Morgan-Giles, Morgan Charles (Oral history)

British midshipman served on China Station, 1933-1935; officer served aboard HMS Emerald, 12th Cruiser Sqdn in North Atlantic, 1939-1940; served aboard HMS Arethusa, 2nd Cruiser Sqdn in Norway and Mediterranean, 1940; served as staff officer with Admiralty, London, GB, 1940; served on shore duties with HMS Nile, Alexandria, Egypt, 1941-1942; served as Staff Officer Operations to Captain Coastal Forces Mediterranean on Malta, 1943; served as staff officer with Royal Navy in Cairo, Egypt and Algiers, French Algeria, 1943; liaison officer aboard destroyers La Fantasque and Legionario in Mediterranean, 1943; served as naval liaison officer with British Mission to Yugoslav Partisans in Yugoslavia, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period as midshipman on China Station, 1933-1935: introduction to HMAS Voyager prior to voyage to China to join HMS Cumberland; anti-piracy patrols aboard HMS Defender; kidnapping of Royal Navy officers by pirates and their rescue; Chinese personnel on board British warships; Japanese naval presence in China; story of last British presence in Wei Hai Wei; how his appendicitis was dealt with on board HMS Cornwall and ashore at Wei Hai Wei; annual naval routine in Chinese waters; relaxation in Shanghai; relations between midshipmen and experienced petty officers; ratings use of brothels; loss of ferry boat at Wei Hai Wei; character and duties of River Yangste gunboats; situation for civilians in Shanghai. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Emerald, 12th Cruiser Sqdn in North Atlantic, 9/1939-3/1940: character of ship; effects of poor weather on ship in North Atlantic; opinion of degree of preparedness for war of Royal Navy, 9/1939; suspicion of Norwegian fishing vessels being Germans in disguise; lessons learnt about depth charges from sinking of HMS Exmouth, 21/1/1940; story of encounter with crew allocated to ship that had already been broken up. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Arethusa, 2nd Cruiser Sqdn in Norway and Mediterranean, 1940: transporting and evacuating troops from Åandalsnes during Norwegian campaign, 4/1940; reasons for missing Dunkirk Evacuation, 5/1940; move to Mediterranean, 6/1940; ultimatum given to French Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul at Mers-el-Kebir, French Algeria, 3/7/1940; in action at Mers-el-Kebir, French Algeria, 3/7/1940; psychological effects on French of Royal Navy attack on French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, French Algeria. Aspects of period as staff officer with Admiralty, London, GB, 1940: plan for Operation Lucid to send fire ships into Calais, France. REEL 3 Continues: motivation of crews volunteering to serve in fire ships; drawbacks of Operation Lucid. Aspects of voyage from GB to Mediterranean, 1941: opinion of Merchant Navy captains during attack on Convoy SLS 64 by Admiral Hipper, 2/1941; sight of HMS Illustrious being attacked by German Air Force Junker Ju 87 Stukas; impressions of Greek soldiers in Athens, Greece. Recollections of shore duties as officer with HMS Nile, Alexandria, Egypt, 1941-1942: character of shore base; Axis mining of Suez Canal; suggestions for dealing with magnetic mines; practical solutions to mine problem; use of Vickers Wellington equipped with magnetic ring to sweep magnetic mines in Suez Canal; abortive plan to net mines in Suez Canal; taking 'R' mines to Tobruk, Libya, 1941. REEL 4 Continues: start of Siege of Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941; German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks; apprehensions in Alexandria during Axis advance, 6/1942; contingency plans to block Suez Canal; plans to arm Vickers Wellington bombers with torpedoes to attack Axis convoys, 1942; opinion of work of Royal Air Force in North Africa; work as naval liaison officer with No 201 Group, RAF; mutual respect between Eighth Army and Deutsches Afrika Korps; story of Fitzroy Maclean's sabotage mission into Benghazi, Libya; his aircraft crash at Heliopolis, Egypt. Aspects of period as Staff Officer Operations to Captain Coastal Forces Mediterranean on Malta, 1943: appointment to Malta; problems presented to him of being party to Ultra intelligence and having to conceal it from motor torpedo boat crews. Aspects of period as staff officer with Royal Navy in Cairo, Egypt and Algiers, French Algeria, 1943: posting to planning staff in Cairo; memories of 'Flatfoot' Pearson. REEL 5 Continues: aircraft crash at Marble Arch, Libya on route to Algiers. Aspects of period as liaison officer aboard French destroyer La Fantasque and Italian destroyer Legionario in Mediterranean, 1943: difficulties of giving advice to French Navy personnel; period as liaison officer aboard Italian destroyer Legionario; contrast between French and Italian ships; taking landing craft to landings at Salerno, Italy, 7/1943. Recollections of operations as naval liaison officer to British Mission to Yugoslavian Partisans in Yugoslavia, 1943-1945: reasons for Fitzroy Maclean's mission to Josip Tito; background to his becoming naval liaison officer and initial duties; influence of British Broadcasting Corporation in building up reputation of partisans; reasons for his despatch to Yugoslavia; establishing himself on Vis Island; resistance of Yugoslav population towards Germans; Draza Mihailovic's position; role of Randolph Churchill. REEL 6 Continues: operations against German shipping in islands; problems avoiding sinking partisan boats; build up of British forces on Vis Island by 6/1944; memories of Admiral Sir Walter Cowan; his meeting with Josip Tito on his return to Yugoslavia from Italy aboard HMS Blackmore; Communist apprehensions about British bringing King Peter back to Yugoslavia; work of Ivo Preradovic as liaison officer between Morgan-Giles and Admiral Cerny; suicide of partisan Petar for having been reported for having had sexual intercourse with female partisan. REEL 7 Continues: partisan access to artillery on Vis Island, 1944; use of Allied aircraft on Vis Island; importance of Vis Island as threat to German flank in Italy, 1944; hospital facilities on Vis Island; attack on Korcula Island; deception of German artillery on Korcula Island; reaction to orders to attack Brac Island; results of Brac Island raid; accident with landing craft tank's fuel catching fire; role of Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel; execution of German prisoners of war on Mljet Island; rescue of German prisoner who survived execution by partisans; nature of war in Yugoslavia; degree of participation of United States Navy in campaign; strategic benefits of campaign; plaque erected in British cemetery on Vis Island. REEL 8 Continues: reads inscription from plaque on Vis Island.