Aisher, Owen Arthur Allingham (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS Lightning, 19th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, North and South Atlantic and India Ocean, 1941-1942; officer served aboard HMS Nelson in Mediterranean, 1943-1944; served aboard MTB 758, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training as seaman with Royal Navy at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 1941: call-up for service in Royal Navy, 1941; basic training; drill; duties teaching seamanship; pre-service experiience of sailing. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Lightning, 19th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, North and South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1941-1942: joining ship at Greenock, 10/1941; his action station in QF 4.7 Inch Naval Gun; duties and living conditions on board; ships' duties with Force H; sinking of HMS Ark Royal, 14/11/1941; escorting HMS Prince of Wales in North and South Atlantic, 12/1941-1/1942; occupation of French Madagascar, 1942; period of sickness in India, 1942. Commissioning at HMS King Alfred, Hove in GB, 1942. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as flag lieutenant to Admiral Algernon Willis aboard HMS Nelson in Mediterranean, 1943-1944: joining battleship at Gibraltar, 2/1943; role as flag lieutenant; ship's function in Force H; sight of shell leaving gun; characteristics of ship; visit to surrendered Italian Fleet at Malta, 7/1943. Recollections of operations as officer aboard MTB 758, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1944-1945: training and period with motor launches in English Channel during invasion of Normandy, France, 6/1944; commissioning MTB 758; loss of motor torpedo boats of 29th and 55th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotillas during accident at Ostend, Belgium, 14/2/1945; comparison between motor torpedo boats and motor launches; comparison between service in motor torpedo boats and capital ships; operations in North Sea. REEL 3 Continues: listening to asdic off coast of Netherlands; prior recollection of radar equipment on board HMS Lightning, 1941; mission to assess German forces in Norway, 10/5/1945; reception by Norwegians; visit to German midget submarine base at Molde, Norway; demeanour of Germans in Norway, 5/1945; comparison between German E-boats and British motor torpedo boats; aggressive capabilities of motor torpedo boats; division of duties amongst officers on board motor torpedo boats; degree of success of motor torpedo boats in actions in North Sea, 1945; prior recollection of bombardment of coast of Italy aboard HMS Nelson, 1943.