Description
Object description
South African officer served with Royal Navy, 1942-1968
Content description
REEL 1 Various aspects of life in South Africa, 1996.
REEL 2 Continues: question of race relations in South Africa, 1920's and South African forces in World War Two; question of relationship between Commonwealth and Royal Navy officers; question of treatment of black Commonwealth troops by South African troops; question of black troops post-war resettlement in South Africa
REEL 3 Continues: aspects of South Africa, 1996; opinion of Commonwealth; question of ex-servicemen associations. Recollections of service in Royal Navy: question of South African naval personnel being requested to take British citizenship in post-war period; story of crew caught drinking while serving on board cruiser HMS Mauritius; story of meeting Pakistani president.
REEL 4 Continues: participation Operation Musketeer at Suez, Egypt, 10/1956-11/1956 including HMS Diamond destruction Egyptian tanks on causeway, ceasefire and evacuation of European civilians; story relating to cabin steward; landing party in Cyprus, 1955; account of involvement with special operations, 1956-1959 including operation to film new types of Soviet Navy destroyers and cruisers, attitude to working in special services, award of Admiralty commendation, story of naval rating being sent to gaol for talking about operations, initial appointment to special operations, trip to survey River Amazon, Brazil aboard HMS Leopard, 1959, incident of submarine caught in trawler's nets during secret operations, question of importance of secret operations during Cold War, story of having to locate radar station to direct nuclear strikes and opinion of British service chiefs and British Government during Cold War; story of having to supply a report to Prime Minister Winston Churchill; move to HMS Ganges training facility; question of naval listings; Middle East studies course; appointment to naval recruiting; story of move to Saudi Arabia and hospitalisation; question of difficulty of personal relationships with appointments all round world. Background to career in strategic defence studies: meetings with Shah of Iran; move to Chile; working on a study of South America; advisory role in south and central America; intelligence role in Falklands War; unofficial role in SALT nuclear limitation talks; Reflections on service in Royal Navy: question of leaving Royal Navy, 1968; question of health problems relating to wartime service; question of psychological effects of war; story of woman shipyard workers on River Clyde, GB; question of South Africans being sent to India for political reasons, 1943; story of German Navy warship surrendering and VE Day in Dover, GB; story of meeting ex-prisoner of war brother-in-law; account of motor torpedo boat sinking in English Channel; question of effects of action; question of psychological effects of war; story of taxi driver who had lost his son serving in Royal Navy.