Miles, Frank William (Oral history)

British boy seaman trained at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 1925; seaman served aboard HMS York during Invergordon Mutiny, GB, 15/9/1931-16/9/1931; served as torpedoman aboard submarine HMS Parthian, 4th Submarine Flotilla on China Station, 1933-1936; petty officer served as coxwain aboard submarine HMS H31, 5th Submarine Flotilla in GB coastal waters, 1937-1938; served aboard submarine HMS Regent, 4th Submarine Flotilla in Far East, 10/1938-7/1940 and with 1st Submarine Flotilla in Mediterranean, 7/1940-11/1940; served aboard submarine HMS Tribune, 6th Submarine Flotilla in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 1941-1942

REEL 1 Background in Dover, GB, 1910-1925: family; education. Aspects of period as boy seaman at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 1925: enlistment as boy seaman; nature of training; behaviour of gunnery instructor; rations; requirement to learn to swim; training at Torpedo, Mining and Electrical School, HMS Vernon, Portsmouth after leaving HMS Ganges. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS York during the Invergordon Mutiny, GB, 15/9/1931-16/9/1931: background to mutiny; organisation of mutiny; question of significance of mutiny; affect of reading of Riot Act. Recollections of period as torpedoman aboard submarine HMS Parthian, 4th Submarine Flotilla on China Station, 1933-1936: reasons for volunteering for Submarine Service, 5/5/1932; attitude to serving in submarines; joining submarine after training at Submarine School, HMS Dolphin, Gosport; anti-piracy patrols in Hong Kong area; nature of life for submariners. REEL 2 Continues: taking advantage of devaluation of the Yen in Japan, 1935. Aspects of period as coxwain aboard submarine HMS H31, 5th Submarine Flotilla in GB, 1937-1938: character of submarine. Aspects of operations as coxwain aboard submarine HMS Regent in Far East, 10/1938-7/1940: drafting to submarine on China Station, 10/1938; initial duties in Far East; hearing declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; beaching during hunting for German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer off Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, 9/1939; character of submarine work in Far East; medical work he did on board. Recollections of operations as coxwain aboard submarine HMS Regent, 1st Submarine Flotilla in Mediterranean, 8/1940-11/1940: move to Mediterranean, 7/1940-8/1940; patrolling in Mediterranean; torpedo attack on Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto, 30/9/1940. REEL 3 Continues: breaking surface in middle of Italian Fleet after attack and diving to avoid depth charging, 30/9/1940; righting of submarine after emergency dive; narrow escape from Italian anti-submarine vessel on way to Adriatic Sea, 10/1940; ramming of submarine by Italian sailing vessel Maria Grazia, 5/10/1940; sinking of Italian merchant vessel SS Antonietta Costa, 9/10/1940; period in Malta whilst submarine under repair, 15/10/1940-2/11/1940; sight of Italian hospital ship in Mediterranean; losses amongst submariners. Recollections of operations as coxswain aboard submarine HMS Tribune, 6th Submarine Flotilla in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 1941-1942: joining submarine at Blyth; question of German engineers role in installing engines; encounter with German surface fleet off Norway prior to Convoy PQ 17, 6/1942; use of sanctuaries; provision of screen for Convoy PQ 17, 6/1942; false report from Soviet Navy submarine that she had torpedoed German battleship Tirpitz, 6/1942. REEL 4 Continues: buzzing of submarine by German aircraft off Lerwick at time of Convoy, PQ 18, 2/9/1942; danger from floating mines. Aspects of period as petty officer on shore duties in Far East, 1944-1945: administrative confusion accompanying posting; organising rest and recreation camp in Ceylon, 7/1944-8/1945.