Dring, Stanley Alexander (Oral history)

British stoker served aboard HMS Ajax in South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1938-1941; served on shore duties at Tobruk, Libya, 1941; served aboard HMS Jervis, 14th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 1942; served aboard HMS Berkeley Castle in North Atlantic, 1943-1944; petty officer served aboard HMS Carron, 6th Destroyer Flotilla in North Atlantic and Far East, 11/1944-8/1945

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as stoker aboard HMS Ajax in South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1938-1941: role of stokers on board; capture of German merchant vessels in South Atlantic, 9/1939; duties in Y Gun shell handling room during Battle of River Plate, 12/1939; reaction to sight of damage to ship and casualties; attitude during battle; blockade of German heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo, Uruguay; reaction to scuttling of Admiral Graf Spee in River Plate Estuary, 17/12/1939; reception in GB after battle; detailing of ships company to man other ships during Dunkirk Evacuation; condition of army personnel during Dunkirk Evacuation. REEL 2 Continues: duties aboard ex-Isle of Man ferry; hits on evacuating ships; behaviour of British Army personnel; reception in Dover; HMS Ajax's joining Eastern Mediterranean Fleet, 1940; first action against Italian destroyers; participation in the Battle of Cape Matapan, 27/3/1941-29/3/1941; explosion of ammunition ship SS Clan Fraser in Piraeus Harbour, Greece, 7/4/1941; role during evacuation of Greece including taking off General Bernard Freyberg; reaction to operations off Crete, 5/1941; sinking of boats carrying German troops to Crete; leaving ship, 25/7/1941. Aspects of period on shore duties at Tobruk, Libya, 1941: towing lighters bringing supplies ashore from destroyers; types of supplies brought ashore. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of operations as stoker aboard HMS Jervis, 14th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 1942: character of ship; canteen messing system; loss of three destroyers during German Air Force dive bombing attacks; opinion of Italian Navy. Recollections of operations as stoker aboard HMS Berkeley Castle in North Atlantic, 1943-1944: drafting to corvette, 11/1942; character of corvettes; reciprocating engines; ship's armament; air attacks on ship; attitude to convoy escort duties and varying convoy speeds. Aspects of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Carron, 6th Destroyer Flotilla in North Atlantic and Far East, 1944-1945: working up; North Atlantic convoy duties; evacuation of Eurasians from Java, Dutch East Indies during Indonesian Independence stuggles.