Description
Object description
British seaman served aboard HMS Spartan in Mediterranean, 12/1943-1/1944, including sinking off Anzio, 29/1/1944; served aboard HMS Aurora, 15th Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Banbury, GB, 1924-1943: family; education; sporting activities; employment; reasons for joining Royal Navy; German Air Force raids on Banbury; membership of Boy Scouts; service with 1st (Banbury) Bn Oxfordshire Home Guard. Aspects of period of training with Royal Navy in GB, 1943: issue of uniform and kit; daily routine; drill and weapons training; attitude to naval discipline.
REEL 2 Continues: problems with training as signaller due to colour blindness; opinion of naval life; recreational activities; training as stoker; transfer to barracks in Malta; memories of fellow crewmen; story of involvement with local girl; drafting to HMS Spartan in Naples, Italy, 12/1943. Recollections of operations aboard HMS Spartan in Mediterranean, 12/1943-1/1944; first impression of ship; messing arrangements.
REEL 3 Continues: description of action stations; loading guns; damage control duties; memories of chaplain and religious services; morale of crew; command structure; nicknames; opinion of Captain Patrick McLaughlin; protective clothing worn; contents of locker; opinion of rations and favourite foods; washing facilities; health of crew; 'make and mend' repairs to uniform; haircuts; recreational activities; gambling; communication with family.
REEL 4 Continues: how family heard of sinking on radio; sending telegram to family; memories of Christmas 12/1943 and New Year 1/1/1944; description of involvement in operations at Anzio; daily duties and routine; provision of food whilst at action stations. Recollections of sinking of HMS Spartan in Mediterranean off Anzio, Italy, 29/1/1944: quiet day until Hs 293 Glider Bomb hit ship; effects of bomb hitting ship; power failure and ammunition exploding; response of crew to explosion and damage control procedures; escaping from ship.
REEL 5 Continues: description of rescue; sight of overturned ship; rescue by landing craft and transfer to rescue ship; journey to Algiers, French Algeria; reaction to news of not being sent home; transfer to Malta and description of rest camp; sleeping in torpedo tube on HMS Belfast. Recollections operations aboard HMS Aurora, 15th Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean and Black Sea, 1944-1945: drafting to cruiser at Taranto, Italy; opinion of cruiser and comparison to HMS Spartan; address by captain to survivors of HMS Spartan; Prime Minister Winston Churchill's visit to ship; picking up King of Saudi Arabia.
REEL 6 Continues: ship's armaments; opinion of Captain Geoffrey Barnard and Captain Robert Sherwood; amusing story of chaplain and piano; nature of operations in Mediterranean; sight of Mount Vesuvius erupting; duties looking after reverse steering gear; opinion of equipment on ship; educational classes and promotion to Stoker 1st Class; patrol duties in Malta.
REEL 7 Continues: operations at Salonika, Greece. Aspects of demobilisation and return to civilian life: attitude to medals; post-war employment; reflections on period of service with Royal Navy; story about being drunk on last day aboard HMS Aurora.