Beasley, Eric Inwood (Oral history)

British stoker served aboard HMS Penelope, 3rd Cruiser Sqdn, Force K in Mediterranean, 10/1941-3/1942; hospitalisation on Malta, 3/1942-8/1942; served aboard HMS Limbourne, 15th Destroyer Flotilla in North Atlantic and English Channel, 12/1942-10/1943 including sinking off Guernsey, Channel Islands, 23/10/1943; served aboard HMS Howe in English Channel, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 3/1944-8/1945; served aboard HMRT Prudent in Indian Ocean, 1945

REEL 1 Aspects of training at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness, GB, 3/1941-10/1941: attempts to volunteer as boy seaman for Royal Navy, 1939; volunteering, 9/1940; initial training. Recollections of operations as stoker aboard HMS Penelope, 3rd Cruiser Sqdn, Force K in Mediterranean, 10/1941-3/1942: ships characteristics; relations between regular officers and hostilities only ratings; work of double bottom party; joining cruiser; formation and objectives of Force K in Malta, 10/1941; success against Axis supply convoy, 8/11/1941; escorting convoys from Alexandria, Egypt into Malta; memories of First Battle of Sirte, 17/12/1941; constant Axis air attacks in Mediterranean; sinking of HMS Neptune in minefield off Tripoli, Libya, 19/12/1941; damage to ship during Axis bombing of Malta and his wounding, 26/3/1942. Aspects of hospitalisation on Malta, 3/1942-8/1942: conditions for civilians in Malta during siege. REEL 2 Continues: threat of Axis invasion of Malta; hospitalisation; leaving Malta aboard HMS Matchless, 8/1942. Recollections of operations as stoker aboard HMS Limbourne, 15th Destroyer Flotilla in English Channel and North Atlantic, 12/1942-10/1943: characteristics of ship; his engine room duties; convoy escort duties and patrols in English Channel and Atlantic; ambush by German torpedo boats during Operation Tunnel in which HMS Charybdis was sunk and HMS Limbourne had to be sunk by Royal Navy destroyers, off Guernsey, Channel Islands, 23/10/1943; wounding during torpedoing. Aspects of period as stoker aboard HMT Prudent in Indian Ocean, 9/1945: drafting to ship in South Africa; origins of crew; duties in charge of boiler room; towing duties; dangers of super heated steam in boiler rooms. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as stoker aboard HMS Howe in English Channel, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 3/1944-8/1945: joining ship, 3/1944; duties protecting D-Day convoys in English Channel, 6/1944; problems negotiating Suez Canal, Egypt, 7/1944; joining Eastern Fleet in Ceylon, 3/8/1944; reception in Australia and clashes between United States Navy and Royal Navy personnel in Sydney, Australia, 2/1945; movements as flag ship with British Pacific Fleet in Pacific; role of ship during campaign on Okinawa Island, Japan, 3/1945-5/1945; Kamikaze attacks in Pacific, 5/5/1945; comparison between service in Pacific and Mediterranean; attitude towards service on battleship.