Perry, Philip Eric Leslie (Oral history)

British steward served with Merchant Navy aboard RMS Orama in Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1937-1939; served aboard HMT Orchades in North and South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1939-1941; served as Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS) gunner aboard MV Alcinous in North Atlantic, 1941-1942; steward served aboard HMT Rangitiki in North Atlantic, 1942; served aboard MV Empire Hope in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 7/1942-8/1942 including sinking during Operation Pedestal, 12/8/1942; served aboard HMT Queen Mary in North and South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1942-1943; served aboard SS Ocean Stranger in Mediterranean, 1943-1944; served aboard MV Vancouver City in North and South Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Southend-on-Sea, GB, 1919-1937: family; education. Recollections of period as steward with Merchant Navy aboard RMS Orama in Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1937-1939: background to joining Merchant Navy with Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd at Tilbury, GB, 9/1937; method of recruiting crew; question of bribery of recruiter; reasons why he wanted to go to sea; first job as dishwasher; problem with seasickness; attitude to first cruise; role of utility steward; diversion of ship to Mombasa, Kenya for painting on declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; release of Italian stewards in Mombasa, Kenya; atmosphere on board ship; tipping system on board; character on 'Board of Trade' food; accommodation on board. REEL 2 Continues: role of 'glory hole steward'; advisability of paying cooks, baker, larder workers and milkman to get extra food; monetary collection from passengers for unseen workers and how it was divided up. Aspects of period as steward aboard HMT Orchades in Indian Ocean and North and South Atlantic, 1939-1941: how he became an engineers mess steward, 11/1939; attitude towards duties; friction with purser and failure to realise there was a war on; respect shown for homosexual stewards by rest of crew. Recollections of period as Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS) gunner aboard MV Alcinous in North Atlantic, 1941-1942: joining Dutch ship in Liverpool after attending gunnery course; routine of Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS) gunner; how he was deafened during practise firing; rescue of survivors from lifeboat; attitude to participating in North Atlantic convoys; presence of Chinese crew members on board. REEL 3 Continues: disappearance of Chinese members of Tong Society in New York, United States of America; friction between Chinese crew members serving on board; signing off ship in Kingston-upon-Hull, GB, 1/1942. Aspects of period as steward with Merchant Navy aboard HMT Rangitiki in North Atlantic, 1942: joining ship at Avonmouth, GB, 3/1942; how dispute over steward's uniform landed him in engineers' mess; character of crew and their exploits; amusing story of attempt to regulate hammock slinging; attitude towards gambling on board ship. Recollections of period as steward with Merchant Navy aboard MV Empire Hope in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 7/1942-8/1942 including sinking 8/1942: background to joining ship in Avonmouth, GB, 7/1942; warning from dockers in Avonmouth, GB about sailing in convoy to Malta, 31/7/1942. REEL 4 Continues: participation in Operation Pedestal, 8/1942; Axis bombing of ship and abandoning ship; rescue by destroyer HMS Penn; helping to carry anti-aircraft shells during Axis air attacks on route to Malta; sight of HMS Ledbury going to aid of burning merchant vessel MV Waimarama; ashore in Malta; complaints of overwork by his friend on board SS Port Chalmers in Malta, 8/1942; gratitude of civilians in Malta towards participants in Operation Pedestal; return from Malta to Gibraltar; return to GB; loss of possessions; signing on armed merchant cruiser HMS Dunnottar Castle. Aspects of period as steward with Merchant Navy aboard HMT Queen Mary in North and South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 12/1942-5/1943: joining troopship, 12/1942; impressions of ship; insect infestation on board; shudder when ship was at speed. REEL 5 Continues: waiting on Auxiliary Territorial Army and British Army officers on board; behaviour of Australian Army troops on board; Australian Army personnel's nonchalance about leaving arms and equipment behind. Aspects of period as steward with Merchant Navy aboard SS Ocean Stranger in Mediterranean, 1943-1944: joining ship, 6/1943; problems of ship making way with fouled bottom and using anti-torpedo nets; how ship went to Salerno instead of Taranto, Italy, 9/1943; collision with merchant vessel entering Naples Harbour, Italy. Aspects of period as steward aboard MV Vancouver City in North and South Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 8/1944-8/1945: conditions on board; crew's throwing Christmas dinner overboard, 25/12/1944; how he was deceived about length of voyage; problems getting decent cook. Reflections of service with Merchant Navy during Second World War: attitude to war service with Merchant Navy. REEL 6 Continues: shipmate who had psychological breakdown on Malta, 8/1942; occasion when civilian made a remark about white feathers in Southend-on-Sea, GB; attitude to having served with Merchant Navy in Second World; memories of Captain George Pinkney of the SS Port Chalmers.