Johnson, Harry (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard armed merchant cruiser HMS Bulolo in North and South Atlantic, United States of America and GB, 1940-1942; served aboard Landing Ship Headquarters HMS Bulolo in Mediterranean and English Channel during Normandy landings, 1942-1944

REEL 1 Background in Oldham, GB, 1918-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as seaman with HMS Raleigh, Torpoint, GB, 1939-1940: enlistment, 1939; basic training. Recollections of period as seaman aboard HMS Bulolo in North and South Atlantic and United States of America, 1940-1942: background to volunteering serve aboard armed merchant cruiser, autumn 1940; joining ship at Freetown, Sierra Leone; living conditions on aboard; character of crew; his action station; refitting in Baltimore and extended leave in United States of America, 1941; meeting with actress Merle Oberon; hospitality received from civilians and British expatriates in United States of America, 1941; American 'Bundles for Britain' scheme; memories of dog 'Able Seaman Just Nuisance' in Simonstown, South Africa; eventual fate of ship's pig 'Dennis'; visit to Tristan da Cunha. REEL 2 Continues: impressions of inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha; conversion of ship from armed merchant cruiser to Landing Ship Headquarters (LSH) at East India Dock, London, GB, 4/1942-10/1942. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard Landing Ship Headquarters (LSH) HMS Bulolo in Mediterranean and English Channel during Normandy Landings, 1942-1944: background to becoming coxswain of ship's 'skimming dish'; receiving a Mention in Dispatches for shooting down of Junkers Ju 88 that dive-bombed ship at Algiers, French Algeria; rescuing survivors from British destroyers HMS Malcolm and HMS Broke attacking Algiers Harbour during Operation Terminal, French Algeria, 8/11/1942; operating smoke pots in Algiers Harbour, French Algeria; screaming of airborne troops dropped in sea during landings on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943; shooting down of Axis aircraft during landings on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943; shooting down of American aircraft; move to Bombay, India, 1943-1944; role of ship during landings at Anzio, Italy, 1/1944; reaction to German bombing of hospital ship HMHS St David off Anzio, Italy, 24/1/1944. REEL 3 Continues: German Air Force use of glider bombs at Anzio, Italy, 1/1944; role of ship off Gold Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; German Air Force attack on ship, 7/6/1944; comparison of landings in which ship was involved in; draftings after Normandy Landings.