Description
Object description
British seaman trained at Greenwich and HMS Ganges, 1908-1914; served aboard HMS George V at Scapa Flow, Orkney, 1914-1916, including Battle of Jutland 31/5/1916; served aboard P 34 class escorts in English Channel, 1916; trained as torpedoman on HMS Vernon/HMS Warrior, Portmouth, 1917;served aboard HMS Swift on Dover Patrol in English Channel, 1917-1918;inter-war naval service, 1918-1938, including rescue of Emperor Haile Selassie from Abyssinia, 1936; present at Dunkirk evacuation, 6/1940; served aboard HMS Aurora in North Sea and Arctic Ocean, 1940-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Portsmouth, 1898-1908: family including father's service as coastguard; interest in naval matters and reason for wanting to join Royal Navy. Aspects of period at Royal Hospital School Greenwich, 1908-1914: story of entry to Royal Hospital School; description of School and facilities; first impressions and attitude to other boys; sleeping arrangements; memory of saying goodbye to father; daily routine; question of discipline and punishments.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude to naval life and discipline; description of daily routine; story of visit to Crystal Palace; opinion of training and education; further comments on punishments; story of promotion to Senior Chief Petty Officer Boy and nature of responsibilities; sporting activities; discipline and problem of bullying; question of learning trades; description of weaponry and quarterstaff training; attitude to naval life; memory of climbing rigging. Aspects of training at HMS Ganges, Shottley, 1914: question of value of training at Greenwich; opinion of role of Royal Navy and attitude to war; religious belief; memory of role as Button Boy.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS George V during Battle of Jutland, 31/May/1916: story of being drafted to HMS George V; memory of Grand Fleet; role of HMS George V as flagship of 2nd Sqdn; description of Scapa Flow; description of preparations for Battle of Jutland, 1916; question of training and morale of crew; coaling; question of strength of German Navy; type of ammunitions; daily routine; reason for leaving Scapa Flow, 30/May/1916; weather conditions and problem of fog; memory of Zeppelin on reconaisscance; description of formation of 2nd Sqdn; description of damaged and sinking ships and question of rescuing men; reaction to leaving men in water; role in magazine room and description of conditions during Battle of Jutland; types of ammunition.
REEL 4 Continues: story of return to Scapa Flow; opinion of Admiral Jellicoe; attitude to criticism of Royal Navy following Battle of Jutland; opinion of German guns and armour; reaction to death of shipmates; description of coaling procedure; description of role as messenger aboard HMS Iron Duke, 1916; story of missing promotion due to marriage; opinion of German Navy; attitude to Boy Cornwall and question of recruitment; story of explosion aboard HMS Vanguard and rescue operation.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of operations as seaman aboard P34 class escorts in English Channel, 1916: description of role escorting troopships to France; description of vessels and armaments; attitude to role as escort; problem of German U-boats and anti-submarine procedures; attitude to Germans and question of killing. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Swift with Dover Patrol in English Channel, 1917-1918: description of HMS Swift; comparison of oil-fired and coal-fired ships; description of activities with Middle Barrage Patrol; memory of German 'Big Bertha' gun firing; description of development of technology at sea; story of role of HMS Swift in surrender of German High Seas Fleet at Scapa Flow, 1918; attitude to Invergordon Mutiny; description of role of miners in coaling ships.
REEL 6 Continues: further comments on Invergordon Mutiny and question of pay; various stories of life in Royal Navy during First World War and comparison with conditions during late 19th century; question of homosexual activity in Navy and story of learning to box; story of accommodation at Aggie Westons; attitude to alcohol and question of rum ration; opinion of sea shanties and sings examples.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as seaman with Royal Navy, 1918-1938: story of escorting King Karl and Queen Zita from Hungary into exile in Madeira, Spain aboard HMS Cardiff, 1921; story of role in Guard of Honour at funeral for assassinated King Alexander in Split, Yugoslavia; description of mourners and floral tributes.
REEL 8 Continues: story of role in escorting Haile Selassie from Djibouti, Abyssinia into exile aboard HMS Enterprise, 1936; question of protocol; description of Haile Selassie and family; description of Sunset ceremony and memory of newspaper headline; story of boxes of gold bullion; story of call-up at outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Recollections of operations as seaman during Dunkirk evacuation, 6/1940: role in charge crew of motorboat as navigator; description of journey to France; weather conditions.
REEL 9 Continues: further comments on journey to France; description of small boats; first impressions of Dunkirk; problem of attacks by German aircraft; memory of massed troops on beach; description of conditions and rescue of troops from beach; memory of bombs landing in sea; problem of landing on beach; attitude of troops to rescuers and question of rations; description of taking troops and equipment aboard; problem of mines and obstacles; fuel supplies and question of organisation; description of journey to Ramsgate to re-provision and return to Dunkirk; assessment of importance of Dunkirk evacuation; opinion of role of civilians; description of return journey to GB; question of morale following Dunkirk evacuation; behaviour of troops on beach. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Aurora in North Sea and Arctic Ocean, 1940-1945: story of role in attack on German installations on Bear Island, Iceland; story of rescue of fur trappers in Spitzbergen.
REEL 10 Continues: further comments on rescue of fur trappers; description of terrain; problem of navigating through icebergs; description of German defences and use of star shells and tracer bullets; memory of sinking of German cruiser; story of hitting underwater obstacle and loss of speed; further description of attack on German installations on Bear Island. Aspects of period based in GB: reason for transfer of Naval HQ and description of accommodation at Rodene College and St Dunstan's Home for the Blind; daily routine and nature of duties.
REEL 11 Continues: Various aspects of naval life and conditions: comparison of living conditions and technology during First and Second World Wars; question of rations; problem of crockery being broken; opinion of accommodation; question of relations between seamen and officers and attitude to rank; question of combining naval career with married life.
REEL 12 Continues: Recollections of period of training as torpedoman on HMS Warrior at HMS Vernon establishment, Portsmouth, 7/1917-1918: description of establishment and training ships Malborough, Warrior and Florence Nightingale; question of crew numbers on HMS Warrior; accommodation and kit; question of ranks and ages; description of electrics training including constructing dynamo; question of technological change during First World War; description of explosives training including types of torpedoes; opinion of German torpedoes; method of torpedo propulsion; description of testing mines and question of safety procedures.
REEL 13 Continues: further comments on testing various types of mines including oscillating mines; question of accidents during testing; problem of volatility of chemicals used in torpedo explosives; opinion of instructors on HMS Warrior; description of layout of HMS Warrior including decks and functions; messing arrangements and opinion of rations; problem of cockroaches; sleeping arrangements and question of hammock space; problem of rolling ship; problem of smelly feet and snoring; washing facilities and sanitary arrangements; fire drill.
REEL 14 Continues: story of visit to HMS Warrior, 1989; opinion of condition in 1917 and reconstruction programme; description of cleaning upper deck with 'holy stones' and maintenance of ship; question of importance of HMS Victory to Royal Navy; opinion of training on HMS Warrior; attitude to daily life and conditions on HMS Warrior; question of relations between HMS Vernon establishment and local civilians; relations with dockyard 'mateys'; description of gun wharf establishment. Story of the Mary Rose. Amusing story of 'Jumbo' Cuthbertson.