Green, Robert Denton (Oral history)

British officer served with various units in GB and Singapore, 1963-1978; staff officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1978-1980; intelligence staff officer with CINCFLEET Headquarters, Northwood, GB, 1980-1982 including during Falklands War, 1982; civilian in GB including involvement with anti-nuclear movement, 1982-1993

REEL 1 Background in Wye, Pangbourne and Dartmouth, GB, 1944- 1968: family; military background in family; reasons for wanting to join Royal Navy; education including at Pangbourne College; settling into Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, 1962; work of father; death of mother, 1964; results of training at Dartmouth. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Navy in GB and Singapore, 1963-1978: details of period on HMS Sheraton in Singapore; opinion of British sailor; selection for flying training and reaction; air crew medical; observer training; opinion and details of Blackburn Buccaneer; background to joining nuclear crew in 800 Naval Air Squadron; briefings for potential nuclear strike against Soviet Union including problems with target; secrecy of briefings and later reactions of peace movement; postings and courses, 1970-1972; background to posting to 737 Naval Air Squadron and details of conversion course; posting to 824 Naval Air Squadron; role of Westland Sea King; problems with torpedoes; introduction and role of nuclear depth bomb including own reservations. REEL 2 Continues: stories of accident in Falmouth Bay and of breaking news to wife of one of victims; details of subsequent inquiry and changes made to observer training; further details of Westland Sea King and importance of good observer training; details of 700L Naval Air Squadron and posting as senior observer; details of Westland Lynx helicopter; discussion of and complaints about problem with rear rotor; reactions to posting to staff college. Aspects of period as staff officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1978-1980: expansion in nuclear arms, late 1970s; memories of and relationship with Aunt Hilda Murrell; story of talking about aunt while gaining security clearance at RN Northwood; concerns about nuclear power and knowledge of debate about replacement of Polaris; opinion of problems from introduction of Trident. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of problems from introduction of Trident including discussion of 'Black Mafia' within Royal Navy, 1993. Aspects of period as intelligence staff officer with CINCFLEET Headquarters, Northwood, GB, 1980-1982: role providing 24 hour intelligence support for Polaris including assessment of Soviet threat and make-up of staff; voluntary redundancy taken under Nott Defence Review and reasons for doing so, 12/1981; receiving news of redundancy during Falklands War; story of Admiral Fieldhouse's concerns for lack of contingency plans for Falkland Islands and background to start of Falklands War; writing of contingency plans for Falkland Islands, 3/1982, and work following Argentine invasion of Falkland Islands; expansion and duties of intelligence team after South Georgia landings; question of relevance of ARA General Belgrano's sinking to death of Aunt Hilda Murell; military discussion of the sinking of ARA General Belgrano; question of deployment of Polaris submarines to South Atlantic in advent of forced British withdrawal from Falkland Islands; opinion of consequences of defeat in Falklands war; usefulness of US satellite and electronic intelligence; other problems with gathering intelligence in South Atlantic; intelligence received from decoding Argentinean communication; attempts to gather greater intelligence on French Exocets and Super Etendards. REEL 4 Continues: lack of information about Bluff Cove; fear of Exocets and lack of defences; questions of lessons from conflict; subsequent reactions to arms trade industry; story of visiting Colonel Chris Keeble at start of Gulf War including impressions of Keeble and conversations regarding events during and after Battle of Goose Green; briefing of replacement and continued activity in Falklands; details of CV course undertaken; civilian work as thatcher including relationship with manager; further discussion of the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano; question of cover ups during Falklands War; media handling of war; importance of US support during war; discussion of Franks Report; opinion that thatching is good job for ex-servicemen. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian in GB including involvement with anti-nuclear movement, 1982-1993: details of Aunt Hilda Murrell's death, 3/1984, including subsequent activities and suspicions; reading of aunt's paper at Sizewell Inquiry; opinion of Hilda Murrell's inquest; details of suspicions against Green in relation to aunt's death; arson attack against aunt's second home in Wales; suspicions against nuclear industry in death of Hilda Murrell; start of campaigning against nuclear power; role in Hinkley Point C Inquiry, 1988- 1989; start of opposition to nuclear weapons following Scud missile attacks on Israel and belief in failure of the deterrence argument; breaking from navy mindset including speech made to anti-nuclear protesters in Trafalgar Square, 12/1/1991, and membership of ex-services Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; findings from research into nuclear weapons and discussion of British confidence. REEL 6 Continues: background to joining Just Defence organisation; opinion of how Gulf War should have been fought; opinion of effect of vested interest of arms industry in Gulf War; talks given to naval officers at Greenwich; role gained with World Court Project; details of organisation including origins; activities undertaken with World Court Project including speaking tours and plans for campaign; details of exposure to radiation of submariners on British nuclear submarines; further detail of speaking tours including nuclear experience of New Zealand; comparison of anti-slavery campaign and activities of World Court Project including importance of public participation. REEL 7 Continues: details of children affected by radiation exposure of submariner fathers; end of thatching career and financial situation; details of public campaigning for World Court Project and further details of speaking tours; other recent activity and concerns, 6/1993; opinions of Royal Navy and hopes for its future; further details of speech made to anti-nuclear protesters in Trafalgar Square, 12/1/1991, including fears about betrayal to navy; question and discussion of pacifism. REEL 8 Continues: reasons for not joining main Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; reasons for joining Just Defence; discussion of the Private Victor Williams case; reflections on experiences.