Leggatt, Alfred Stanford (Oral history)

British civilian fisherman served aboard fishing vessel Reliance in English Channel during Dunkirk Evacuation, 5/1940-6/1940; officer served aboard MGB 64, 6th MGB Flotilla, Coastal Forces in North Sea, 1941; served with 3rd MGB Flotilla in English Channel, 8/1941-9/1941; served aboard ML 341, Coastal Forces during Operation Chariot, the raid on Saint-Nazaire, France, 28/3/1942; served as training officer with 1st Motor Anti-Submarine Boat Flotilla, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters, 1942-1944; commanded ML 489, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1944-1945

REEL 1: Recollections of period as fisherman aboard cockle ship Reliance in English Channel during Dunkirk Evacuation, 5/1940-6/1940: prior employment as fisherman; request to take Reliance to Dunkirk, 5/1940; description of cockle boat; signing Royal Navy T124X form; joining queue of ships off Margate; initial sight of plume of smoke over Dunkirk; German Air Force bombing of little ships; attempt to embark troops from beaches; ferrying troops from Dunkirk harbour to larger ships lying offshore; obstructions in Dunkirk harbour; German Air Force sinking of cockle ship Renown; narrow escapes from bombing; morale of British troops; orders to return to GB; personal morale; sight of aerial combat; return voyage back to Ramsgate. REEL 2 Continues: reaction to participation in evacuation; orderly nature of evacuation; recognition for work during evacuation. Aspects of operations as officer aboard MGB 64, 6th MGB Flotilla, Coastal Forces in North Sea, 1941: joining Coastal Forces at HMS Beehive, Felixstowe; allocation to MGB 64 under command of Lieutenant Commander Robert Hitchens; attacks on German convoys off Netherlands; opinion of British motor torpedo boats and German E-boats. Aspects of operations as officer with 3rd MGB Flotilla, Coastal Forces in English Channel, 8/1941-9/1941: joining flotilla at Dover, 8/1941; rescue patrol work from Dover; attitude to German shelling of Dover; return to HMS Beehive, Felixstowe and abortive plan to capture E-boat at Brest, France. Aspects of operations as officer aboard ML 341, Coastal Forces during Operation Chariot, the raid on Saint-Nazaire, France, 28/3/1942: training and preparations at Weymouth; briefing for raid; sinking of French fishing boats; his possible sighting of German submarine ahead of flotilla; how motor launch developed engine trouble and return to Weymouth, GB. Aspects of period as training officer with 1st Motor Anti-Submarine Boat Flotilla, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters, 1942-1944: role aboard motor launch training submarine crews at HMS Seahawk, Ardrishaig. REEL 3 Continues: signals training; training United Navy destroyer crews to tackle German E-boats in Irish Sea; anti-submarine stand by role for landings in Normandy, France, 6/1944. Aspects of period commanding ML 489, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1944-1945: conversion of motor launch to minesweeping role at Brixham, 1944; training crew in minesweeping techniques; move to Sheerness; minesweeping harbour at The Hook of Holland, Netherlands, 9/5/1945; minesweeping methods dependent on types of German mines; use of German prisoners of war to clear mines from quayside at The Hook of Holland, Netherlands; purchase of cigarettes; shortages in Netherlands; story of visiting seaman in jail in Netherlands; return to GB; duties inspecting and accepting fishing boats for naval replacements, 1945-1946; demobilisation, 5/1946.