Hill, Ronald Christopher (Oral history)

British boy seaman served with HMS Mauritius in Mediterranean, 1946-1948; seaman served with HMS Amethyst off Korea and Malaya, 1950-1952; served with HMS Meon during Suez landings, Egypt, 1956

REEL 1 Background in Liverpool, 1930-1944: family; education; singing of phonetic alphabet of 1920s; memories of Liverpool Blitz, 5/1941; evacuation to Ponciau, near Wrexham; membership of Ovaltinies; story of ruining suit lining during shrapnel collecting. Aspects of period as boy seaman with Royal Navy, 1944-1945: wish to join Royal Navy; reasons why he will never forget Harry S Vincent-Spall; training at HMS St George and HMS Ganges; reasons for mass desertions from HMS Ganges, c1946. Recollections of period as boy seaman aboard HMS Mauritius in Mediterranean, 1946-1948: treatment of boy seamen; story of ex-chief petty officer who looked after boy's messdeck; learning shorthand and typing. REEL 2 Continues: his job monitoring liners bringing illegal immigrants into Palestine; crewman killed by illegal immigrant using knitting needle; incident boarding liners; wounding in head by sniper at Haifa, 1947; reaction to de-lousing of illegal immigrants; non-political character of Royal Navy; doubling of naval pay c1948; contents of NAAFI bags. Aspects of duties as telegraphist with Royal Navy in GB, 1948-1949: attitude to submarine training at HMS Dolphin; attitude towards motor torpedo boat training at HMS Hornet; job bringing French built E-boat from Mediterranean to GB, c1948; joining experimental squadron at HMS Hornet; description of 'clacker'. REEL 3 Continues: Period as telegraphist aboard HMS Illustrious, 1950: joining ship after changing port divisions; story of accident on board submarine HMS Alliance, 1971; leaving ship, 1950. Recollections of operations as leading telegraphist aboard HMS Amethyst during Korean War, 1950: drafting to ship; rapid promotion; meeting with classmate aboard HMNZS Rotoiti; ditching of aircraft from USS Valley Forge off Korean island; attack on aircraft fuselage; role of Korean agent in directing bombardment; affair between seaman and Japanese woman. REEL 4 Continues: memories of captains; story of finding grave of Royal Navy petty officer in Pusan cemetery. Recollections of period aboard HMS Meon during Suez Crisis, 1956: drafting to Landing Platform Helicopter Ship; start of crisis; sight of HMS Daring under fire from shore battery; signals work during crisis. Story of obtaining married quarters in London, 1954 and opening first bank account, 1957. Aspects of operations as leading telegraphist in HMS Amethyst in Korean War and during Malayan Emergency: supply of food and drink from HMS Belfast during Korean War. REEL 5 Continues: patrolling to find pilot with 1st Bn Green Howards in Malaya; 1951.