Garson, Robin William (Oral history)

British boy seaman aboard HMS Resolution in GB coastal waters, 1938-1939; seaman served with Force F demolishing facilities in French ports, 5/1940-6/1940; served aboard HMS Nigeria in GB coastal waters, 9/1940-4/1941; officer served with Submarine Service in GB, Canada and US, 1941-1943; served aboard submarine HMS Spark in Far East, 1944-1945. Various postings with Royal Navy, 1945-1971

REEL 1 Background in Richmond, 1921-1934: family; education. Aspects of training as boy seaman with Royal Navy, 1934-1939: training as boy seaman with training ship, Arethusa and HMS Ganges, 1934-1937; drafting to HMS Resolution, 1938; expectation of coming war on board HMS Resolution, 1938; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; his application to join Fleet Air Arm, late 1939. Aspects of demolitions operations with Force F in French ports, 5/1940- 6/1940:demolition training; experiences in Calais; demolition work in Calais; further demolition work in Cherbourg, 6/1940. Period as seaman at HMS Vernon, 1940: boarding French destroyer at Portsmouth after fall of France, 7/1940; attitude to treatment of French personnel, 7/1940; explosion of German magnetic mine at HMS Vernon, 8/1940. Period as torpedoman aboard HMS Nigeria in GB coastal waters, 9/1940-4/1941: area of operations from Scapa Flow; incident when he struck superior. REEL 2 Continues: how incident was dealt with and his drafting to HMS Nelson, 4/1941. Recollections of period with Submarine Service, 1941-1943: background to his commissioning, 1941; leaving H28 for appointment during exercises off Scottish coast, 8/1942; voyage from GB to US aboard Queen Elizabeth; joining HMS Seawolf at Philadelphia, c9/1942; operating with HMS Seawolf off Canadian coast, 1943; question of pay; appointment to H33. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Spark in Far East, 1944-1945: character of voyage from GB to Ceylon; role as first lieutenant; studying Japanese language; boxing exploits at Trincomalee; patrolling in Indian Ocean, 1944; capture of Indonesian POWs; living conditions on board submarine in Indian Ocean; operations in Java Sea. REEL 3 Continues: Japanese attacks on submarines in East Indies, early 1945; heavy depth charging by Japanese destroyer, early 1945; danger of using 291 Radar sets; typhoon experienced in East Indies; reception in Fremantle. Recollections of various postings with Royal Navy, 1945-1962: return to GB, spring 1945; taking command of HMS Uther; taking command of HMS Saga after accident with fishing boat, c1947; security work in Japan, 1948-1951 including interrogating Japanese POWs returning for Russia; transfer of S class submarines to French Navy, late 1951; liaison with US navy submarine fleet, 1960-1962; work at Portland, late 1950s; background to establishment of Su0Museum, 1962. REEL 4 Continues: administering test firing of Polaris missile at Cape Canaveral, 1969-1971; effect of Sputnik launch on Polaris programme, 1957; definition of terms 'SSN' and 'SSBN'; importance of support of US Admiral Levering-Smith; memories of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore, 1966-1968; memories of Lord Louis Mountbatten and Lady Edwina Mountbatten in 1939; attending Taranto Dinner with Lord Louis Mountbatten, 1964. REEL 5 Continues: attending Taranto Dinner with Lord Louis Mountbatten, 1964.