Bennett, Ronald Frank (Oral history)

British boy seaman trained at HMS Ganges, GB, 1933-1934; served aboard HMS Renown in Mediterranean and Atlantic, 1934-1936; seaman served aboard HMS Resolution during Spanish Civil War, 1936-1938; served aboard HMS Kent in Far East and Mediterranean, 1938-1940; served aboard HMS Suffolk in Atlantic, 1941; served aboard HMS Wolsey in GB coastal waters, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Background in Cromer, 1917-1933: family; education. Enlistment and training with Royal Navy at HMS Ganges, Shotley, 1933-1934: joining Royal Navy, 1933; reasons for his seven day punishment; punishment of whole class for boy seaman smoking; memories of his first cigarette aboard HMS Renown; character of his punishment; swimming lessons at HMS Ganges. Period as boy seaman aboard HMS Renown in Mediterranean and Atlantic, 1934-1936: joining ship at Sheerness, 4/1934; living conditions on board; duties during Abyssinian War and in Egypt; collision with HMS Hood in Bay of Biscay, 1/9/1936; outcome of Captain's court martial after collision with HMS Hood. Period as seaman aboard HMS Resolution during Spanish Civil War, 1936- 1938: patrol duties off northern Spain; bombing of ship by Nationalists at Gibraltar. REEL 2 Continues: escorting Potato Jones into Bilbao; attitude to indiscriminate bombing by German aircrews; living conditions on board ship. Recollections of period as able seaman with HMS Kent in Far East and Mediterranean, 1938-1940: joining ship, 6/1938; arrival in Hong Kong, 9/1938; recreation in Hong Kong; memories of his girl friend Kwoklin Ho and her fate during Second World War; incidents of VD aboard ship; behaviour of Japanese sailors; patrols off Japan, autumn 1939; transporting antipodean troops to Middle East, 1940; memories of Prince Philip. REEL 3 Continues: bombardment work; torpedoing of ship off North Africa, c1940; prize money for capture of French ship in Red Sea; preference for life in smaller ships; return to GB, late 1940. Recollections of operations with HMS Suffolk during pursuit of Bismarck in Atlantic, 5/1941: joining ship, 1/1941; patrols with HMS Norfolk in Denmark Strait; discovery of Bismarck, 23/5/1941; shadowing of Bismarck; sight of loss of HMS Hood; sight of loss of HMS Hood; attempt of Catalina pilot to divert ship to look for HMS Hood survivors; appearance of Bismarck; lack of sight of HMS Norfolk. Recollections of operations with HMS Wolsey in GB coastal waters, 1941-1945: joining ship, 9/1941. REEL 4 Continues: living conditions on board; dangers of east coast run; pattern of east coast convoys; story of sinking of HMS Vortigern after HMS Wolsey had accidentally depth charging herself, 3/1942; post-war discovery of relatives of casualty of HMS Vortigern; escorting the Norwegian Royal Family back to Norway, 1945; reception at Stavanger, Norway, 5/1945; searching German headquarters in Stavanger.