Kelly, William Harry (Oral history)

British seaman trained as asdic operator at Anti-Submarine Training School, HMS Osprey, Portland, GB, 1939; served aboard HMS Wallace, Rosyth Escort Group in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1939-1940; served aboard HMS Stork, 36th Escort Group in North Atlantic, 1941-1942; served aboard HMS Starling, 2nd and 22nd Escort Groups in North Atlantic and Arctic, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training as seaman with Royal Navy in GB, 1937: reasons for enlistment; initial training at Devonport. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Galatea in Mediterranean, 1938-1939: disadvantages of service on cruiser; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; reaction to sight of German pocket battleship. Aspects of training as asdic operator with Anti-Submarine Training School, HMS Osprey, Portland, GB, 1939: reputation of asdic personnel; training at HMS Osprey; principles of asdic; distinguishing submarines from wrecks, shoals of fish and whales; skills needed by asdic operators; submarine hunting techniques; use of Sword Asdic to work out depth of submarines; character of anti-submarine depth charge throwing weapon Hedgehog depth charges; techniques for attacking submarines including Captain Frederic Walker's 'Buttercup Attack'. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Wallace, Rosyth Escort Force in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1939-1940: discomforts of service on board; problems with weather on east coast convoys. REEL 2 Continues: unsuitability of east coast for anti-submarine warfare; improvements in asdic equipment by 1941. Aspects of operations as asdic operator aboard HMS Stork, 36th Escort Group in Atlantic, 1941-1942: joining sloop, 4/1941; characteristics of HMS Stork; opinion of naval officers; proposed role for ship during hunt for German battleship Bismarck, 5/1941. Recollections of operations as asdic operator aboard HMS Starling, 2nd and 22nd Escort Groups in North Atlantic and Arctic, 1943-1945: story of encountering German anti-ship missiles, 1945; memories of Captain Frederic Walker; attitude to operating from Liverpool; escorting Atlantic convoys in sloops; problems of detections in clear water in Arctic aboard HMS Starling, 3/1944; prior recollection of failed attack on submarine U-568 near Gibraltar aboard HMS Stork, 1/12/1941; signs of damaged submarine and deceptions employed their crews; opening fire on German submarinres on surface; attitude to ramming of submarines; sense of importance of Battle of Atlantic. REEL 3 Continues: attitude towards German submarine crews; opinion of film 'Das Boot' (1981); merchant vessels' need to use two routes across Atlantic; preference of hunter killer duties aboard HMS Starling; decline in aggressiveness of submarines as war progressed; award of three Distinguished Service Medals.