Interview with David Walker

British signalman served aboard HMS Nelson, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 6/1940-9/1941; aboard HMS Bulldog in Arctic and Mediterranean, 2/1942-12/1942; served aboard HMS Burges, 4th Escort Group in United States of America, GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, English Channel and Mediterranean, 2/1943-12/1944; served aboard HMS Ness in GB coastal waters, 12/1944-1/1945; served on shore duties at HMS Dolphin, Gosport, 1/1945-10/1945

REEL 1 Background in Locharbriggs, GB, 1920-1940: social circumstances, education; apprenticeship as printer's compositor, 1935-1939; awareness of approach of war; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment in Royal Navy in GB, 1939-1940: background to volunteering to join Royal Navy, 11/1939; call-up for service with Royal Navy, 2/1940. Recollections of training as signalman at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness, GB, 2/1940-3/1940: train journey to Skegness; reception and kitting out; chalet accommodation; rations; drill; minimal weapons and seamanship training; Morse Code training; signal flags and training in manoeuvring; daily tests; relations with instructors and fellow recruits; visits to Skegness; recreational activities; preparing for kit inspections. REEL 2 Continues: passing out as ordinary signalman and choice of Portsmouth as home port. Aspects of period training as signalman at Signal School, Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Victory, Portsmouth, GB, 3/1940-6/1940: German Air Force raids and parade ground shelter; signal training; drafting procedure. Recollections of period as signalman aboard HMS Nelson, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 6/1940-9/1941: journey to and reception at Scapa Flow; scrubbing deck; food; duties hoisting flag signals; watch system; distributing signals in harbour; duties taking signals on battleship's bridge at sea; recreational activities; communications mess deck; washing clothes in bucket; hammocks; qualification as signalman; relations with ratings, leading seamen, petty officers and officers; ship morale; period as signalman on draft at Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Victory, Portsmouth, GB, 9/1941. Aspects of period as signalman aboard HMS Georgetown, in GB coastal waters, 9/1941-1/1942: joining destroyer in dock; opinion of officers; ship's movements. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as signalman aboard HMS Bulldog in North Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean, 2/1942-12/1942: joining ship at Glasgow, GB; opinion of captain Commander Maxwell-Richmond; working up trials; signal personnel; participation in Convoy PQ 14 to Murmansk, Soviet Union, 8/4/1942-19/4/1942 including rendezvous off Iceland, escort ships, sighting German submarines, cold conditions and torpedoing of HMS Edinburgh; German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks whilst at anchor in harbour at Murmansk, Soviet Union; shortage of food, action with German Navy destroyers Z7 Hermann Schoemann, Z24 and Z25 on return Convoy QP 11, 1/5/1942; action station of jury mast, personal morale; move to Mediterranean, 11/1942; patrolling covering Allied landings during Operation Torch off Algiers, French Algeria, 11/1942; move to t Gibraltar; canteen messing and rations; mess deck conditions; crew morale; visits ashore at Gibraltar; escorting part of Force H back to Greenock, GB; story of sinking of trawler whilst escorting HMT Queen Mary into Greenock; nature of Arctic convoys. REEL 4 Continues: rough weather, clothes worn in cold conditions during Arctic convoys; visits ashore at Murmansk, Soviet Union; refit at Glasgow, 23/11/1942-14/12/1942; attending leading seamen course at HMS Mercury, Leydene House, East Meon, 12/1942-1/1943, including question of radio telephony; decommissioning of ship. Aspects of period at HMS Asbury, Asbury Park, United States of America, 1/1943-2/1943: voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from Greenock, GB to New York, United States of America, 1/1943; hotel accommodation; case of stealing; naval patrol duties; recreational activities and relations with American civilians. Aspects of period standing by HMS Burges at Boston, United States of America, 2/1943-3/1943: living conditions; relations with United States Navy personnel. Recollection of period as signalman aboard HMS Burges at Boston, United States of America and Bermuda, 3/1943-5/1943: bunks; mess deck arrangements; rolling; role as leading signalman including training signalmen and necessity of continual attendance on bridge; sleeping in charthouse. REEL5 Continues: opinion of various officers including Lieutenant Commander Harold Hill, Lieutenant Ian Bamford and Signal Officer Sub-Lieutenant Harry Bradbear; role distributing signals to officers; opinion of Petty Officer Alfred Orr; abandon ship exercise; nature of trials; responsibility for confidential signal books; training inexperienced signallers. Recollections of operations as signalman period with 4th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic English Channel and Mediterranean, 7/1943-11/1944: voyage from Argentia, Newfoundland to Northern Ireland, 7/1943; prior death of leading cook in car accident; question of rolling; passing examination and promotion to yeoman of signals; petty officers' mess and role of messmen; visits to Belfast, Northern Ireland and meeting future wife; nature of KLM convoys to Naples, Italy, 12/1943-6/1944, including route and visits ashore at Naples; opinion of Leading Signalman 'Lofty' Watson and increasing competence of signallers; visual signals from convoy escort commander; opinion of Navigating Officer Hector Macneil and his bagpipe playing. REEL 6 Continues: story of man overboard in motorboat; role on asdic sweeps and convoy escort during Operation Neptune in English Channel, 6/1944; question of being relieved as signal yeoman and Lieutenant Commander Harold Hill's reaction; crew morale. Aspects of period as signalman aboard HMS Ness in GB coastal waters, 12/1944-1/1945: wife's accommodation at Fort William; removal from ship at Hebburn due to ear problem inappropriate for service in Far East. Aspects of period as signalman in signal office of HMS Dolphin, Gosport, GB, 1/1945-10/1945: submarine training role of HMS Dolphin; complement of signallers; procedure for receiving and distributing telephone signals; relationship with Women's Royal Naval Service signallers; teleprinter messages; accommodation in petty officers' mess and regular visits home to London; question of VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; demobilisation 10/1945. Post-war life and employment: completion of apprenticeship as compositor under interrupted apprenticeship scheme; review of career as compositor; effects of war service.