Hammond, Donald (Oral history)

British apprentice and officer served with Merchant Navy in Atlantic and Far East, 1928-1939; officer served aboard HMS Tenedos in Far East, 1940-1942; served aboard HMS Bayntun in Atlantic, 1942-1944; commanded HMS Rosemary in GB coastal waters, 1945; civilian Suez Canal pilot in Egypt, 1947-1956

REEL 1 Background in Healing, 1914-1928: family; education. Recollections of period with Merchant Navy, 1928-1939: work as apprentice with Ropners Shipping Company; use of 'Flying Angel' missions; story of boxing bout with German seaman in Buenos Aires, 1931; development of career, early 1930s; level of pay for Merchant Navy officers; handling of paper cargo; job with China Navigation Company from 1936; story of gold smuggling aboard Shantung. REEL 2 Continues: transport of Chinese labour to Malaya, late 1930s; anti-piracy precautions; second hand story of pirating of Shantung; opinion of visits to Tientsin; Japanese Air Force attacks on Chinese junks at Pak Hoi; boarding of his ship by Japanese warship near Tientsin, c1937-1938; memories of John Kerans; volunteering for Royal Navy after outbreak of Second World War, 1939. Recollections of operations as officer with HMS Tenedos in Far East, 1940-1942: drafting to ship at Singapore, 8/1940; patrolling duties; celebrations in Sarawak, 9/1940. REEL 3 Continues: mine laying off Singapore; waiting to intercept Italian freighter Vittoria; arrival of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales in Singapore, 12/1941; start of war against Japanese, 12/1941; narrow escape from Japanese air attack, off Malaya, 10/12/1941; escorting Brooke Popham to Batavia, 2/1942; fall of Singapore, 2/1942; shelling of Singapore harbour, 5/2/1942; attempt to aid burning Nora Moller in Banka Strait, 2/1942; operating from Batavia; reasons why ship was on fringe of Java Sea battle, 2/1942. REEL 4 Continues: taking refugees from Pandang to Colombo; damage to ship during Japanese air raid on Colombo, Easter Sunday, 1942; driving away looter in Columbo Harbour; role taking codes from Columbo to Madras. Voyage from Bombay to Liverpool aboard Duchess of Richmond. Recollections of operations aboard HMS Bayntun and in North Atlantic, 1942-1944: background to drafting to ship after brief convoy duties aboard HMS Anchusa; advantages and disadvantages of ship for escort duties; surfacing of U-boat on Convoy ONS11; damage to ship from own depth-charging; character of captain. REEL 5 Continues: taking command of Convoy HX250. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Rosemary in GB coastal waters, 1945: taking command of ship at Dundee; duties escorting submarines; co-operation with Fleet Air Arm; beaching of ship at Milford Haven after VE Day; appointment to command HMS Lewes in Sydney, Australia, 1945. Period commanding HMS Fernmoor, 1945-1947: taking command of merchantman; financing of ship's supplies; role taking time- expired service personnel from Hong Kong to GB. Recollections of period as Suez Canal pilot, 1947-1956: obtaining employment as pilot, 1947. REEL 6 Continues: problems of piloting; collision between Danish tanker and Devana; second accident he had; effect of Egyptian nationalisation, 7/1956.