Interview with Norman Watts

British radio officer served with Merchant Navy aboard SS Loch Ranza in North Atlantic, 1940; served aboard SS Artemisia in North Atlantic and North Sea, 1/1941-3/1941, including sinking in off coast of Norfolk, GB, 13/3/1941; served aboard MV Tricula in North Atlantic, 1941-1942; served aboard SS Empire Arnold in North Atlantic, 5/1942-8/1942, including sinking off South America, 4/8/1942

REEL 1 Recollections of period as radio officer with Merchant Navy aboard SS Loch Ranza in North Atlantic, 1940: first voyages in SS Loch Ranza; impressions of Captain Patrick Dove; character of Convoy HX 90; sending out distress call after torpedoing of ship by German submarine U-101, 1/12/1940; abandoning ship; reboarding listing ship after night in lifeboat, 2/12/1940; behaviour of Maltese stokers; duties on returning to ship; making way towards Hebrides Islands; rations available; under tow to River Clyde; visit to River Clyde, 1993; fate of SS Loch Ranza at Palau Abang, Riau Islands, Dutch East Indies, 3/2/1942. REEL 2 Continues: aftermath of incident. Aspects of period as radio officer with Merchant Navy aboard SS Artemisia in North Atlantic and North Sea, 1/1941-3/1941 including sinking off coast of Norfolk, GB, 14/3/1941: background to joining ship in London, GB, 1/1941; voyage across North Atlantic; bombing of ship by German Air Force aircraft during Convoy FN 432 in North Sea; abandoning ship and period in sea, 14/3/1941; rescue by HMS Sheldrake; transfer to Free French ship; treatment of survivors. Aspects of period as radio officer with Merchant Navy aboard MV Tricula in North Atlantic, 1941-1942: voyage on board tanker MV Tricula; location of tankers in convoy; duties tracking German submarines; role of convoy commodore; loss of Free French escort FFL Alysse during Convoy ON 60, 9/2/1942. Aspects of period as radio officer aboard SS Empire Arnold in North Atlantic, 5/1942-8/1942 including sinking off South America, 4/8/1942: joining ship; routing of ship through inland waterways in United States of America; preparations to carry high explosives; start of Convoy EF 6 from United States of America to Egypt, 4/8/1942; description of torpedoing of ship by German submarine U-155 off South America, 4/8/1942; treatment by German submarine crew. REEL 3 Continues: fate of Captain Frederick Tate; conditions in lifeboat; rescue by Canadian ship SS Lawrendoc; treatment of survivors in British Guiana; activities in Georgetown, British Guiana; presence of Merchant Navy survivors in British Guiana; transfer to Cuba; conditions on board fleet tug USS Cherokee during passage from Cuba to United States of America; hospitalisation in United States of America and return to GB.