Description
Object description
British boy seaman and seaman served with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Powerful, HMS Impregnable and HMS Temeraire in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Black Sea, 1915-1919; seaman served aboard HMS Danae in Baltic, 1919-1922; served aboard HMS Lowestoft and HMS Royal Sovereign in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1923-1928; served aboard HMS Kent on China Station, 1928-1930. Civilian employed as Inspector of Rigging at Chatham Dockyard, GB, 1939-1941 and on Gibraltar, 1941-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Norbiton, Surrey; family; education; entered Navy League School at Liskard, Cheshire, 9/1914, for training with Merchant Navy; description of journey.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period at Navy League School, 1914-1915: description of uniform; attitude to discipline; accommodation and messing facilities; joined Royal Navy in Liverpool, 11/1915; story of mother signing papers and question of age. Aspects of operations as Boy with Royal Navy in GB coastal waters, 11/1915-5/1917: posted as Boy 2nd Class to HMS Powerful, Devonport; posted as Boy 1st Class to HMS Impregnable, 12/1915; description of ships and living conditions. Aspects of operations as Boy 1st Class and seaman with HMS Temeraire, 4th Battle Sqdn, Grand Fleet, in GB coastal waters, 5/1917- 5/1917-9/1918: description of daily routine and duties as Boy including communications and loading magazines.
REEL 3 Continues: story of journey to Scapa Flow to join HMS Temeraire, 5/1917; description of HMS Temeraire; crew; messing accommodation and messing arrangements; coaling and amount of coal used; funnels and armaments; torpedoes; daily routine.
REEL 4 Continues: rum ration and bartering; bought new trousers; reason for nickname 'Tug'; recreational activities; accommodation for Boys and officers; restricted movement aboard ship; description of guns firing and range; story of loss of HMS Vanguard with all hands; description of routine and duties at sea; watches; pursuit of German fleet.
REEL 5 Continues: problem of seasickness; description of coaling ship; shore leave; uniform; punishments; captain's rounds; duties as runner for Captain Underhill; promoted to Able Seaman; pay rates. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Temeraire in Mediterranean and Black Sea, 10/1918-5/1919: joined Mediterranean Fleet at Constantinople and Sebastapol, 10/1918; story of taking surrender of German Black Sea fleet on Armistice Day, 11/11/1918; description of tropical uniform; explanation of term diddy-box; description of duties as Leading Torpedo Operator.
REEL 6 Continues: story of receiving news of Armistice, 11/11/1918; question of HMS Temeraire in supporting White Russian forces against Bolsheviks; Armistice celebrations; communication with home; returned to Devonport, GB, 5/1919. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Danae in Baltic, 7/1919-1/1922: description of HMS Danae and role in supporting anti-Bolshevik forces; story of sister ship HMS Dragon being attacked and damaged; public awareness of operations in Russia; question of being considered to be still on active service; daily routine and duties aboard ship; patrol work and torpedoes; role of HMS Danae as coastal ship operating from various Baltic ports; story of being frozen in; based at home port of Chatham as part of Atlantic Fleet with three-month tours of duty in Baltic; visits by store ships; description of cold weather uniform; role in recruiting in GB: story of courtship and marriage, 1923.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Lowestoft and HMS Royal Sovereign in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 6/1923-6/1928. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Kent on China Station, 6/1928-3/1930: description of HMS Kent and role as flag ship; story of state visit to Japan for coronation of Emperor Hirohito; based in Hong Kong; received mail via Trans-Siberian Railway; returned to GB and reason for declining re-engagement with Royal Navy abroad following completion of twelve years service, 1930; posted to Royal Fleet Reserve for ten years; summary of civilian employment; description of work as rigger in dockyard.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as dockyard rigger/diver in Bermuda and Singapore, 1932-1939: duties and hours; accommodation; moved to Singapore, 1/1938; description of dockyard and duties; accommodation; boom defence.
REEL 9 Continues: story of taking Civil Service examination to qualify as Inspector of Rigging; description of Siebegorman diving suits; rated of pay for divers; visibility and water temperatures; number of dives; problem of illness; returned to Chatham, GB, 7/1939; story of being called up for service from Royal Fleet Reserve, 1/Sep/1939.
REEL 10 Continues: Aspects of period as Inspector of Rigging at Chatham Dockyard, GB, 1939-1941: released from naval service and appointed Inspector of Rigging, 5/Sep/1939; duties and responsibilities; size of workforce; description of producing specialist equipment for minesweepers and devising anti-mine techniques; daily routine and hours; role in helping with Dunkirk evacuation, 5/1940; problem of air raids on dockyard.
REEL 11 Continues: damage caused by air raids; moved to dockyards on Gibraltar, 6/1941. Aspects of period as Inspector of Rigging on Gibraltar, 6/1941-1945: story of £100 reservist gratuity; description of 19 day voyage on tramp steamer; memories of convoy commander Admiral Fitzgerald; joined staff of King's Harbour Master.
REEL 12 Continues: reporting structure and responsibilities; reported directly to Captain of Dockyard; duties as senior civilian rigger; composition of workforce; problem of employing Spanish workers due to security risk; story of saboteur being caught and hanged by Albert Pierrepoint; story of trawler sunk by limpet mine; employment of Bevin Boys; story of saving torpedoed Liberty and secret cargo; story of not receiving honour from President Roosevelt due to president's sudden death, 4/1945; memories of Lionel 'Buster' Crabb and devising mining countermeasures; air raids on Gibraltar; description of uniform.
REEL 13 Continues: disagreements with ship's captains; description of accommodation; problem of smuggling and contraband goods; daily routine and hours; home leave; torpedoing and sinking of HMS Ark Royal off Gibraltar; use of Gibraltar as staging post for landings in North Africa; opinion of naval officers.
REEL 14 Continues: reaction to news of end of war, 5/1945; VE Day celebrations; returned to GB, 6/1945. Aspects of post-war life and employment: summary of posts held and duties in GB, Malta and Singapore, 1945-1963. Various memories of meeting members of Royal Family, 1919-1953; working relationship with Prince Philip as naval officer on Malta.
REEL 15 Continues: Further memories of meeting members of the Royal Family. Prize money. Medals.