Anscomb, Charles Graham Norton (Oral history)

British seaman served with Submarine Service in GB, 1932-1939; served as coxswain served aboard submarine HMS Parthian in Mediterranean, 1939-1941; served aboard submarine HMS Tempest in Mediterranean, 1941-1942 including sinking 13/2/1942; POW in Italy, 1942-1943; escaped and evaded capture in Italy, 1943-1944

REEL 1 Background in Canada, US and GB, 1908-1922: family; education; return to GB, 1914. Period of training as boy with training ship Warspite and HMS Ganges, 1922-1924: character of training on Warspite; his father's attitude to his joining Royal Navy; training at HMS Ganges, 1924. Period as seaman on China Station, 1930-1931: reaction to Invergordon Mutiny, 1931; reasons for joining Submarine Service, 1932. Aspects of period as seaman with Submarine Service, 1932-1939: training at HMS Dolphin, Gosport; pattern of pre-1939 service as coxwain. REEL 2 Continues: scrapping idea of retracting gun in S boats; living conditions; quality of submariners; question of seasickness in submarines. Recollections of operations as coxswain aboard submarine HMS Parthian in Mediterranean, 1939-1941: opinion of Captain Michael Remington; story relating to captain's character; hearing news of outbreak of Second World War in Singapore, 3/9/1939; move to Mediterranean, autumn 1939; failed attack on Italian ship San Giorio in Tobruk, 19/6/1940; sinking of Italian submarine Diamante off Tobruk, 20/6/1940; landing Greek agent in Greece; encounter with U-boat, 10/1940. REEL 3 Continues: attack on Axis shipping in Mytilene harbour, Greece, 6/1941; attack on Vichy submarine Soufleur off Beirut, 6/1941; return to GB, summer 1941. Recollections of operations as coxswain aboard submarine HMS Tempest in Mediterranean, 1942 including sinking 13/2/1942: reaction to posting to submarine, 12/1941; character of crew; voyage from GB to Mediterranean, 1/1942; accidental firing of torpedo; patrol in Gulf of Taranto from 10/2/1942; accidental fire that destroyed asdic motor, 12/2/1942; depth charging by Italian ship Circe; escape of chlorine and decision to abandon ship; period in sea and rescue by Circe; treatment by crew of Circe. REEL 4 Continues: Story of how Lucania was sunk in error by submarine HMS Una. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 1942-1943: conditions in POW camp; his complaint that Italians were stealing Red Cross parcels at Gravina POW camp near Bari. Recollections of evasion in Italy, 1943-1944: leaving camp at time of Italian armistice, 9/1943; escape from railway wagon on route to Germany, near Rimini; trek southwards autumn 1943; refuge with Italian peasants; hiding in Cescara, near Gran Sasso; transfer to cave in mountain, 1/12/1943; snowing in cave, 31/12/1943; effects of avalanche; recapture of Italian Fascists. REEL 5 Continues: return to German captivity, early 1944; second escape from German POW column, 17/6/1944; opinion of Italian Partisans; teaming up with South African John Guinness on trek to Allied lines, summer 1944; crossing Lake Trasimeno, 8/1944. Reasons why he did not return to sea.