Description
Object description
British seaman served aboard HMS London, 1st Cruiser Sqdn, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 3/1943-11/1943; served aboard HMS Retalick as Coastal Forces Control Frigate in English Channel, 4/1944-11/1944; served aboard HMS Retalick, Nore Command in North Sea, 11/1944-5/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Leyton, GB, 1924-1939: family; father's war service, 1914-1918; education; recreational activities; employment as printer's apprentice at Waterlow & Sons Ltd, 6/1939. Aspects of period as civilian in Leyton, GB, 9/1939-11/1942: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; Anderson Shelter and regular use during German Air Force raids; effects of war on Waterlow & Sons Ltd, 9/1939-12/1940, including German Air Force bomb and parachute land mine damage, acceleration of apprenticeship, increased work load and nature of printing jobs; destruction of Waterlow & Sons Ltd Print Works in fire following direct bomb hit, 29/12/1940; transfer of staff to Waterlow & Sons Ltd Print Works at Dunstable, 1941-1942; journey to and from work 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. Recollections of enlistment and training as seaman at HMS Glendower, Pwllheli, GB, 11/1942-1/1943: call-up for service with Royal Navy, 11/1942; 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; physical 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 duties at Waterlow & Sons Ltd Print Works at Dunstable, 1941-1942; kit inspections; opinion of instructors; weekend recreational activities; passing out. Aspects of period as seaman on draft at Collingwood Block, Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham in GB, 1/1943-2/1943: contracting sore throat in barracks; fire watching to avoid sleeping in tunnel shelter; reception procedure. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS London, 1st Cruiser Sqdn, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 3/1943-11/1943: journey from Chatham to Scapa Flow, GB; reception on arrival; nature of 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 BL 8 Inch Mk VIII Naval Gun in 'B' Turret.
REEL 4 Continues: conditions in 'B' Turret; role in cordite and shell handling rooms; colour coded shells; BL 8 Inch Mk VIII Naval Gun drill; setting up and use of paravanes; steering ship from protected steerage area; ship's role covering convoy to Murmansk, Soviet Union including possible threat from German battleship Tirpitz and escorting Soviet seaman; visit to Iceland; cold weather conditions; question of German Navy submarine and German Air Force attacks; routine working parties; visit ashore at Reykjavik, Iceland; bread ration; question of seasickness; rowing practice in harbour; harbour routine; visits ashore at Scapa Flow, GB; learning seamanship manual; period on leaving HMS London in Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, GB, 11/1943. Aspects of training as officer cadet at HMS King Alfred III at Lancing College, GB, 12/1943: accommodation; reception; attack of measles whilst on leave during Christmas period; circumstances of recall for draft to DE26 and loss of cadet status.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period standing by HMS Retalick in Boston, United States of America, 1/1944: voyage from GB to New York, 1943; initial impressions of frigate; messdecks and bunks; cafeteria messing; food; water cooler; washing clothes; welded construction; relations with American civilians. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Retalick in North Atlantic GB coastal waters, 2/1944-4/1944: voyage from United States of America to Northern Ireland, 1943: rolling and seasickness; role 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 BL 3 Inch Naval Guns, depth charges, Hedgehog, Oerlikon 20mm Cannon and Ordnance QF 2 Pounder Naval Gun 'Pom Pom'. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard Retalick as Coastal Forces Control Frigate in English Channel, 4/1944-11/1944: role; story of chasing escaped barrage balloon; nature of typical patrols and actions with German Navy E-Boats; incident of Free French Naval Forces vessel accidentally firing on motor torpedo boats of Coastal Forces.
REEL 6 Continues: opinion of various officers including captain Lieutenant Commander John Brownrigg, Lieutenant Vaughan and Sub-Lieutenants Raymond Cory and Frank Maddox; story of Sub-Lieutenant Frank Maddox jamming ship's siren; story of Sub-Lieutenant Frank Maddox accidentally triggering launch of depth charges during unnecessary exercise returning from patrol resulting damage and period in dry dock; painting ship and importance of ship's appearance; extra patrols to replace frigates suffering from engine problems; ship's morale; relations with leading seaman and petty officers; problems refuelling ship at Harwich; nature of operations off Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; witnessing Allied bombing raids; sinking stray section of Mulberry Harbour; story of picking up survivors from sunk American transport; watch system with action, defence and cruising stations; assisting on radar machine; personal morale; visits ashore at Portsmouth from anchorage at Ryde, Isle of Wight.
REEL 7 Continues: visits ashore at Ryde, Isle of Wight. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Retalick, Nore Command in North Sea, 11/1944-5/1945: move to Harwich, 11/1944; story of torpedo attack from German Navy midget submarine; radio broadcast from Women's Royal Naval Service wren heard on bridge; capture of Antwerp, Belgium, 9/1944; attacks by German Navy explosive Linsen motorboats; sunken ship masts; use of Snowflake flare rockets to illuminate Linsen motorboats; taking fire from German shore battery; sight of German V1 Flying Bombs in flight and V2 Rockets taking off and awareness of threat posed to civilians; role supporting landing craft during Operation Infatuate, the landings at Walcheren Island, Netherlands, 1/11/1944, including sight of rocket landing craft firing and naval bombardment; picking up bodies; patrols; background to loss of cadet status and reaction to meeting fellow cadets serving aboard landing craft, 6/1944; promotion to leading seaman; decline in German operations; question of German Air Force attacks; VE Day celebrations at Chatham, 8/5/1945.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period aboard HMS Retalick at HMNB Rosyth, GB, 5/1945-8/1945: exercises in preparation for service in Far East; reaction to surrender of Japan, 15/8/1945. Aspects of voyage aboard HMS Retalick from HMNB Rosyth, GB to Philadelphia, United States of America, 10/1945: problems clearing Forth Railway Bridge in fog; opinion of Lieutenant Commander Allan Gotalee; effects of sever storm; hospitality of American civilians in Philadelphia; distribution of contents of ship's canteen; return voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary; duties with maintenance crew aboard submarine depot ship at Harwich, GB, 12/1945-6/1946; demobilisation, 6/1946. Post-war life and employment: return to Waterlow & Sons Ltd; membership of Captain Class Association.
