Hamilton, Kenneth Innes (Oral history)

British officer served aboard HMS Maori, 4th and 14th Destroyer Flotillas in Mediterranean, Norway and North Atlantic, 9/1939-2/1942 including sinking in Grand Harbour, Malta, 12/2/1942; served aboard HMS Penelope, 3rd Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean, 2/1942-5/1942; commanded HMS Montgomery, Western Local Escort Group in North Atlantic, 1/1943-12/1943; commanded HMS Dacres in GB coastal waters during Normandy Landings, 1/1944-9/1944; candidate for Liberal Party in Blackpool North Constituency during General Election, GB, 7/1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1916-1929: family; education. Aspects of training with Royal Navy in GB, 1930-1935: course at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; period in training aboard cruiser HMS Frobisher, 1934-1935. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Maori, 4th and 14th Destroyer Flotillas in Mediterranean, Norway and North Atlantic, 9/1939-2/1942 including sinking in Grand Harbour, Malta, 12/2/1942: reaction to Commander Godfrey Brewer's announcement of declaration of Second World War at Alexandria, Egypt, 3/9/1939; opinion of Admiral Andrew Cunningham; duties as third in command; evacuation of troops from Namsos, Norway, 2/5/1940; opinion of Royal Marines behaviour at Namsos, Norway; role of British destroyers during pursuit of battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 5/1941; torpedo attack on battleship Bismarck, 27/5/1941; exchange with Commander Harold Armstrong during pursuit over torpedo attack, 27/5/1941; picking up survivors of battleship Bismarck, 27/5/1941; impressions of damaged battleship Bismarck. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of battleship Bismarck's crew; reaction to sinking of battleship Bismarck, 5/1941; sinking of Italian light cruisers Alberico da Barbiano and Alberto di Guissano off Cape Bon, Tunisia on route to Malta, 13/12/1941-14/12/1941; role of ship during siege of Malta; sinking of ship by stray bomb in Grand Harbour, Malta 12/2/1942 and his subsequent award of Distinguished Service Cross. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Penelope, 3rd Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean, 2/1942-5/1942: how he joined ship after sinking of HMS Maori; opinion of Captain Angus Nicholl; attempts to tow tanker HMS Breconshire into Grand Harbour, Malta, 23/3/1942; attempts to control burning ship in Grand Harbour, Malta; confusing nature of Second Battle of Sirte, 22/3/1942; repairs in dry dock at Valletta, Malta. REEL 3 Continues: Prime Minister Winston Churchill's orders for ship to sail; sailing through Mediterranean to US for repairs, 5/1942; opinion of US Navy. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Montgomery, Western Local Escort Group in North Atlantic, 1/1943-12/1943: condition of ship; picking up ship in Liverpool, GB, 1943; taking command of Western Local Escort Group; handling of ship at Halifax, Canada; convoy conferences prior to sailing; reputation of Greek ships for making smoke; threats of fogs and icebergs without radar; duties in Western Atlantic. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Dacres in GB coastal waters and during Normandy Landings, 31/1/1944-1/9/1944: character of frigate; proposed role as headquarters ship in leading assault on Sword Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; need to telephone Admiral Bertram Ramsey to say that only one engine was functioning, 5/6/1944; role transporting 185th Infantry Bde to Normandy, France; ship's role as 'traffic policeman' off beaches, Normandy, France. REEL 4 Continues: nature of landings; reaction to not being able to command ship due to damaged hearing and sight from service at Malta, 9/1944. Recollections of period as candidate for Liberal Party in Blackpool North Constituency during General Election, GB, 7/1945: lack of discussion of policies; defeat by Conservative Party's Toby Low at Blackpool North Constituency; reasons for becoming Liberal Party candidate; appointment as staff officer to Fleet Train with British Pacific Fleet on Manus Island, Pacific Ocean on VJ Day, 15/8/1945.