Description
Object description
Australian seaman served aboard HMAS Napier in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1940-1944; petty officer served aboard HMAS Hobart in Pacific, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Brisbane and Ipswich, Australia, 1919-1938: family; education; effects of depression. Enlistment and training with Royal Australian Navy, 1936-1938: reasons for enlistment; training at HMAS Cerebus. Aspects of period as signaller with Royal Australian Navy, 1938-1940: collection of HMAS Hobart from Devonport, 1938; condition of HMAS Hobart; duties aboard HMAS Swan, 1939-1940. Recollections of operations as telegraphist aboard HMAS Napier in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1940-1944: memories of German Air Force attacks on Portsmouth, 1940; belief in Allied victory; working up at Scapa Flow; escorting HMS King George the Fifth; duties in North Sea; German Air Force attacks on Glasgow, 3/1941.
REEL 2 Continues: damage to HMS Warspite and other ships during evacuation of Crete, 1941; losses amongst K class warships; breaking up of German Air Force attack by Fleet Air Arm aircraft during evacuation of Crete; alarm over sound of steam escaping; attachment to minelayer HMAS Voyager during siege of Tobruk, 1941; escorting Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth at southern end of Suez Canal; duties in Indian Ocean early 1942; character of Eastern Fleet; story of Fairey Swordfish escaping Japanese Zeros, spring 1942.
REEL 3 Continues: conditions in Indian Ocean; prior recollection of rescuing survivors from HMS Barham in Mediterranean, 11/1941; degree of knowledge of Allied setbacks held by Egyptians; hurricane damage to ship in Indian Ocean, 1943; proposed role during landings in Burma, 1944. Recollections of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Hobart in Pacific, 1944-1945: joining ship at Sydney, 9/1944; degree of submarine danger; duties in Pacific; attitude to serving on board cruiser; reaction to potential operations off Japan, 1945; discipline in Royal Australian Navy. Attitude to having served with Royal Australian Navy in Second World War. Story of near capsizing incident aboard HMAS Nepal. Question of state of health during Second World War.