Jessup, Roy Francis (Oral history)

British seaman served as bosun's mate aboard HMS Bazeley in North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Western Approaches, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Grays and Chadwell St Mary, 1926-1943: social circumstances, education; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; gas masks; brother's naval service; question of rationing; air raid precautions including installing Anderson shelter and blackout; German air raids on Tilbury Docks and effects on education; work under directed labour scheme for shoe manufacturer; work as despatch rider for Auxiliary Fire Service, 1940-1941; death of brother aboard HMS Kelly, 5/1941; background to recruitment underage at Royal Naval Recruitment Office, Romford, ca 9/1942; call up, ca 1/1943. Recollections of basic training at HMS Royal Arthur Shore Station, Skegness, ca 1/1943: reception and kitting out; chalet accommodation; morning routine and PT on beach; food rations; gas mask training. Period training at HMS Ganges Shore Station, Shotley, ca 1/1943-3/1943: barrack accommodation. REEL 2 Continues: morning routine; swimming; drill; boat work; masthead drill; examinations. Period at Chatham Barracks, ca 3/1943: posting to HMS Bazeley; joining and drafting procedure. Voyage aboard Queen Mary to New York, US, 3/1943. Recollections period on joining HMS Bazeley in Boston, Bermuda and Norfolk, ca 3/1943-8/1943: conditions of service during initial period in Fargo Buildings; first impressions of Lieutenant Commander Brock at commissioning ceremony; bunk beds; removal of dishwashers and reversion to washing clothes in bucket; mast; through deck and welded construction; armament; preliminary working up trials; move for working up trials in Bermuda, ca 4/1943: abandon ship exercise. REEL 3 Continues: gunnery exercise and shell accidentally fired over Bermuda; role on bridge communications; lookout duty in crows nest; visits ashore; question of Brock's attitude to training; engine failure and repairs at Norfolk, Virginia; relationship with US civilians; pay; fights with US sailors in Boston. Recollections of convoy back to GB, ca 8/1943: nature of ships; rolling caused by mast; watch system and daily routine; food and cocoa; rum ration; messdeck; relationship with ratings; case of bullying at HMS Ganges; relationship with leading seamen and petty officers; subsequent qualification as able seaman. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of various officers including Lieutenant Commander Brock. Recollections of period with 4th Escort Group based at Pollock Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1943-1945: nature of docks; ship signature tune; Atlantic convoys including story of sinking U Boat with one pattern of depth charges; advantage of rough weather in neutralising U Boats; zig-zagging; U Boat tactics; question of picking up torpedoed ships' survivors; German air attacks and use of glider bomb, 10/1942; story of attempt to sink ammunition ship Warfield, 8/1943; KMF convoys to Naples, Itlay, 12/1943-10/1944, including role escorting troopships, visits ashore, question of attempted sabotage whilst in harbour, duties as motorboat coxswain, naval regatta and story of collision with hospital ship Wisteria off Gibraltar. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Lieutenant Commander J W Cooper illustrated by story of his inebriated appearance hunting U Boat during patrol in Minchies sector; duties as bosun on gangway and ship's wheel; temporary role on Oerlicken gun; submarine sweeps in Irish sea, 10/1944-4/1945; problems with Spanish fishing boats sailing in convoy; submarine sweeps in Irish Sea, 10/1944-4/1945; question of gaining revenge for death of brother; ship's cinema; visits ashore in Belfast including relationship with Irish civilians, question of sectarian divide and story of being arrested; Russian convoy to Polyarnoe, Murmansk including cold conditions, continuous action stations, limited visits ashore and trading with Russian female naval personnel, German reconnaissance aircraft, explosion of ammunition ship, losing friend overboard in action and chipping off accumulation of ice. REEL 6 story of stealing tram during VE Day celebrations in Belfast, 8/5/1944; importance of comradeship; view of surrendered German U Boats and Hitler's yacht at Rosyth. Decommissioning of HMS Bazeley at Chatham, ca 6/1945. Period with Reserve Fleet at Harwich, 1945-1946: 'mothballed' ships; duties in mail office; demobilisation procedure; change in atmosphere in peacetime RN; shortages of water aboard HMS Bazeley. Post-war career: work on ferries and as steeplejack; award of BEM; story of lift accident during construction of Post Office Tower, London, 1963; effects of naval service; question of contacts with former crew members and Captains Class Association.