Interview with William George Ridgewell

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Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

Sound: © IWM

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 seaman served aboard HMS Grenade, 1st Destroyer Flotilla in Red Sea, Norway and during Dunkirk Evacuation, 6/1939-5/1940 including sinking off Dunkirk, France, 29/5/1940

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Brentwood, GB, 1921-1938: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Navy in GB, 1938-1939: enlistment in Royal Navy, 10/1938; training. Recollections of operations as seaman with HMS Grenade, 1st Destroyer Flotilla in Red Sea, 6/1939-10/1939: drafting to destroyer, 6/1939; painting brasswork on declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; confidence in ultimate British victory; unsuitability of steel decked ships in tropics; cruising, defence and action stations; ship's armament; reasons why ship was as happy ship. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Grenade, 1st Destroyer Flotilla in GB coastal waters and English Channel, North Sea and Norway, 11/1939-5/1940: return to Harwich, GB, 11/1939; preparations for attack on lighthouse during hunt for German cruiser Admiral Scheer, 25/12/1939; patrolling north of Norway; burial parties off Narvik, Norway; rescue of survivors from French ship Bison; German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attack on ship, 5/1940; role of ship during Dunkirk Evacuation. REEL 2 Continues: orders to evacuate Lord Gort and his staff, 28/5/1940; clearing of smoke-screen from Dunkirk Harbour, France; injury to his back during German Air Force attack, 29/5/1940; evacuation of ship onto PS Crested Eagle and subsequent wounds from further German Air Force bombing, 29/5/1940; medical treatment and return to GB. Aspects of service as seaman with Royal Navy, 1940-1946: reasons for leaving HMS Roxborough; psychological treatment for experiences; reasons for volunteering for sea service again, 1943; pattern of service with Royal Navy, 1943-1946; disability pension he received for his service; attitude to having served in Royal Navy during Second World War; prior recollection of rescue of troops from East Mole, Dunkirk, France, 5/1940.

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)
Ridgewell, William George (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2001-10-10
Dimensions: whole: Duration 60, Number Of Items 2
Catalogue number: 22132

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Interview with William George Ridgewell

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