Interview with Harold John Farmer

1518015752
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1866019477
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British stoker served aboard HMS Cornwall in South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1940-1942 including sinking in Indian Ocean, 5/4/1942; served aboard HMS Duncan, 22nd Destroyer Flotilla, Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean, 6/1942-10/1942; served aboard LST 164 in Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and English Channel, 1943-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Brockham, GB, 1922-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian in Brockham, GB, 1939-1940: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; German Air Force attacks on Brockham; commuting between Dorking and London. Aspects of operations as stoker aboard HMS Cornwall in South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1940-1942: joining ship in Ceylon after training in Portsmouth, GB; discipline on board; duties as stoker; action station; sinking of German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin (HSK-5) in Indian Ocean, 8/5/1941. Recollections of sinking of HMS Cornwall in Indian Ocean, 5/4/1942: nature of sinking; refusal of non-swimmer South African rating to leave ship; survivors leave in Cape Town, South Africa; method used to stay afloat; problem of oil; warding off sharks. REEL 2 Continues: survivor who went insane and died; false alarms; rescue of HMS Enterprise; wounds he received during Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service attack on ship. Aspects of operations as stoker aboard HMS Duncan, 22nd Destroyer Flotilla, Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean, 6/1942-10/1942: contrast between life on destroyer and cruiser; description of term 'divisions'; piping in a ship; duties on board; escort duties; capture of cattle ship. Recollections of operations as stoker aboard with LST 164 in United States of America, Mediterranean, English Channel during Normandy Landings and Far East, 1943-1945: transfer to service with Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) on return to GB, 10/1942; voyage from United States of America to GB, 5/1943; discipline he was subjected to; landings on Juno Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; landing at Taranto, Italy, 9/1943; damage to landing craft received; reasons for preference for carrying United States Army troops; personal morale during landings; landings at Anzio, Italy, 1/1944. REEL 3 Continues: reaction to calling off of Operation Zipper off Malaya, 8/1945; nature of landings he was involved in; life aboard Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs); attitude to having served with Royal Navy in Second World War.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Farmer, Harold John (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2000-08-25
Dimensions: whole: Duration 65, Number Of Items 3
Catalogue number: 20500

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Interview with Harold John Farmer

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