Shaw, Harry (Oral history)

British cadet served with Merchant Navy aboard Dalblair in Atlantic, 1940 including sinking, 8/1940; served aboard Empire Deed in Atlantic, 1940-1941; officer served aboard River Afton in Arctic, 1942 including sinking, 5/7/1942

REEL 1 Background in Hull, 1921-1937: family; education at Hull Trinity House Navigation School. Period as cadet with Merchant Navy, 1937-1939: joining United Steam Navigation Company; ashore in Shanghai whilst serving on board SS Dalmore, c1937; discharging iron-ore from SS River Afton at Danzig, 1/9/1939; running aground in Baltic, c2/9/1939. Aspects of period as officer cadet aboard SS Dalblair in Atlantic including sinking, 28/8/1940: danger from German E-boats off GB east coast' torpedoing of ship, 28/8/1940; rescue by HMS Daisy, 28/8/1940; question of seaman's attitude towards being torpedoed; attitude towards German submariners; treatment of survivors aboard HMS Daisy. REEL 2 Continues: treatment of survivors in Scotland. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Empire Deed in Atlantic, 1940-1941: reception of apprentices in Halifax, Canada; sight of suspected U-boat in Atlantic; reasons why his ship was stopped and searched by US warship. Recollections of operations as third officer aboard River Afton during Convoy PQ13 in Arctic, 1942: German Air Force attacks; ashore in Murmansk; Russian guards who demanded passes for embarking on board his ship; night he spent in nurses home in Murmansk; treatment by Russians in Murmansk. Recollections of operations as third officer aboard River Afton during Convoy PQ 17 in Arctic, 1942: order to scatter convoy; torpedoing of ship, 5/7/1942; aid to survivors from German U-boat captain; rescue by HMS Lotus. REEL 3 Continues: two day period at Novaya Zemlya and sight of trawler escorting three surviving ships; character of accommodation at Archangel; work he did in Archangel; medical treatment survivors received in Archangel; return to GB aboard Empire Tide. Story of bombing of Empire Deed in Sunderland. Story of working and living in Kuwait from 1947. His feelings about Convoy PQ17.