Interview with Henry Charles Sivelle

British seaman served aboard MTB 86, Coastal Forces in English Channel, 1941-1942; served as coxwain aboard LCI (L) 169, 263 Landing Craft Infantry (Large) Flotilla, Combined Operations in United States of America, GB, Mediterranean and in English Channel off Normandy, France, 11/1942-8/1944

REEL 1 Background in Twickenham, GB, 1922-1941: employment; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; war work; German Air Force attack which hit Exchange Public House, Twickenham, 1940; attitude towards Germans. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Navy, GB, 1941: call-up to Royal Navy, 3/1941; grievance about Royal Navy pay in contrast to civilian wages; early training. Aspects of operations as seaman aboard MTB 86, Coastal Forces in English Channel, 1941-1942: joining MTB 86 at Kingswear; duties and composition of crew; patrolling south western coast; opinion of German E-Boats; relations between officers and seamen. Aspects of period as seaman with Royal Navy in United States of America, 10/1942: voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from GB to United States of America, 10/1942; arrival in Boston and aiding HMT Queen Mary into dry dock; move to Newark via New York; relations with American civilians; resentment about American civilian comments about Dunkirk Evacuation. Recollection of operations as seaman aboard LCI (L) 169, 263 Landing Craft Infantry (Large) Flotilla, Combined Operations in United States of America, GB and Mediterranean, 11/1942-6/1944: commissioning of vessel in Newark, United States of America, 17/11/1942; characteristics of Landing Craft Infantry (Large); role as coxswain; opinion of officers on board; voyage from United States of America to GB, 11/1942. REEL 2 Continues: question of defensive measures employed on crossing North Atlantic; inspection by Lord Louis Mountbatten; story of cook who used swear word in front of Lord Louis Mountbatten; practise amphibious landing training at Dunoon, Scotland, 1943; nature of landings on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943 including troops landed; German fire, beach landing, German Air Force attacks and NCO killed by mortar bomb; landings on mainland of Italy, 9/1943; sight of Italian Navy fleet surrendering, Malta, 9/1943; return to Newhaven, GB and preparations for Operation Neptune, 1944. Recollections of operations as coxwain aboard LCI (L) 169, 263 Landing Craft Infantry (Large) Flotilla, Combined Operations, Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: landing troops on Sword Beach, D-Day, 6/6/1944; noise of battle; firing on German machine gun position; description of Sword Beach, D-Day, 6/6/1944; casualties on beach; landing Canadian Army nurses; reaction to landing on D-Day, 6/6/1944; evacuation of German Army prisoners of war from Normandy to GB; swapping rations with German Army prisoners of war; attitude of Waffen-SS prisoners of war. REEL 3 Continues: prior recollection of previous coxswain of LCI (L) 169 disobeying orders to not eat black grapes and catching dysentery, Italy, 9/1943.