Bush, Sydney Nigel (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS Witch, 15th Destroyer Flotilla in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1939-1940; officer commanded ML 134, 3rd Motor Launch Flotilla, Coastal Forces in Mediterranean, 4/1941-4/1943

REEL 1 Aspects of period with Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in GB, 1938-1939: application to join Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), 1938; conditions in Devonport Barracks, 1939. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Witch, 15th Destroyer Flotilla in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1939-1940: convoy escort duties; attitude to service on board destroyer. Aspects of officer training at HMS King Alfred, Hove, GB, 1940-1941: pattern of officer training; posting to motor launch ML 115 and subsequent fire on board. Recollections of operations commanding ML 134, 3rd Minelaying Flotilla, Coastal Forces in Mediterranean, 4/1941-6/1942: preparing for Mediterranean service at Hamble-le-Rice, GB, 4/1941; convoy to Gibraltar, 4/1941; anti-submarine work; disappearance of Allied ships off coast of French Morocco; Italian auxiliary ship Olterra that acted as base for manned torpedoes of the Decima Flottiglia MAS in Algeciras, Spain; social life in Gibraltar; pro-British attitude of Gibraltarians; modification of minelayers for duties at Malta; fate of ML 126 and ML 130 at Malta. REEL 2 Continues: internment of minelayers by Vichy French. Recollections of operations commanding ML 134, 3rd Motor Launch Flotilla, Coastal Forces during Operation Harpoon in Mediterranean, 12/6/1942-15/6/1942: flotilla's joining of Operation Harpoon convoy from Gibraltar to Malta, 12/6/1942; problems with tow ropes to merchant ship SS Orari; smoke screen precautions against Italian fleet; losses to merchant ships; stopping of convoy when Polish destroyer ORP Kujawiak mined and rescue of survivors, 15/12/1942; reaction to sight of ships sunk in Grand Harbour, Malta. Recollections of operations commanding ML 134, 3rd Motor Launch Flotilla, Coastal Forces in Mediterranean, 6/1942-4/1943: minesweeping duties of Maltese coast; escorting remains of Operation Pedestal convoy, 8/1942; sight of tanker SS Ohio entering Grand Harbour, Malta, 15/8/1942; ration situation in Malta; party given for Maltese children, 25/12/1942; attempt to get Vichy French submarines to surrender, 11/1942; escorting HMS Aphis to bombard Mareth Line, Tunisia, 3/1943; sight of German Air Force raid on Tripoli, Libya. REEL 3 Continues: German Air Force use of circling torpedoes off Tripoli, Libya, 3/1943; HMS Aphis's bombardment of Mareth Line, 3/1943; attitude of Maltese under siege; question of sympathy for Italians on part of Maltese; life aboard minelayer and his attitude to commanding one; flight out off Malta to Gibraltar, 4/1943; interception of German blockade runner Irene by HMS Adventure in Bay of Biscay, 10/4/1943.