Angelbeck, John Reginald (Oral history)

British officer served aboard HMS Northern Pride, HMS Northern Gem and HMS Northern Wave in GB coastal waters and during Norwegian campaign, 1940; officer served aboard and commanded HMS Vizalma in Atlantic and Arctic, 1940-1944; served as staff officer with HMS Western Isles, Tobermory, GB, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in West Kirby and Crewe, GB, 1917- 1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1939-1940: recruitment to Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Oxford University, 10/1939; training at HMS King Alfred, Brighton and Cardington; asdic training at HMS Osprey, Portland; initial allocation to Tribal class destroyer later swapped with friend. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Northern Pride in GB coastal waters: joining trawler in Aberdeen; origins of Unilever German built trawlers; character of captain; comradeship among trawler crews; move to Scapa Flow, 3/1940. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Northern Gem during Norwegian campaign, 1940: joining ship for Norwegian campaign; clash with Captain Laurie Scarlett at Harstad; fate of trawler during campaign. Aspects of operations as officer aboard Northern Wave during Norwegian campaign, 1940: decision to evacuate Norway. REEL 2 Continues: loading vehicles on ship; recreational activities in Harstad prior to evacuation. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Vizalma in Atlantic, 1940-1941: joining ship as first lieutenant in Londonderry, Northern Ireland; role escorting Atlantic convoys; elementary knowledge of senior officers of navigation and methods employed on board to find location; his accommodation on board. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Vizalma in Atlantic and Arctic, 1941-1944: promotion to captain of trawler; ship's armament and depth charges; first summer convoy in Arctic, 1942; presence of Russian icebreaker Krassin in convoy; rescue of crew and British mission after sinking of SS Jutland including Sir John Lawrence; relations with Russians in Murmansk; participation in Convoy JW51B, 12/1942; need to chip ice of ship. REEL 3 Continues: sight of HMS Bramble being sunk by Lutzow during Battle of Barents Sea, 12/1942; Russian separation of British survivors from Royal Navy personnel; rations available in Murmansk; problems of coal supplied by Russians; examples of Russians foraging for food; socialising with OGPU agent Alexander Alexandrovich on board; degree of threat from Russian guards; selling chocolate bars to Russian civilians; skiing with Russian female naval personnel; contrast in Russian attitude to security during visit to Kronstadt in 1993 as compared with Murmansk, 1942; lack of appreciation of Allied effort by Russians; state of bombed Murmansk in 1942; dilapidated state of Kronstadt and St Petersburg during 1993 visit; docking methods employed at Murmansk, 1942; ashore in Iceland. REEL 4 Continues: bartering alcohol for food with US ships in Iceland; escorting arrested RAF officer back from Iceland for selling government property; contrast between Icelandic men and women; belief that Axis used a tanker to conduct covert operations in Algeciras Bay near Gibraltar; plan to exploit visit to Azores to profit from absence of pineapples in London and subsequent results. Aspects of period as staff officer with HMS Western Isles in Tobermory, GB, 1944: transfer to staff job; story of seaman stranded on buoy at Tobermory; character of Vice Admiral Gilbert 'Monkey' Stephenson.