Description
Object description
British seaman served aboard HMS Duff in North Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea, 9/1943-11/1944; served as firefighter aboard HMS Victorious, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Darlington, GB, 1924-1941: social circumstances; education; sporting activities; employment with railway wagon works; declaration of Second World war, 3/9/1939; volunteering for service as boy seaman for Merchant Navy at Middlesborough; work as farm boy, tractor driver and labourer on farm, 1939-1943. Aspects of enlistment as seaman in Royal Navy, 1943: background to enlistment despite Reserved Occupation status, 3/1943; medical examination. Aspects of training as seaman with HMS Raleigh, Torpoint, GB, 3/1943-5/1943: reception; hutted accommodation; stealing; morning routine; rations; drill; rifle training; physical training; ship and aircraft recognition; seamanship training including knots, rowing and visit to destroyer; relations between recruits and question of stealing.
REEL 2 Continues: relations with petty officers; guard duties; question of kit inspections; swimming lessons; recreational visits to Plymouth; pay; canteen; passing out; journey from Plymouth to Gourock. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from Gourock, GB to New York, United States of America, 5/1943: presence of German prisoners of war on board; role on anti-aircraft gun; seasickness; refusal of role as officer's servant; cigarettes. Aspects of period as seaman with HMS Asbury at Asbury Park, United States of America, 5/1943-7/1943: accommodation at Berkeley Hotel; hospitality of American civilians; acting as naval police on train to New York; question of drinking underage; deserters and escorting recaptured deserter to Toronto, Canada. Aspects of period as seaman in Fargo Barracks, Boston, United States of America, 7/1943: training on Oerlikon 20mm Cannon; night spotting training; issue of United States Navy uniform and equipment; assault course.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period standing-by HMS Duff at Nantusket Shipyard, Boston, United States of America, 7/1943-9/1943: initial impressions of HMS Duff; role on advance party to shipyard; story of stealing rum; commissioning ceremony, 9/1943; question of United States Navy fittings and bunk beds; messing systems; water coolers; laundry; fights with United States Navy personnel; working up trials. Recollections of period as seaman aboard HMS Duff at HMS Malabar, St George's Harbour, Bermuda, 9/1943-10/1943: hurricane; seasickness and ship's rolling; 3 Inch Gun drill; firing Oerlikon 20mm Cannon; after mess deck; question of stealing; latrines; rations; abandon ship exercise; Hedgehog Anti-Submarine Weapon; visits ashore; motorboat training; relations with seamen, stokers and specialist ratings.
REEL 4 Continues: relations with leading seamen, petty officers and officers; opinion of various officers; crew morale and discipline. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Duff during sea and gunnery trials at Boston, United States of America, 10/1943: nature of sea and gunnery trials; dry dock and fitting of ram; running aground in fog; propeller repairs. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Duff in North Atlantic and Northern Ireland, 10/1943-4/1944: prior visit to Argentia, Newfoundland; action station on Oerlikon 20mm Cannon; incident of high explosive shell fired from 3 Inch Gun rather than intended star shell; problems with searchlight; loading Oerlikon 20mm Cannon with tracers; asdic contact and depth charge attack after German submarine dived in North Atlantic, 4/11/1943; voyage from United States of America to Belfast, Northern Ireland, 11/1943: watch system and clearing ship; recreational activities; washing clothes; sailor forced to wash; anti-submarine course at Belfast, Northern Ireland; paying off crew; role as messman to specialist personnel and skeleton crew engaged on depth charge tests; role as bosun's mate selling fish killed by depth charges.
REEL 5 Continues: skeleton crew during trials; duties as bosun's mate; arrival of new crew, 3/1944; relation with new ratings; shore leave; trials and training off north of Scotland; problems with compressor; sleeping above decks whilst at sea and personal morale; lookout duties; story of visiting wardroom on errand; Oerlikon 20mm Cannon practice; visit by party of Members of Parliament. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Duff, Coastal Forces in English Channel, 4/1944-7/1944: night patrols; story of coming under fire from German coastal artillery; clash with German Navy E-Boats; petty officer's loss of nerve; nature of fighting; playing of 'Macnamara's Band'; operations as Coastal Forces Control Frigate with motor torpedo boats; story of sinking three German E-Boats, laying smokescreen and rescuing crew prior, 15/6/1944; sight of Allied invasion fleet in The Solent, 5/6/1944; taking up position in destroyer screen off Le Havre, France, 7/6/1944; torpedoing and sinking of HMS Quorn off Normandy, France, 3/8/1944; narrow escape from torpedo; picking up survivors from HMS Quorn, 3/8/1944.
REEL 6 Continues: sighting German human torpedo as lookout and successful use of bow chaser gun; disguised human torpedoes; fatigue; clashes with German E-Boats; absence of air attacks; casual uniform; opinion of Lieutenant Commander Brock; presence of inadequate officer on board; anchoring off Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy, France and visit ashore; swimming session and burial of corpses found in sea; return for boiler clean in Portsmouth; Allied bombing of Normandy, France. Aspect of operations as seaman aboard HMS Duff in North Sea, 7/1944-11/1944: basing at Harwich, GB; efforts to identify German V weapons base; nature of operations; shore leave at Ostend, Belgium; account of ship being damaged by mine off Ostend, Belgium, 30/11/1944 including action station on starboard Oerlikon 20mm Cannon, effect of explosion, question of abandoning ship, stabilisation of ship and rescue by tugboat; arrival back at Harwich, GB; state of ship; remaining with skeleton crew; ship's towing to dry dock at HMNB Chatham, 12/1944; visit from father; paying off remaining crew.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as seaman at HMS Drake, Devonport, GB, 12/1944: souvenirs of service aboard HMS Duff; volunteering for service in Far East. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Dominion Monarch from GB to Sydney, Australia, 2/1945-3/1945: gambling; shore leave in Panama; arrival in Sydney Australia; deserters. Aspects of operation as HMS Victorious, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945: reaction to drafting to HMS Victorious; prior training as fire fighter; move to Leyte Island, Philippines; anti-frogman charges; mess deck conditions; issue of lime juice; fire fighter duties; problems with aircraft landing and taking off; story of Vought Corsair aircraft exploding and use of foam machines; anti-flash precautions; action station; move into position off Japan; sight of Japanese Kamikaze attack; duties as loader in 4.2 Inch turret; end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; leaving aircraft carrier in Australia; Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Perseus in Australia, 9/1945-1/1946: duties as sentry on Women's Royal Naval Service quarters in Melbourne, 9/1945-1/1946; service aboard HMS Perseus, 1/1946 including duties jettisoning aircraft and gold shipment.
REEL 8 Continues: voyage from Australia to GB; demobilisation, 3/1946. Post-war life and career: initial work in aluminium factory; work as crisp salesman; question of effects of war service; attending HMS Duff reunions.
