Interview with Fernard Raymond Davoult

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
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Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
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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.

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Description

Object description

French seaman served with French Merchant Marine in France, English Channel and GB, 1939-1940; served aboard submarines Surcouf and Junon, Free French Naval Forces in GB coastal waters, 1941-1942; served aboard Commandant Drogou, Free French Naval Forces in North and South Atlantic, 1942-1944

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Étainhus, near Le Havre, France, 1921-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as seaman with French Merchant Marine in France, English Channel and GB, 1939-1941: reasons for joining French Merchant Marine in France, 1939; reaction to fall of France, 22/6/1940; escape to Falmouth, GB, 6/1940; Royal Navy's seizure of SS Leon Martin at Falmouth, GB, 14/7/1940; question of joining Free French Forces or returning to France; period as internee at Crystal Palace, GB, 1940; initial impressions of GB and his decision to stay; pressure he was subjected to by those who wanted to return to France; signing on with French Merchant Navy in Gordon Street, London, GB; public morale in London, GB in comparison with France; drafting to SS Gallois at Middlesbrough; character of SS Gallois; refusal of crew to sail SS Gallois. REEL 2 Continues: Royal Navy's quelling of mutiny aboard SS Gallois. Recollections of period as seaman with submarines Surcouf and Juneau, Free French Naval Forces in GB coastal waters, 1940-1942: background to joining Free French Naval Forces, 12/1940; journey to Devonport to find submarine Surcouf; reporting for duty aboard Surcouf; transfer to submarine Junon; obtaining uniform in Devonport; reaction to German Air Force bombing of Devonport, 4/1941; narrow escape from being shot by machine gunner during German Air Force attacks on Devonport; nature of German Air Force bombing in Plymouth area; story of meeting wife Eileen 'Margie' Sykes in air raid shelter at St Pancras, London and subsequent marriage, 8/1941. REEL 3 Continues: period with Free French Forces club in Tufton Street, London, GB; proposed drafting to corvette Mimosa. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard corvette Commandant Drogou, Free French Naval Forces in North and South Atlantic, 1942-1944: drafting to ship in Belfast, Northern Ireland; escort work based on Freetown, Sierra Leone; lack of fresh rations on board; loss of ship's cook with medical problem; singing of Free French song; tensions between Free French Forces and Vichy French in Dakar, French West Africa; return to GB, 1944; keeping pigs and goats on board ship; slaughtering pig on board; fortifying himself with wine at action stations. REEL 4 Continues: his action stations. Aspects of visit to his family in Le Havre area, France, 1945: character of visit; family's living conditions; lack of his family's comprehension about Second World War. Reflections on service with Free French Naval Forces in Second World War: question of why he stayed in GB, 1940; atitude towards having served with Free French Naval Forces; drafting to sloop Amiens, 1945; problems of settling down after 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)
Davoult, Fernard Raymond (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2000-09-28
Dimensions: whole: Duration 115, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 20615

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Interview with Fernard Raymond Davoult

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