Pickles, Norman (Oral history)

British telegraphist served aboard HMT St Elstan in North Atlantic and Arctic, 9/1940-3/1944; served aboard HMS Spiraea in English Channel, 4/1944-9/1944; served aboard HMS Pimpernel in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 3/1945-6/1945

REEL 1 Background in Todmorden, GB, 1918-1939: family; education; employment; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as telegraphist with Royal Navy in GB, 1940: enlistment; pattern of training and preference for small ship service. Recollections of operations as telegraphist aboard HMT St Elstan in North Atlantic and Arctic, 9/1940-3/1944: joining ship in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2/9/1940; role as lone telegraphist on board; Convoy BAS 3 from GB to Iceland; relations with Icelanders; refitting in Belfast, Northern Ireland, autumn 1940; nature of North Atlantic convoy escort duties, 1940-1941; aiding floundering SS Baltallinn during Convoy HG 57 in North Atlantic, 4/1941; characteristics and role of trawler; method of rescuing survivors; treatment of survivors on board and problems coping with them; rations available on board; attitude to service on board trawler; second refit in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 10/1941; loss of lifeboat during bad weather in North Atlantic, 10/1941. REEL 2 Continues: convoys between GB and Iceland, 1941-1942; preparations for participation in Arctic convoys in Hvalfjord, Iceland; start of Convoy PQ 16 from Iceland, 21/5/1942; use of fog buoys; German attacks on Convoy PQ 16; rescue of two Soviet crewmen from merchant vessel Stary Bolshevik; rescue of other survivors and handling of dead; entry of remnants of Convoy PQ 16 into Murmansk, Soviet Union; German Air Force raids on Murmansk, Soviet Union; ashore in Polyarnoe, Soviet Union, 6/1942; Soviet propaganda broadcasts and sight of political prisoner work gangs in Murmansk, Soviet Union, 6/1942; entertainments ashore; insularity of Soviets; start of return Convoy QP 13, 26/6/1942. REEL 3 Continues: incident of Convoy QP 13 running into Northern Barrage Minefield off Iceland, 7/1942; rescue of Soviet survivors from mined Rodina, 5/7/1942; burial of Soviet dead at sea, 6/7/1942; landing of survivors at Reykjarvik, Iceland, 7/7/1942; return to GB to refit for Arctic service; acquisition of Oerlikon Gun from corvette HMS Lancaster Castle in in Kola Inlet, Soviet Union; crew assessment at Work Up Base, HMS Western Isles at Tobermory, 9/1942; abortive attempt to take in tow floundering HMS Somali in Arctic, 9/1942; character of Operation FB and role acting as rescue ship during independent passages to Soviet Union, 10/1942-11/1942; searching for survivors of SS William Clark on Operation FB, 11/1942; escorting Allied submarines off Scilly Isles, GB, 12/1942. REEL 4 Continues: leaving Loch Ewe, GB with Convoy JW 52, 17/1/1943; lack of losses on Convoy JW 52; ashore in Soviet Union, 2/1943; rescuing survivors from SS Executive on Convoy RA 53, 5/3/1943; floundering of SS J.L.M. Curry in heavy weather and attempts to sink her during Convoy RA 53, 8/3/1943; North Atlantic convoy work, 5/1943-9/1943; anti-submarine patrols around Azores, 10/1943-11/1943 including experiencing St Elmos Fire; effects of bad weather in Bay of Biscay, 12/1943; convoy duties, 1/1944-2/1944; drafting away from trawler, 3/1944. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Spiraea in English Channel, 4/1944-9/1944: declining officer training prior to joining ship; role dan buoy laying in English Channel prior to D-Day; reasons for missing D-Day operations, 6/6/1944. REEL 5 Continues: leaving ship to take leading telegraphist course at HMNB Chatham, 9/1944. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Pimpernel in North Atlantic, 3/1945-6/1945: reasons for volunteering for corvette service in North Atlantic; joining ship at Oban, GB, 12/3/1945; VE Day in Tobermory, GB, 8/5/1945; convoy duties after VE Day, 8/5/1945; running ashore at Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 6/1945; demobilisation, 1945; preference for service on small ships.