Description
Object description
British seaman served as asdic operator aboard HMS Biter in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1942-1943; served aboard HMS Domett in North Atlantic, Mediterranean, English Channel and Arctic, 12/1943-7/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Great Lumley and Chester le Street, GB, 1921-1941: family circumstances; education; employment as errand boy and shop assistant, 1935; work as apprentice clerk at drift mine, 1936-1938; work as apprentice bookkeeper at Royal Ordnance Factory Birtley, 1938; sporting activities; death of father in mining accident; interest in Royal Navy; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; reaction to introduction of female workers; failed attempt to join Royal Navy due to Reserved Occupation status; church activities; German Air Force bombing attacks on North East England. Recollections of enlistment and training as seaman with HMS Raleigh, Torpoint, GB, 8/1941-12/1941: background to enlistment in Royal Navy, 27/8/1941; train journey to Plymouth; reception and kitting out; hutted accommodation; drill; rations; gun drill; rifle training; relations with chief petty officer and other recruits.
REEL 2 Continues: seamanship training including knots and splices and climbing masthead; homesickness; recreational activities; qualification as ordinary seaman; Christmas leave, 25/12/1941. Aspects of training as asdic operator at HMS Nimrod, Campbeltown, GB, 12/1941-1/1942: selection for asdic training after intelligence and hearing tests; training in recognition of underwater sounds; operation of asdic sets and training sessions; exercises at sea with submarine; trip on Dutch manned submarine; use of recording machine; period at HMS Osprey, Dunoon, 1/1942-3/1942. Aspects of period as seaman at HMS Saker, New York, United States of America, 3/1942: voyage aboard troopship SS Banfora from GB to New York, United States of America; hotel accommodation and food; hospitality shown by and relations with American civilians.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period standing-by HMS Biter at Brooklyn Naval Yard, United States of America, 4/1942: role as asdic operator; attending prior asdic course; duties as asdic trainer attached to Naval Air Station Key West, United States Navy at Key West, 3/1942-4/1942, including train journey to Key West, opinion of inferior United States Navy equipment, quality of United States Navy trainees and discovery of knifed United States Navy seaman sailor. Recollections of operations aboard HMS Biter in GB coastal waters, 5/1942-11/1942: nature of escort carrier; bunk beds; former status as merchant vessel transporting bananas; crossing with destroyer escort, North Atlantic, 5/1942-6/1942; watch system; lookout duty on bridge; duties as asdic operator; psychological problems common amongst asdic operations; defensive role of asdic and importance of ship evading German submarines convoy duty; 21st birthday drink with Captain Edward Abel Smith; recommendation for commission; painting and cleaning ship; non-smoking; cafeteria mess system and food; relations with seamen, leading seamen, petty officers and officers.
REEL 4 Continues: detachment with separate escort from convoy to avoid submarines; effects of William Joyce 'Lord Haw Haw' radio broadcast claiming sinking of HMS Biter; question of bad weather conditions and seasickness; asdic sweeps; convoy ships sunk; anti-submarine role of escort carrier aircraft; problems in aircraft taking off and landing; status of Asdic ratings; state of crew morale. Recollections of operations as asdic operator aboard HMS Biter during Operation Torch in Mediterranean, 11/1942: move in massed convoy into Mediterranean; arrival off Oran, French Algeria; role as lookout; false alarm over French Navy battleship on entering harbour; initial problems faced by Vichy French forces during landing; capture of French ships. Aspects of operations as asdic operator aboard HMS Biter in North Atlantic, 12/1942-5/1943: German Air Force Junker Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attack concentrated on escort carriers; zig-zagging; morning routine; rum ration; 'make and mend' sessions; recreations.
REEL 5 Continues: asdic room; friends; question of promotion; watching flying operations; recommendation for commission. Aspects of period as officer cadet at HMS Alfred, Hove, GB, 6/1943: relationship with cadets; interview and question of status as miner's son; signals training; failure on course and return to barracks. Aspects of period on shore duties at HMS Asbury, Asbury Park, United States of America, 8/1943-9/1943: presence of Very Important Persons (VIPs) during voyage out aboard HMT Queen Mary; arrival at Halifax, Canada; visit to New York; teaching bookkeeping. Aspects of period asdic operator standing-by aboard HMS Domett at Boston, United States of America, 9/1943: sight of mass production of destroyer escorts in dry dock; duties monitoring assembly of asdic equipment; reception on arrival in United States of America; bridge asdic compartment. Aspects of period as asdic operator aboard HMS Domett in Bermuda, 9/1943: asdic exercises during working up trials; nature of ship and United States Navy fittings; collision with HMS Cooke in harbour.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of operations as asdic operator aboard HMS Domett, 3rd Escort Group in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 12/1943-6/1944: question of seaworthiness and refitting; effects of bad weather during convoy of capital ships into Mediterranean, 1/1944; operations in North Atlantic; opinion of captain Lieutenant Commander Stirling Gordon; acting as captain's secretary; story of tracking German submarine on asdic; opinion of various officer, petty officers and leading seamen; medical arrangements; football activities. Aspects of operations as asdic operator aboard HMS Domett, 3rd Escort Group during Operation Neptune in English Channel, 6/1944: anti-submarine patrols off Cherbourg, France; reaction to HMS Duckworth taking over submarine contacts; return to Portsmouth with damaged screw; awareness of aerial and naval D-Day contributions; watch rota worked as asdic operator and method of using asdic set; rest periods.
REEL 7 Continues: sinking of German submarine U-988, 29/6/1944; background to insignia of pink elephant used aboard HMS Domett; story of drunken stoker falling overboard; repairs at Portsmouth. Recollections of operations as asdic aboard HMS Domett, 3rd Escort Group in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 7/1944-7/1945: coastal convoys; visits ashore in Belfast, Northern Ireland; story of escape from machine gun fire used in civilian dispute during visit ashore in Belfast, Northern Ireland; singing in choir; leave in GB; nature of Convoys JW 61 and JW 61A on route to Murmansk, Soviet Union, 10/1944, including lookout's frozen eyes, weather conditions, deck lines, submarine attacks and problems with operation of asdic in very cold seas; return with Convoy RA61; story of arranging to meet girlfriend during VE Day celebrations at Portsmouth, GB, 8/5/1945; paying off HMS Domett at Kingston upon Hull, GB, 7/1945; drafting to HMS Osprey, Dunoon, GB, 7/1945-8/1945. Aspects of period as asdic operator aboard HMS Welcome in Pacific, 8/1945-12/1945: reaction to service in Pacific; marriage; work in ship's office and asdic duties at sea; journey to British North Borneo.
REEL 8 Continues: duties ashore at Jesselton, British North Borneo, including use of launch in searching for mines in river, opinion of Dayaks and Dayak culture; return to demobilisation to GB, 12/1945; period at Drake Barracks, Plymouth, 12/1945-1/1946; demobilisation, 1/1946. Post-war life and employment: decision not to return to Royal Ordnance Factory Birtley; review of application, training and career as teacher; effects of war service; membership of Captain Class Frigates Association.
