Smith, George (Oral history)

British seaman served as butcher aboard HMS Bullen in US and Caribbean, 1943; served on contraband control duties at HMS Benbow, Trinidad, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Hanley, Stoke on Trent, 1926-1942: social circumstances, education; part-time jobs working for 'Sentinel' newspaper; work as butcher; Boy Scouts activities; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; training with Sea Cadets and interest in Royal navy; duties as messenger for Air Raid Precautions Unit; Anderson shelter; blackout; effects of food rationing on work as butcher; question of joining Home Guard; minimal German bombing; volunteering to join Royal Navy and reactions to call up, 28/10/1942. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at HMS Raleigh Shore Station, Torpoint, Plymouth, 10/1942-1/1943: reception and kitting out; vaccinations and consequent hospitalisation with jaundice; hut accommodation; morning routine; food rations. REEL 2 Continues: drill; PT; minimal weapons training; seamanship; swimming tests; gun drill and opinion of gunnery instructor; mast head drill; semaphore training; relationship with recruits and instructors; visits to Plymouth; absence of kit inspections; intelligence tests. Period at Chatham Barracks, 1/1943-3/1943: background to volunteering for butchery duties; unskilled nature of naval butchery; over-crowded barrack conditions; advantages of being butcher aboard ship. Period preparing camp at HMS Wolverton Shore Station, Ipswich, 3/1943-5/1943. Period at Chatham Barracks, 6/1943-7/1943: sleeping in tunnels and lodging houses; drafting procedure; journey to Greenock. REEL 3 Voyage aboard Queen Mary to New York, US, 7/1943: watch keeping duties; personnel aboard ship; impressions of Grand Central Station. Period at Fargo Buildings, Boston, 7/1943-10/1943: conditions of service; visits to construction yards; operation of 'Buddies Club', Boston Common; relationship with US civilians; opinion of all welded construction; commissioning ceremony of HMS Bullen, 25/10/1943. Recollections of period as butcher aboard HMS Bullen at Boston and Bermuda, 10/1943-11/1943: bunks; question of US facilities; ship layout; butcher's beef screen hut on upper deck; messing arrangements; role issuing rations to messes; role maintaining fridges and stores; role of stores petty officer; issuing stores based on mess numbers; opinion of officers and state of crew morale; ; sea trials and seasickness caused by rolling; story of accidentally breaking fingers in fridge door during sea trial off Bermuda, 11/1943. REEL 4 Recollections of period in hospital at Bermuda, 11/1943-1/1944: initial inadequate treatment from US doctor; medical treatment; departure of HMS Bullen. Period at HMS Mallabar Shore Station, Georgetown, Bermuda, 1944: role on boat crew; state of fingers; role as coxswain on motorboat; visits to Hamilton. Period on detachment as messenger at British Embassy, Wall Street, New York, US, 1944. Period on contraband control at HMS Benbow Shore Station, Trinidad, 1944-1945: duties searching Spanish ships; learning Spanish; story of alleged German spy; acting as coxswain of boat; collecting intelligence material; organisation of unit; lack of sports facilities; conditions of service; desire for sea service; absence of VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945. Voyage back to GB, 7/1945. Period at Chatham Barracks, 1945. Period aboard HMS Locharkaig, 1945-1946: conditions of service; role as butcher; escorting out derelict U Boats for sinking in Atlantic. Demobilisation, 5/1946. Post-war career: lack of prospects as butcher; career in Post Office; reactions to sinking of HMS Bullen.