Northcott, Patrick William (Oral history)

British boy seaman trained at HMS Ganges, Shotley GB, 1937-1938; seaman served aboard HMS Exeter in South Atlantic, 9/1938-2/1940 including Battle of River Plate, 12/1939; served aboard HMS Bonaventure, 15th Cruiser Sqdn in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 7/1940-3/1941 including sinking off Sollum, Egypt, 31/3/1941; served aboard HMS Kelvin, 7th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 4/1942-7/1943; petty officer served aboard HMS Whitaker in English Channel and North Atlantic, 1/1944-11/1944 including torpedoing off Matlin Head, Ireland, 1/11/1944; served aboard HMS Devon City in Malaya, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Rosyth and Plymouth, GB, 1921-1937: family; education. Aspects of training as boy seaman at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 1937-1938: character of treatment by instructors; instances of physical abuse by instructors; character of training. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Exeter in South Atlantic, 1938-1939: drafting to ship, 9/1938; duties on board; work in aftermath of earthquake in Chile. Recollections of operations with HMS Exeter during Battle of River Plate in South Atlantic, 12/1939: role in cordite and shell handling room of Y Turret; attitude to being at his action station when ship was hit during battle; damage sustained to ship during battle; reception in Falkland Islands after battle; repairs to ship and reception on return to Plymouth, GB, 2/1940. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Bonaventure, 15th Cruiser Sqdn in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1940-1941: role of ship in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic; escorting HMS King George V after accident, 7/1940; transporting gold to Canada; engagement with German cruiser Admiral Hipper during escort duties with Convoy WS 5A off Cape Finisterre in North Atlantic, 25/12/1940. REEL 2 Continues: capture and sinking of German merchant vessel SS Baden in North Atlantic, 26/12/1940; move to Mediterranean, 1/1941; Axis air attacks on ship off Pantellaria Island, 1941; engagements against Italian destroyers off Pantellaria Island, Italy, 9/1/1941; demand for ship on convoy duties due to Radio Direction Finder (RDF) equipment, 1941; damage sustained in Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta and reasons for missing Battle of Cape Matapan, 3/1941; sinking of ship by Italian submarine Ambra off Sollum, Egypt, 31/3/1941; memories of search for survivors of HMS Jervis Bay in North Atlantic, 6/11/1940. Aspects of operations with HMS Kelvin, 7th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean, 4/1942-7/1943: reasons for turning down draft to HMS Lively prior to drafting to destroyer; duties in Mediterranean; attempts to return to GB, 1943; success against Axis convoys. Recollections of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Whitaker in English Channel and North Atlantic, 1/1944-11/1944: character of frigate; opinion of North Atlantic convoy work; escorting convoys to Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944. REEL 3 Continues: explanation of term 'D.E.D.'; sight of destroyer blown up off Normandy, France, 6/6/1944; torpedoing of ship by submarine U-483 off Matlin Head, Ireland and his decision to stay on ship, 1/11/1944; loss of all officers and towing into Belfast, Northern Ireland. Aspects of period with HMS Devon City in Malaya, 1945: joining ship at Trincomalee, Ceylon; character of ship; role providing harbour installations at Port Swettenham; opinion of lack of need for counseling after Second World War.