Briggs, Albert Edward Pryke (Oral history)

British boy seaman and signalman served aboard HMS Hood in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 7/1939-5/1941 including sinking in Denmark Strait, 24/5/1941; petty officer served as yeoman of signals aboard HMS Hilary in Mediterranean and during Normandy Landings, 1943-1944; served aboard HMS Brissenden off Palestine, 10/1945-3/1948; served aboard HMS Ceylon during Korean War, 6/1950-6/1952; officer served as signals officer aboard HMS Ceylon during Suez Crisis in Mediterranean, 9/1956-11/1956

REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training as boy seaman at HMS Ganges, Shotley in GB, 3/1938-7/1939: decision to join Royal Navy; sight of HMS Hood at anchor off the River Tees, 1935; basic training at HMS Ganges. Recollections of operations as boy seaman and signalman aboard HMS Hood in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 7/1939-5/1941: drafting to ship, 29/7/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; degree of knowledge of German pocket battleships; facilities on board ship; under German Air Force attack whilst escorting submarine HMS Spearfish in North Sea, 25/9/1939; character of convoy work; in action against French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, French Algeria, 7/1940; blockade actions against Brest, France. Recollections of pursuit of German battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 5/1941 and sinking in Denmark Strait, 24/5/1941: character of pursuit. REEL 2 Continues: move to action stations; making contact with Bismarck, 24/5/1941; effective range of HMS Hood's guns; opening fire on Bismarck, 24/5/1941; receiving hits from Bismarck; sinking of HMS Hood, 24/5/1941; escape from sinking ship; sight of sinking ship; period in sea after sinking; rescue by HMS Electra, 24/5/1941; treatment received aboard HMS Electra; description of the escapes of his two fellow survivors, Able Seaman Robert Tilburn and Midshipman William Dundas; reporting to Admiralty in London; attending court of enquiry; atmosphere during Bismarck pursuit; question of weakness of HMS Hood's armour; sound of Bismarck's shells. REEL 3 Continues: calmness of officers and crew during action; reaction to sinking of Bismarck, 27/5/1941; post-war contact with German Bismarck survivors; opinion of film 'Sink the Bismarck' (1960). Aspects of operations as yeoman of signals aboard HMS Hilary in Mediterranean and in English Channel off Normandy, France, 1943-1944: character of landings on Sicily and at Salerno, Italy, 7/1943-9/1943; sight of Allied armada off Juno Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944. Aspects of period as yeoman of signals aboard HMS Brissenden off Palestine, 10/1945-3/1948: duties preventing illegal emigration; trailing ships carrying illegal emigrants; attitude towards illegal emigrants. Recollections of operations as yeoman of signals aboard HMS Ceylon during Korean War, 6/1950-6/1952: duties of ship including transporting 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from Hong Kong to Pusan, Korea; patrolling and bombarding of west coast of North Korea; character of Operation Let's Play Trains on east coast of North Korea; rest periods. Aspects of period as signals officer aboard HMS Ceylon during Suez Crisis, 9/1956-11/1956: work of ship bombarding shore batteries in Egypt.