Interview with William Carpenter

British seaman served aboard HMS Edinburgh Castle at Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1/1942-3/1942; served aboard HMS Crocus in North Atlantic, 3/1942-9/1943; served aboard HMS Calder in North Atlantic, Western Approaches and Mediterranean, 1943-1945; served aboard HMS Swiftsure, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Blackfriars and Borough, London, GB, 1922-1941: social circumstances; education; nature of employment, 1936-1941; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; precautions against air raids; German Air Force raids. Recollections of enlistment and training at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 9/1941-10/1941: call-up for service with Royal Navy, 9/1941: reception and kitting out; hutted accommodation; rifle training; climbing masthead; swimming test; drill; seamanship; relations with recruits and instructors; rations. Aspects of period as seaman as Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, GB, 10/1941-1/1942: irrelevance of rifle training; inspections prior to leaving barracks. Aspects of period as seaman aboard depot ship HMS Edinburgh Castle at Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1/1942-3/1942: voyage from GB to Freetown; acting as guard to movement of gold shipments; question of segregated accommodation on board ship, minimal wages and duties of African crew members. REEL 2 Continues: duties guarding Royal Air Force Short Sunderland Flying Boats; shore leave including relations with African civilians; absence of 'bum boats'. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Crocus in North Atlantic, 3/1942-9/1943: background to drafting to corvette; story of ramming German submarine U-333 off coast of West Africa, 6/10/1942; damage to ship's bow and consequent return to GB for repairs; conditions and canteen messing; watch system; bridge lookout duties; action station on starboard depth charges; recreational activities; letter contact with GB; patrols off West Africa; crew morale; radio silence on convoy back to GB, question of German confusion with North African invasion convoys; German submarine attacks; arrival at Liverpool, GB. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Calder, 4th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 9/1943-10/1945: use of bunks on board. REEL 3 Continues: laundry; question of welded construction; rolling; question of seasickness; location of messes; opinion of ship's officers including Midshipman John Huckle; issue of rum ration; food; role assisting Radar Operator Harry Fine and Asdic Operator Ron Bartholomew on radar and asdic sets; guard duties on gangplank; duties on wheel; lookout duties; nature of Hedgehog projector; duties in charge of aft BL 3 Inch Naval Gun; inexperience of crew. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Radar Operator Harry Fine; German Air Force attack using glider bomb whilst escorting convoys in Bay of Biscay, 10/1943; torpedoed merchantmen; question of fatigue; participation in convoys in Mediterranean to Naples, Italy, 12/1943-10/1944; eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Italy; black market activities in Naples, Italy; celebrations on VE day, 8/5/1945; return of ship to United States of America and voyage back aboard HMT Queen Mary to GB, 10/1945. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Swiftsure in GB coastal waters and Baltic Sea, 1945-1952: acting as member of barge crew for Prince Philip during visit to Olympic Games at Helsinki, Finland, 1952; story of BL QF 6 Inch Naval Gun misfiring during exercise; duties as paint sprayer at Chatham and Gillingham, GB, 1952-1954; leaving Royal Navy, 1954; post-war life and employment.