; duties as coder; move to Scapa Flow, 1/1941; initial seasickness; working up exercises; increasing skill as coder.
REEL 3 Continues: escort and anti-submarine sweeps with 4th Destroyer Flotilla in North Atlantic; depth charging of suspect submarine; difficulties once submarine penetrated screen; personal morale; lack of recreational facilities at Scapa Flow; reaction to boiler cleaning at Scapa Flow; relations with other ranks, petty officers and officers. Recollections of operations as coder aboard HMS Maori, 4th Destroyer Flotilla during pursuit of German battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 5/1941: possibility of transfer to HMS Hood; following action from signals.
REEL 4 Continues: detachment from Convoy WS 8B; contact with Bismarck; ship's launching torpedo attack against Bismarck; staging of duty throughout operation; shadowing Bismarck; arrival of Home Fleet and sinking of Bismarck, 27/5/1941; picking up of survivors; cash offers for his photographs; evacuation of area following sight of periscope; effects of rough weather; refuelling in Londonderry, Northern Ireland; attitude towards slow convoys in North West Approaches North Atlantic, 6/1941-7/1941; opinion of Merchant Navy personnel in Arctic.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as coder aboard HMS Maori, 4th and 14th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 7/1941-2/1942: joining Force H in Gibraltar for Malta convoys; character of Malta convoys; bombardment of Alghero, Sardinia, Italy, 1/8/1941; degree of threat from submarines in Mediterranean; question of loss of inexperienced ships straight out from GB; Axis air attacks on convoys; instance of coder psychologically effected by experience. Aspects of sinking of HMS Maori in Grand Habour, Malta, 12/2/1942: German Air Force attack on ship in Grand Harbour; abandoning ship; casualty in engine room.
REEL 6 Continues: reaction to sinking; mustering of survivors on quay; memories of Commander Rafe Courage. Recollections of operations as coder aboard HMS Cleopatra, 15th Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean, 3/1942-4/1943: drafting to ship at Malta; story of being placed on report for smoking; general messing system; preference for canteen messing; opinion of rations; entertainment on board; arrival in Alexandria, Egypt, 3/1942; damage to ship by air attack, 22/3/1942; coding duties.
REEL 7 Continues: introduction of Typex machine; working of Typex machine; time taken to de-coding signals; monthly change in naval codes; question of degree of security of naval codes; duties as flag lieutenant's yeoman; concerns over promotion and loss of kit; clash with the Captain of Marines over taking photographs; selling photographs; bombardment of Rhodes Island, Greece; reasons for wanting to leave ship; impressions of Admiral Philip Vian.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as coder with Headquarters, Allied Command on Malta, 5/1943-10/1943: drafting to command; question of signals being ignored; description of symbols used in signals; watch system worked; accommodation; hospitalisation for sandfly fever, 9/1943; change in climate; reasons for volunteering for sea service; punishment for remarks to senior officer during invasion of Sicily, Italy, 7/1943. Aspects of period as coder aboard HMS Gavotte in Mediterranean, 10/1943-3/1944: drafting to anti-submarine trawler; coding staff; role of anti-submarine trawler; story of sending signal in naval code; attitude to small ship service and relations with officers.
REEL 9 Continues: slow nature of minesweeper progress at sea; background to leaving ship, 3/1944. Aspects of period as coder with Plymouth Signals School at HMS Glenholt, Plymouth, GB, 5/1944-7/1944: drafting to school; instructional duties; leaving to attend officer's course at HMS Victory, Portsmouth; failing officers' course. Aspects of period as coder aboard HMS Palomares in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Red Sea, 1944-1945: drafting to fighter direction ship; conditions on board; use of whaler at Port Said, Egypt; how ship caught fire approaching Aden, Aden Protectorate; shore duties at Massawa, Eritrea.
REEL 10 Continues: repair to ship and return to GB. Attitude towards demobilisation and return to civilian life, 12/1945.