Wilson, Edgar Edward, Edgar Edward (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS Curacao in North Sea, Norway and North Atlantic, 12/1939-10/1942 including sinking, 2/10/1942; served as seaman aboard LST-429 and LST-303 in Mediterranean, Normandy Landings and North Sea, 7/1943-12/1944

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1915-1939: family; education; joining Humber Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), 1938; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Curacoa, Home Fleet, Nore Command and Rosyth Anti-Aircraft Defence Force in North Sea and Norway, 12/1939-10/1942: drafting to anti-aircraft cruiser ship at Chatham, 1939; convoy work on east coast convoys with Nore Command and Rosyth Anti-Aircraft Defence Force, 1940; German Air Force attacks on ship; his action station on B Gun; work ferrying troops of 148th (Territorial) Infantry Bde to Norway, 4/1940; damage to ship at Åandalsnes, Norway, 24/4/1940; handling personnel from Dunkirk Evacuation at Ramsgate, 6/1940; behaviour of dockers at Chatham during German bombing, 1940. Aspects of operation as seaman aboard HMS Curacoa, Irish Sea Escort Force in Irish Sea and North Atlantic, 9/1942-10/1942 including sinking during collision with HMT Queen Mary, 2/10/1942: escort work to HMT Queen Mary and HMT Queen Elizabeth; collision with HMT Queen Mary, 2/10/1942. REEL 2 Continues: period in sea after sinking of ship; rescue from sea by HMS Bramham; handling of survivors at Londonderry, Northern Ireland; orders not to make accident known; condition he was in after accident. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard LST-429 and LST-303 in Mediterranean, Normandy Landings and North Sea, 7/1943-12/1944: role and duties aboard LST-429 in Mediterranean, 7/1943; story of troops accidentally set fire to vehicles aboard LST-429 and abandoning ship off Zuwarah, Libya, 3/7/1944; transfer to LST-303 for Operation Husky, landings on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943; nature of landings at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943; landing DUKWs at Anzio, Italy, 1/1944. REEL 3 Continues: landing Canadian troops on Juno Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; method of landing vehicles; damage to ship during storm; sight of V1 Flying Bombs over London, GB summer 1944; supply trips to Antwerp, Belgium, 11/1944-12/1944; contracting tubercolosis (TB) and hospitialisation; water supplies aboard Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs); behaviour of Moroccan Goumier troops aboard Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) in Mediterranean.