Interview with Peter Douglas Bird

British officer served with Combined Operations in GB, 1943-1944; served aboard Landing Barge Vehicle 45 in English Channel during landings in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944; served aboard HMS Loch Eck, 10th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and English Channel, 2/1945-7/1945; served aboard HMS St Brides Bay in Mediterranean, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Moreton, GB, 1923-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as employee with West Kirby and Hoylake District Council, GB, 1939-1942: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; character of Anderson Shelter; membership of Sea Cadets. Aspects of training as seaman and officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1942-1943: joining Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, 9/1942; basic training at HMS Raleigh, Torpoint, 1942; training on landing craft tanks at Troon, 1943; wish to obtain qualifications as seaman prior to commissioning; type of questions put to him by commissions board, Inveraray, 1943; physical training techniques employed on officer training course, HMS Lochailort; question of perquisites for being a Royal Navy officer. Aspects of period as officer with Landing Barge Flotillas, Combined Operations at HMS Medina, Ryde, Isle of Wight, 1943: appointment to Combined Operations; organising conversion of Thames lighters into flotilla; short posting as staff officer; role as staff officer during Exercise Jantzen, 1943; preparing for D-Day landings at HMS Dragonfly, Hayling Island, 1943-1944; exercising with landing barges; problems of handling landing barges. REEL 2 Continues: proposed function of landing barges on D-Day; handling of barges and lighterman coxwains; incident of neaping with one landing barge; plans to send landing barges over fully laden on D- Day and problems this caused, 5/6/1944. Recollections of operations commanding with LBV 45 in English Channel at Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944: waterlogging of craft on crossing; towing from trawler; mine hazards; unloading of landing barge on Juno Beach; loss of two landing barges on tow and mystery of loss of third barge. Aspects of period as flotilla officer with Landing Barge Flotillas in English Channel off Normandy, France, 6/1944-9/1944: rate of tons of supplies landed daily; handing over of landing barges to British Army personnel, 9/1944; loss of landing barges and attempt to salvage them on Sword Beach in Great Storm, 19/6/1944-20/6/1944; role in opening canal from coast to Courseulles-sur-Mer. REEL 3 Continues: escape of landing barge crew from German artillery shell, Courseulles-sur-Mer; attending course at HMS King Alfred III at Lancing College, GB, 10/1944-12/1944. Recollections of operations as officer with HMS Loch Eck, 10th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and English Channel, 1/1945-7/1945: appointment to ship in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 2/1945; opinion of captain Lieutenant Commander Ronald Freaker; submarine hunt north off Shetland Islands, GB, 2/1945; attitude towards German submarine crews; incident of mistaking of rock for German submarine off coast of France. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS St Brides Bay in Mediterranean, 1945: joining ship and working up at Tobermory, GB; gunnery trials at Malta, 8/1945; cancellation of plan to send ship to Pacific on VJ Day, 15/8/1945; escorting Insect Class gunboats from Italy to Port Sudan, Sudan; hospitality of British Army at Asmara, Eritrea; air-sea rescue duties at Gibraltar; duties at Pola, Itlay. REEL 4 Continues: leave period at Klagenfurt, Austria including trip to Sovet Sector of Vienna, Austria; start of civilian career as dentist 1946; attitude to service in Royal Navy in Second World War.