Bartholomew, William (Oral history)

British radar operator served aboard HMS Cairo in Mediterranean, 1942; served aboard Tongue Sand and Roughs Anti-Aircraft forts in Thames estuary, 1942-1943; served aboard HMS Mounsey in Atlantic and Arctic, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1922-1941: social circumstances; education; work in family owned fish and chip shop; work in fish and game shop, 1938-1941; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; air raid shelter; blackout; gas masks; food rationing; German air raids; question of reserved occupation and background to being called up, 9/1941. Period at HMS Glendower Shore Station, Pwhelwi, 9/1941-10/1941: reception including dental treatment and kitting out; chalet accommodation; PT; food rations; lectures; drill; volunteering for Radio Direction Finding. Period at HMS Valyrie, Douglas, Isle of Man, 10/1941-12/1941: morning routine; theoretical lectures; training on 271 radar set. Period in Portsmouth Barracks, 10/1941-1/1942. Recollections of period as radar operator aboard HMS Cairo during operations in Mediterranean, 1/1942-8/1942: reception at Plymouth; radar operators' messdeck; hammocks; canteen messing system. REEL 2 Continues: canteen messing system; rum ration; training on 279 anti-aircraft radar set; radar watch duties; cleaning ship; German dive bomb attacks while escorting aircraft carrier flying missions in support of Malta, ca 2/1942; escorting Harpoon Convoy to Malta, 3/1943, including loss of merchant ship, success in fending off Italian warships and AA role at Valetta, Malta; visits ashore at Gibraltar; escorting Pedestal Convoy to Malta; story of being hit by acoustic torpedo and background to being scuttled in Straits of Pantellaria, 12/8/1942; return aboard to Gibraltar; voyage aboard HMS Rodney to Scapa Flow; story of leaving message for family at Newcastle railway station. Period aboard Tongue Sand and Roughs Anti-Aircraft forts in Thames estuary, 8/1942-2/1943: nature of Sand Fort; RAF radar set; story of officer's refusal to fire at German aircraft; recreations; decommissioning of forts. Period at HMS Ferret III Shore Station, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 2/1943-3/1943. Detachment aboard HMS Beverley, 3/1943-4/1943: nature of ship; role escorting Atlantic convoys. REEL 3 Continues: role escorting Atlantic convoys including rescue of survivors and effects of rough weather; return to HMS Ferret III and subsequent loss of ship. Detachment aboard HMS Burnham on Atlantic convoy, 4/1943-5/1943. Period in Portsmouth Barracks, 9/1943-12/1943. Voyage aboard Queen Mary to New York, US, 12/1943. Period at Asbury Park, New Jersey, 12/1943. Period at Fargo Barracks, Boston, 1/1944: food rations; training on plan position indicator radar set; visits to 'Buddies Club' and relationship with US civilians. Aspects of service aboard HMS Mounsey based at Pollock Dock, Belfast, 1944-1945: nature of ship; removal of US fittings; working up trials at Bermuda; Atlantic convoys; watch system on radar set; ice problem during Russian convoys; story of acting as ship's postman at Murmansk; story of being torpedoed in stern in Kola Inlet, 20/10/1944; return for dry dock repairs at Murmansk; story of being arrested and interrogated as spy during visit to Murmansk; return to decommission in Belfast. Various postings prior to demobilisation, 3/1946. REEL 4 Post-war career: return to work at fish and game shop; work aboard lighthouse ship in Thames Estuary, 1953-1958; work as security officer; question of effects of war service; membership of naval associations.