Walters, Leonard Vivian (Oral history)

British boy seaman and seaman served aboard HMS Rodney in GB coastal waters and Atlantic, 1938-1942; served aboard HMS Quail in Mediterranean, 1943; petty officer served aboard HMS Postillion in English Channel and during Normandy landings, 1944; served aboard HMS Cockade during Malayan Emergency, 1955-1956

REEL 1 Background in Tredegar, GB, 1921-1937: family; education; employment. Enlistment and training as boy seaman at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, 1937-1938: enlistment, 1937; opinion of training at HMS St Vincent; prospects for boy seamen in Royal Navy, 1938; story of later promotion to leading seaman; training on board HMS Cornwall. Recollections of operations as boy seaman and seaman aboard HMS Rodney in GB coastal waters and Atlantic, 1938-1942: duties on board; how submarine officers found it difficult to adjust to service aboard big ships; relations between officers and ratings; punishment for returning late from leave; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; preparations for war, 9/1939; his action station on 6 inch guns, 1939; action station operating 16 inch guns in A Turret during pursuit of Bismarck, 5/1941. REEL 2 Continues: damage to ship when broadside fired; duties with Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 1940-1941; request by captain for small group of crew to take part in special mission; transfer to Princess Beatrix; role acting as bodyguard to Lieutenant Wells-Cole during Lofotens raid, 3/1941; achievements of raid on Lofotens Islands, 3/1941; return to ship; pursuit of Bismarck, 5/1941; ship's narrow escape from bomb hit on ship off Norway; firing of guns during Bismarck action; background to leaving ship, 10/1942. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Quail in Mediterranean, 1943: joining ship, 5/1943; patrol duties in Adriatic Sea; mining of ship in Bari harbour, 9/10/1943; injuries sustained during mining; promotion to petty officer. Aspects of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Postillion in English Channel and during Normandy landings, 1944: joining ship, 2/1944; working up as minesweeper; duties during Normandy landings; accidental sinking of two minesweepers by Hawker Typhoons; degree of danger minesweeping; clash with gunnery officer on board. Aspects of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Cockade during Malayan Emergency, 1955-1956: flight to Singapore in Douglas Dakota, early 1955; incident where he answered officer back; duties shelling jungle.