Parham, Frederick Robertson (Oral history)

British midshipman served aboard HMS Malaya, Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow, GB, 1/1917-1/1919; officer served aboard HMS P11 in GB coastal waters and HMS Aphis on River Danube, 1918-1920; served aboard HMS Warspite, HMS Nelson and HMS Canterbury with Atlantic and Home Fleets in GB coastal waters, 1920-1934; commanded HMS Shikari and HMS Gurkha in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 5/1937-1/1940; served as Assistant and Deputy of Naval Ordnance with Admiralty in Bath, GB, 3/1940-6/1942; commanded HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, Arctic and English Channel during Normandy Landings, 9/1942-7/1944; commanded HMS Vanguard in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1947-1949; served as as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel at HMS President, Admiralty in London, GB, 1949-1951; served as second in command of Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 1951-1953

REEL 1 R. Recollections of period as midshipman aboard HMS Malaya, Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow, 1/1917-1/1919: training as naval cadet at Royal Naval Colleges, Osborne and Dartmouth prior to joining battleship, 1913-1916; reception on arrival on board; character of Grand Fleet; lack of active service; memories of padre; theatricals on board; promotion to sub-lieutenant. Aspects of period as sub-lieutenant aboard HMS P11 in GB coastal waters, 1918-1919: character of patrol boat; payment for mine clearance. Aspects of period as sub-lieutenant aboard HMS Aphis on River Danube, 1919-1920: background to drafting to gunboat; journey to Belgrade, Serbia; opinion of first captain; situation in Budapest, Hungary; relations with Serbian and Hungarian civilians; journey to Malta. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Warspite, 1922-1924: joining ship after period at University of Cambridge; character of battleship; sings popular songs. REEL 2 Continues: visit from Swedish naval squadron to HMNB Rosyth; decision to specialise in gunnery. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Nelson in GB coastal waters, 1/1927-7/1927: amusing story of visit from fellow officer to his rooms in Newcastle upon Tyne; launching of HMS Nelson. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Canterbury, Atlantic Fleet, 4/1928-8/1929: drafting to ship; birth of son; effects of road accident; appointment to shore duties at HMS Excellent, Whale Island, GB, 1/1930-1/1932. Aspects of period as gunnery officer aboard HMS Nelson, Home Fleet, 7/1932-7/1934: memories of ship's captains; running aground on leaving Portsmouth Harbour; promotion to commander, 30/6/1934. Aspects of period commanding HMS Shikari and HMS Gurkha in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 5/1937-1/1940: duties aboard HMS Shikari, 5/1937-7/1937; standing by HMS Gurkha; docking in Malta; duties in Mediterranean; conditions in hotel in Alexandria, Egypt; outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as Assistant and Deputy of Naval Ordnance with Admiralty in Bath, GB, 3/1940-6/1942: promotion to captain; living conditions. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of operations commanding HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Arctic, 9/1942-12/1943: character of ship after recommissioning, 11/1942; letter from seaman's mother; joining 10th Cruiser Squadron; conditions during Arctic convoy duties; patrolling in northern waters; conditions at Scapa Flow, GB. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn during Battle of North Cape in Arctic, 26/12/1943: nature of action; protection provided for Convoy, JW 55b; initial encounter with German battleship Scharnhorst, 8am, 26/12/1943; Rear Admiral Robert Burnett's decision to not to follow German battleship Scharnhorst when she turned away; communication with HMS Musketeer; second encounter with German battleship Scharnhorst; pursuing German battleship Scharnhorst and reasons for ceasing fire on ship; shadowing German battleship Scharnhorst; destruction and sinking of German battleship Scharnhorst; refuelling after action in Kola Inlet, Soviet Union; reindeer casualty on board; effect on naval strategy of Battle of North Cape. REEL 4 Continues: reads letter received after battle; visit by King George VI. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in English Channel during Normandy Landings, 6/1944-7/1944: addressing ship's crew by loudspeaker; opening fire, D-Day, 6/6/1944; amusing story of hearing British Broadcasting Corporation radio broadcast on D-Day, 6/6/1944; length of time spent off coast and number of shells fired; threat of German mines; use of smoke screen for cover; leaving ship to take up position at Admiralty, 7/1944. Aspects of period as commanding HMS Vanguard in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 3/1947-7/1949: accommodation in Plymouth, GB; preparations for royal tour and its subsequent cancellation; decision to make ship fleet flag ship of Mediterranean and attitude of national servicemen aboard; sight of Royal Marine band beating retreat near Gibraltar; social duties in Mediterranean; visit by Princess Margaret to ship in Venice, Italy, 22/5/1949. REEL 5 Continues: dining with General Jan Smuts and Greek Royal Family in Athens, Greece; problems in Algiers Harbour, French Algeria; return to Plymouth, GB and award of CBE. Aspects of period as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel at HMS President, Admiralty in London, GB, 1949-1951: promotion to rear admiral; duties including calling up reserves for Korean War. Aspects of period as second in command of Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 1951-1953: accommodation in Malta; reaction to seeing whole of Mediterranean Fleet at Malta; visit to bull fight in Spain; promotion to vice-admiral; various appointments as admiral during 1950s