Wright, Alfred (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS Kingston, 14th Destroyer Flotilla, Force K in Mediterranean, 6/1941-1/1942; served aboard HMS Hasty, 22nd Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 2/1942-6/1942 including sinking west of Crete, Greece, 15/6/1942; served on shore duties at HMS Assegai, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 6/1942-9/1942; served aboard LST 430 in United States of America, Mediterranean, during Normandy Landings and North Sea, 2/1943-5/1945

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as seaman aboard LST 430 in United States of America, Mediterranean, during Normandy Landings and in North Sea, 2/1943-5/1945: description of landing ship tank; drafting to ship in US, 2/1943; preparations for operations in Mediterranean; arrival in Bizerta, Tunisia; character of landings on Sicily, Salerno and Anzio, Italy, 7/1943-1/1944; rescue of crew of HMS Penelope off Ischia, Italy, 18/2/1944 refitting in GB, 3/1944. Aspects of background in Bridlington, GB, 1921-1941: family; employment; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as seaman with Royal Navy in GB, 1941: reaction of his mother to his volunteering for Royal Navy; character of training at Devonport, 2/1941-4/1941; German bombing of Devonport; comparison between German bombing of Devonport and Kingston upon Hull; public morale; German bombing of Bridlington. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Kingston, Force K in Mediterranean, 6/1941: drafting to ship, 6/1941-1/1942; unloading supplies and loading troops at Tobruk, Libya; role of Force K at Malta; condition of Malta under siege; fate of ship. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Hasty, 22nd Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 2/1942-6/1942 including sinking west of Crete, 15/6/1942: sight of HMS Jervis being cheered into Alexandria Harbour, Egypt after picking up survivors of naval action; characteristics of H Class destroyers; losses during Malta convoy, 14/6/1942; torpedoing of ship by German E-boat S-55 and rescue by HMS Hotspur, 14/6/1942; participation during Second Battle of Sirte, 22/3/1942; prior recollection of loss of HMS Barham whilst serving aboard HMS Kingston, 25/11/1941. REEL 3 Continues: bombardment of Rhodes Island, Greece, 15/3/1942; prior recollection of transporting Green Howards (Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) between Haifa, Palestine and Famagusta, Cyprus; panic in Alexandria, Egypt during German advance, 6/1942. Aspects of period as seaman on shore duties at HMS Assegai, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 6/1942-9/1942: story of shipmate who wanted to volunteer to stay in South Africa; reasons for hospitality of South Africans to British seamen; return to GB aboard HMS Shropshire, 9/1942-12/1942. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard LST 430 in United States of America, Mediterranean, during Normandy Landings and North Sea, 2/1943-5/1945: drafting to landing craft duties at Chatham, GB, 1/1943; comparison between landings at Sicily, Salerno and Anzio in Italy; landings on Sword Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; use of Mulberry Harbour in Normandy, France. REEL 4 Continues: operating into Cherbourg, France; crossing to Belgium; sight of devastated Hamburg, Germany, 5/1945; prior recollection of behaviour of British seamen in Bougie, French Algeria, 11/1942.