Blamey, Joel Clifford Edgcombe (Oral history)

British engine room artificer served aboard HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth in GB coastal waters, 1925-1926; served aboard submarines HMS Oswald and HMS Seahorse, 1920s-1930s; served aboard submarine HMS Porpoise in North Sea and Mediterranean, 1939-1943; served aboard submarine HMS Strongbow in Far East, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Budock, Cornwall, 1904-1914: family and education. Memories of First World War, 1914-1918: effect of war on schooling and food shortages. Period of training as Royal Navy artificer apprentice, HMS Fishgard, Portsmouth, 1920-1925. Period as engine room artificer with HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth, 1925-1926. Recollections of period as RN submariner, 1926-1939: draft into submarine service, 8/1926; effect of foundering of H boats on morale in submarine service; high rate of submarine losses pre-Second World War; engine problems with submarine engines; duties aboard HMS L52; volunteering for further two years service with submarines in 1929; submarine service in L boats in Mediterranean, 1929-1931 and GB, 1931-1934; move to China Station with HMS Oswald, 1934-1937; brief stay in Mediterranean during Abyssinia crisis, 1935; difficulties for serviceman with wives and young children. REEL 2 Continues: problems of operating in dense waters of Mediterranean; characteristics of O and S boats; collision with HMS Foxhound whilst serving with HMS Seahorse; memories of Rufus Mackenzie and Ben Bryant; question of Ben Bryant favouring of surface gun actions; demands made on Chief Engine Room Artificer in submarines; story of aborted mission in HMS Porpoise to attend sunken HMS Thetis in Liverpool Bay, 1939. Recollections of operations with HMS Porpoise, 1939-1943: becoming Chief ERA aboard submarine, 7/1939; captain reading articles of war to crew, 3/9/1939; sinking of German U-boat in Skagerak, 1940; work escorting Atlantic convoys ca 1940-1941; fitting of fuel in mine casing to be taken to Malta during siege, 1941. REEL 3 Continues: attack on submarine whilst discharging stores in Malta; method of running supplies into Malta; narrow escape from rouge torpedo in Aegean; problems with diving characteristics; damage to HMS Porpoise from deep diving in Bay of Biscay; length of war patrols; attempt of Axis destroyer to ram submarine and damage caused by depth charging by this destroyer off Benghazi; problems getting badly-damaged boat to Alexandria; 1942; job he was given in mine-casing , 1942; accidental explosion aboard, Port Said, ca 1942. REEL 4 Continues: inquiry into explosion accident; sending of submarine to GB for re-fit 1942; loss of depot ship HMS Medway; summer 1942. Period working up with HMS Shalimar, GB 1943- 1944. Recollections with HMS Strongbow in Far East, 1944-1945: insistence in sea trail before move to Far East; breakdown of engine on way through Mediterranean, spring 1944; arrival in Trincomalee; length of patrols in Far East; prolonged depth charging by Japanese anti-submarine vessels, 1/1945; permission to break off patrol because of damage; extensive repairs carried out to submarine; final patrol and reasons for his 'sulking' on VE Day. Recollections of aspects of service in submarines during Second World War, 1939-1945: disintegration of crockery under depth charging; leaking of water into submarine during depth charging; high temperature in boat under depth charging; incident of crew member who became hysterical; adopting a fatalistic attitude. REEL 5 Continues: ability of Axis vessels to hear noises from inside submarines; compiling Jolly Roger flags; types of work British submarines carried out; memories of David Wanklyn VC; sanitary arrangements; medical problems caused by battery overcharging; question of his own physical fitness despite age. Question of effects of war. Period with submarine service, GB, 1945-1954: role working with submarines due to be scrapped, Falmouth, 1945; accident to HMS Sidon involving collision with uncharted object off Scotland; introduction of snorkels into submarines; leaving submarine service, 1954. Period as bosun with HMS Raleigh, 1954-1957. Question of lack of psychological effects of Second World War. Decorations awarded for wartime service