Boxall, Edward Arthur (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS Royal Oak in GB coastal waters, 9/1939-10/1939 including sinking at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, 14/10/1939; served aboard HMS Fiji in GB coastal waters, 4/1940-9/1940; petty officer served aboard HMS Birmingham in Atlantic and HMS Hargood in US, 6/1941-2/1944

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1912-1928: family; education at Greenwich School, 1925-1928. Aspects of period as boy seaman at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB and aboard HMS Emperor of India in Mediterranean, 1929-1931: training at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB; joining HMS Emperor of India; coaling ship; dispersion of Mediterranean Fleet at time of Invergordon Mutiny, 9/1931. Recollections of period as seaman aboard HMS Royal Oak, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 9/1939-10/1939 including sinking at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, 14/10/1939: arrival at Scapa Flow; life at Scapa Flow, 9/1939-10/1939; torpedoing of ship and his escape in picket boat; sinking of overcrowded picket boat; period in sea; discovery of captain's gig and reasons for going back into water; third rescue by lighter; German bombing of survivors on Flotta Island. REEL 2 Continues: recapitulation of sinking of HMS Royal Oak, 14/10/1939. Memories of rescue work during German bombing of Portsmouth, GB, 5/1941. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard HMS Fiji in Atlantic, 4/1940-9/1940: joining cruiser, 4/1940; torpedoing of ship by German submarine U-32 off Hebrides Islands, 1/9/1940; use of collision mat to cover torpedo hole, 1/9/1940. Aspects of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Birmingham in Atlantic and HMS Hargood in US, 6/1941-2/1944: joining HMS Birmingham in Freetown, Sierra Leone, 27/6/1941; patrol work in South Atlantic; standing by HMS Hargood at Hingham, US, 10/1943-2/1944; reception by civilians in Boston, US.