Interview with Robert John Alexander

Sound: © IWM (21647)

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Sound: © IWM (21647)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Sound: © IWM (21647)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British civilian in Trafford Park, Manchester, GB, 1939-1942; seaman served aboard HMS Musketeer, 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 1943-1944; served aboard HMS Enterprise, 1st Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters, English Channel and Indian Ocean, 3/1944-1/1946

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Trafford Park, Manchester, GB, 1925-1939: family; education; evacuation to Knutsford, 1939. Recollections of period as civilian in Trafford Park, Manchester, GB, 1940-1941: opinion of role of fireman; anti-aircraft protection for Trafford Park area; incident when family home was bombed by German Air Force, 12/1940. Aspects and enlistment and training with Royal Navy in GB, 1942: story of how he got himself sacked from a Reserved Occupation; joining Royal Navy, 12/1942; drafting to HMS Iron Duke for anti-aircraft training; coaling of depot ship HMS Dunluce Castle at Scapa Flow; fire-fighting training at Scapa Flow. Recollections of operations as seaman on board HMS Musketeer, 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 1943-1944: drafting to ship in Scapa Flow; convoy escort duties; use of hammocks; opinion of rations; comradeship on board destroyer; personal morale of family men in crew; role as lookout; his action station; in action against German battle Scharnhorst during Battle of North Cape, 12/1943; ashore in Murmansk, Russia. REEL 2 Continues: salvage work on German Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Enterprise, 1st Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters, English Channel and Indian Ocean, 3/1944-1/1946: artillery shelling German specification pill boxes on Slapton Sands, 4/1944; duties on D-Day off Normandy, France, 6/6/1944; replacing guns after bombarding Omaha Beach, Normandy, France; reaction to sinking of minesweeper; gunnery course at HMS Excellent, Naval Gunnery School, Whale Island; move to Indian Ocean, 6/1945; transporting ex-prisoners of war back to GB from Far East. Reflections on service with Royal Navy, 1943-1946: attitude to guard duties Naval Barracks HMS Victory, Portsmouth; minesweeping duties aboard HMS Tintagel Castle in English Channel; immunity from seasickness; demobilisation; attitude to serving with Royal Navy; shipmate who was court-martialled; memories of boxer Randolph Turpin; story of ship's dog 'Torps'; attitude towards Germans in Second World War; memories of Free French Naval Forces. REEL 3 Continues: memories of John Mills in Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) concert at Scapa Flow; reasons why he was never bored in Royal Navy.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Alexander, Robert John (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2001-07-06
Dimensions: whole: Duration 65, Number Of Items 3
Catalogue number: 21647

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Interview with Robert John Alexander

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