Watkins, Dennis (Oral history)

British seaman served aboard HMS London in GB coastal waters, 1943; served aboard HMS Retalick in English Channel, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Leyton, London, 1924-1942: family background and father's war service, 1914-1918; education; recreations; securing work as printer's apprentice at Waterlows Print Works, 6/1939; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; nature of Anderson shelter and regular use during German air raids; effects of war on Waterlows Print Works, 9/1939-12/1940, including bomb and land mine damage, acceleration of apprenticeship , increased work load, nature of printing jobs, destruction of print works in fire following direct bomb hit, 29/12/1940; transfer of staff to Waterlow Print Works at Dunstable, 1941-1942; journey and mid-week sleeping accommodation; role printing naval pay books. REEL 2 Continues: bonus for cutting time of printing naval pay books; effects of clothing and food rationing; volunteer work making gas masks at Leyton Town Hall, 1939; blackout preparations; call up for Royal Navy, 11/1942. Recollections of basic training at HMS Glendower Shore Station, Phwhelhi, 11/1942-1/1943: train journey; reception; medical; issue of uniform and kit; chalet accommodation; origins of recruits; drill; intelligence test and assignment as commissioned warrant class specially trained for commission; PT training regime including assault course; ingenuity tests; theoretical seamanship training; rowing; mast assault course over swimming pool; boxing compass; training on mocked up bridge and story of incorrectly wired steering wheel. REEL 3 Continues: signal training including Morse code, semaphore and Aldis lamp; gas mask training; prior fire watching at Waterlow Print Works, Dunstable, 1941-1942; kit inspections; opinion of instructors; weekend recreations; passing out. Period with CW draft at Collingwood Block, Chatham Barracks, ca 1/1943-2/1943: sore throat; fire watching to avoid sleeping in tunnel shelter; reception procedure. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine as CW draft training aboard HMS London based at Scapa Flow, 3/1943-11/1943: journey north; reception; nature of ship as heavy cruiser; storm on voyage to Iceland; nature of messdeck accommodation including flooding, cockroach problem, hammocks and kit storage; general messing system; breakfast; rum ration; watch system; role as communications number with 8" guns in 'B' turret. REEL 4 Continues: conditions in 'B' turret; role on posting to cordite and shell handling rooms; colour coded shells; 8" gun drill; setting up and use of paravanes; steering ship from protected steerage area; role covering convoy to Murmansk, SU including possible threat from Tirpitz and escorting Russian sailors; visit to Iceland; cold weather; question of U-Boat and German air attacks; routine working parties; visit ashore at Reyjkavik; bread rations; question of seasickness; rowing practice in harbour; harbour routine; visits ashore at Scapa Flow; learning seamanship manual. Period at Chatham Barracks, 11/1943. Period training as officer cadet at HMS King Alfred Shore Station, Lancing College, Hove, 12/1943: billets; reception; attack of measles whilst on leave; circumstances of recall for draft to DE26 and loss of cadet status. REEL 5 Continues: circumstances of recall from draft to DE26 and loss of cadet status. Journey via New York to join HMS Retalick at Boston, USA, 1943: first impression; messdecks and bunks; cafeteria messing; food; water cooler; washing clothes; welded construction; relationship with American civilians. Voyage to Lassahilly, Northern Ireland, c1943: rolling and seasickness; role as communications number working with gunnery officer on bridge operating gunnery director; role as navigator's yeoman; skeleton crew and arrival of new crew drafts; cleaning ship and routine harbour duties; damage to propeller and consequent refit on Clydeside; working up trials at Tobermory; ship's armament including 3" guns, depth charges, hedgehog mortar, Oerlickens and bow pom pom. Period as MTB control ship operating in English Channel and based at Portsmouth, 1943-1944: role; story of chasing barrage balloon; nature of typical patrols and actions with E-Boats; story of Free French ship accidentally firing on MTBs. REEL 6 Continues: opinion of various officers including Captain Brownrig, Lieutenant Vaughan and Sub Lieutenants Raymond Cory, Wardle and Frank Maddox; story of Maddox jamming ship's siren; story of Maddox accidentally triggering launch of depth charges during unnecessary exercise returning from patrol, resulting damage and period in dry dock, 12/1944; painting ship and importance of ship's appearance; extra patrols to replace frigates suffering from engine problems; ship's morale; relationship with leading seaman and petty officers; problems re-fuelling ship at Harwich; nature of D-Day operations, 6/6/1944; Allied bombing raids; sinking stray section of Mulberry Harbour; story of picking up survivors from sunk US liberty boat; watch system with action, defence and cruising stations; assisting on radar machine; personal morale; visits ashore at Portsmouth from anchorage at Ryde. REEL 7 Continues: visits ashore at Ryde; move to Harwich, 11/1944; story of torpedo attack from German midget submarine; radio broadcast from Wren heard on bridge; capture of Antwerp, 9/1944; attacks by explosive Lentil motorboats; sunken ship masts; use of Snowflake flare rockets to illuminate Lentil motorboats; German shore battery fire; views of V1s in flight and V2s taking off and awareness of threat posed to civilians; role supporting landing craft during invasion of Walcheren Island, Netherlands, 1/11/1944, including view of rocket landing craft and naval bombardment; picking up bodies; patrols; background to loss of cadet status and reactions to meeting fellow cadets serving aboard landing craft, 6/1944; promotion to leading seaman; decline in German operations; question of German air attacks; VE Day celebrations at Chatham, 8/5/1945. REEL 8 Continues: Period at Rosyth, 5/1945-8/1945: exercises in preparation for Far East service; reactions to surrender of Japan, 8/1945. Recollections of voyage with skeleton crew to Philalelphia, US, 10/1945: problems clearing Forth bridge in fog; opinion of Lieutenant Commander Gotalee; effects of sever storm; hospitality of US civilians; distribution of contents of ship's canteen; return voyage aboard Queen Mary. Period with maintenance crew aboard submarine depot ship at Harwich, ca 12/1945-6/1946. Demobilisation, 6/1946. Post-war career: return to Waterlow print works; membership of Captain Class Association.