Description
Object description
British cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1937-1940; midshipman served aboard HMS Enterprise, Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean, 2/1941-4/1942; officer served aboard HMS Calder, 4th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 9/1943-2/1945; served aboard HMS Onslaught, 17th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, North Sea and Arctic, 2/1945-7/1945; served aboard HMS Zealous, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 1945-1947; served on fishery protection and regulation duties based at Scapa Flow, GB, 1947-1948; served as assistant navigation officer aboard HMS Diadem, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 1948-1949; served as fighter direction officer aboard HMS Vengeance, 3rd Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and West Indies, 1950-1951; served on staff 2nd Training Sqdn at HMS Osprey, HMNB Portland, GB, 1951-1953; served as navigation instructor at Royal Naval Navigation School, HMS Dryad, Southwick, GB, 1953-1955; served as navigational officer aboard HMS Newfoundland in Far East,1955-1956; commanded 108th Minesweeping Sqdn aboard HMS Sefton in Mediterranean, 1957-1958; commanded of HMS Scarborough in Pacific and GB coastal waters, 1958; commanded of HMS Grenville, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1958-1959; served as North East Area Officer, Sea Cadet at York, GB, 1959-1961; attended Joint Services Staff College at Latimer House, Little Chalfont, GB, 1961-1962; served as executive officer aboard HMS London in GB coastal waters, 1962-1965; served as Queen's Harbour Master, Portland, 1965-1976
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Southsea, GB, 1923-1937: family naval background; education at preparatory school. Recollections of period as cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1937-1940: organisation of intakes; dormitories; role of cadet captains and house officer; disciplinary punishments; morning routine; food; morning muster and divisions; drill; Sunday divisions; educational classes and specialisation in science; tutor system; knots and splices; use of battleship foc'sle model to practice mooring and anchoring; hoisting and lowering boats; navigation classes; rowing and sailing in River Dart.
REEL 2 Continues: training in engineering and woodwork workshops; .22 rifle shooting; naval history; changing classrooms between lessons; preparation period; hobbies, physical training and sporting activities; relations with fellow cadets; gunroom recreation area; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; brother's naval career; later awareness of Slapton Sands incident; question of increase in practical tuition; passing out examinations. Recollections of operations as midshipman aboard HMS Enterprise, Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean, 2/1941-4/1942: voyage from GB to Mombasa, Kenya, 1/1941-2/1941; joining cruiser HMS Enterprise at Mombasa, Kenya, 2/1941; nature of cruiser and armament; gunroom accommodation.
REEL 3 Continues: gunroom accommodation and cockroach problem in pantry; hammocks; band servants; role as navigating officers assistant including method of taking star sight, plotting exact navigational position and updating charts; navigational instruction; role as assistant officer of watch on bridge; question of specialisation of midshipmen; training exercises in harbour; relations with fellow midshipmen and gunroom sub-lieutenant; role running ship's boats in harbour; shore patrols; period during ship refit at Diyatalawa Camp, Ceylon; shooting parties; shore leave recreational activities and visit to tea plantation in Ceylon.
REEL 4 Continues: rations; relations with seamen; expansion of Eastern Fleet and naval situation following Japanese entry into war, 12/1941; role in bridge plotting room; escorting last troop convoy into Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942; movements in Indian ocean; voyage aboard HMT Duchess of Richmond from Ceylon to GB, 4/1942. Aspects of period training as sub-lieutenant with Royal Navy in GB, 5/1942-5/1943: attending gunnery at Royal Naval Gunnery School, HMS Excellent, Whale Island, signals course at HMS Mercury, Leydene House, East Meon, torpedo course at HMS Vernon (R), Roedean School, navigation at Royal Naval Navigation School, HMS Dryad, Southwick and flying training at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, 1942-1943. Recollections of period standing by during construction of HMS Calder at Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard, Boston, United States of America, 6/1943-7/1943: voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from GB to New York, United States of America, 5/1943; accommodation and relations with American host family; storage arrangements; role as navigating officer in correcting charts and opinion of Navigating Yeoman Harold Fine; opinion of Lieutenant James Davidson, captain Lieutenant Commander Arthur White and Midshipman John Huckle.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Engineering Officer Sydney Leech; opinion of Engine Room Artificer Ronald 'Ron' Ayers and story of visit to gyroscopic compass factory; opinion of Petty Officer Hatcher; review of American construction methods employed at Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard; store arrangements; nature of Captain Class frigates including all welded construction and through deck; armament including BL 3 Inch Naval Gun, extra depth charges carried instead of torpedo tubes, Hedgehog Mortar and Bofors Gun and Oerlikon 20mm Cannon; question of American manufactured fittings; machinery and basin trials; arrival of crew and commissioning ceremony, 15/7/1943; conduct of crew ashore; sea trials; degaussing procedure. Aspects of voyage in hurricane from Boston to Bermuda, 8/1943: rolling; problems with gyroscopic compass; seasickness. Aspects of period on working up trials with HMS Calder at HMS Malabar, St George's Harbour, Bermuda, 8/1943-9/1943: nature of HMS Malabar at St George's Harbour.
REEL 6 Continues: fitting of back-up magnetic compass and problems with gyroscopic compass in rough weather; anti-submarine and gunnery exercises; opinion of Lieutenant Gordon Patterson; disputes between Lieutenant James Davidson and dockyard personnel; question of visits ashore; delay awaiting convoy; voyage in convoy from United States of America to GB, 9/1943. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Calder, 4th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 9/1943-2/1945: nature of Pollock Dock and HMS Caroline at Belfast, Northern Ireland; refit and fitting of Sperry gyroscopic compass; comparison of turbo-electric and diesel Captain Class frigates; opinion of captain Commander Evelyn Chavasse; use of shore based anti-submarine trainer; role escorting Convoy SL 139 in Bay of Biscay, 11/1943, including situation and attack by glider bomb dropped by German Air Force Heinkel He 177; role on action station on bridge and method of operating American and British devices on plotting table in chartroom; asdic contacts.
REEL 7 Continues: encounter with surfaced German submarine, 11/1943, including initial radar contact, measures to avoid acoustic torpedoes and dropping depth charges; daily routine as navigation officer including location of minefields on charts and role acting as officer of watch; nature of cabin accommodation; cooking arrangements and rations; officers' wardroom and drinking habits; role as divisional officer to communication ratings and censoring mail; period on KMF Convoys through Mediterranean to Naples, Italy, 12/1942-10/1944, including routine nature of convoys, visits ashore at Naples and question of use of black market.
REEL 8 Continues: change to hunter/killer anti-submarine role in Western Approaches; story of sinking German submarine U-1051 in Irish Sea off Holyhead, GB, 26/1/1945, including situation following torpedoing of HMS Manners, use of echo sounder to confirm contact with submarine, ruse to confuse submarine captain, successful Hedgehog Mortar attack and opening fire on surfaced submarine; reaction to HMS Aylmer ramming and sinking U-1051; opinion of Commander Playne; background to leaving ship, 2/1945. Recollections of period as officer aboard HMS Onslaught, 17th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, North Sea and Arctic, 2/1945-7/1945: nature of destroyer; comparison of Hostilities Only and Regular Royal Navy officers; escorting HMS Cassandra under tow from Soviet Union to GB, 6/1945; party with Soviet Navy personnel at Kola Inlet, Soviet Union, 6/1945; reaction to VE Day, 8/5/1945; difficulties in sinking surrendered German Navy submarines during Operation Deadlight in North Atlantic; question of deployment to Far East; role acting as harbour guard ship at Kiel, Germany; relations with German civilians; question of black market; yachting.
REEL 9 Continues: rotation of guard ship duties at Kiel, Germany. Aspects of period as navigation officer aboard HMS Zealous, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 1945-1947: routine during summer visits to British ports; role as communications officer. Aspects of period as officer at Royal Naval Navigation School, HMS Dryad, Southwick, GB, 1947: navigation course and introduction of radio navigational aids; control of aircraft course and interception exercises using bicycles; appointment to fishery protection and regulation duties after completion of navigation course, based at Scapa Flow, 1947-1948. Aspects of period as assistant navigation officer aboard HMS Diadem, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, 1948-1949: nature of cruiser; predominance of National Service conscripts. Aspects of period as fighter direction officer aboard HMS Vengeance, 3rd Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and West Indies, 1950-1951: nature of aircraft carrier; aircraft carrier's complement of Hawker Sea Fury and Fairey Firefly aircraft; fighter direction role; radar and batsman controlled landings on flight deck in bad visibility; role as boats officer in charge of admiral's barge.
REEL 10 Continues: opinion of Admiral Sir Caspar John; cruise to West Indies. Aspects of period attending navigation course at Royal Naval Navigation School, HMS Dryad, Southwick, GB, 1951: separation of navigation and aircraft direction officers; nature of course. Aspects of period as staff officer with 2nd Training Sqdn at HMS Osprey, HMNB Portland, GB, 1951-1953: role supervising anti-submarine exercises of 2nd Training Sqdn aboard HMS Zephyr and ashore at HMNB Portland, 1951-1953. Aspects of period as navigation instructor at Royal Naval Navigation School, HMS Dryad, Southwick, GB, 1953-1955: classroom navigational courses; recreational yachting. Aspects of operations as navigation officer aboard HMS Newfoundland in Far East, 1955-1956: shore bombardments of Federation of Malaya during Malayan Emergency; responsibility of post; story of aircraft crash landing at Karachi, Pakistan during flight back to GB. Aspects of period as officer with Joint Anti-Submarine School at HMS Sea Eagle, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 1956-1957: role planning exercises with RAF; promotion to rank of commander. Aspects of period commanding of 108th Minesweeping Sqdn aboard HMS Sefton in Mediterranean, 1957-1958: night patrols to prevent gun running to Cyprus; minesweeping exercises. Aspects of period commanding HMS Scarborough in Pacific and GB coastal waters, 1958: nature of anti-submarine frigate; joining ship at Auckland, New Zealand and return to GB.
REEL 11 Continues: background to loss of command due to requirements of Royal party visiting Newfoundland. Aspects of period commanding of HMS Grenville, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1958-1959: nature of ship; fishery protection duties off Iceland during First Cod War; difficulty of refuelling at sea in rough weather. Aspects of period as North East Area Officer, Sea Cadets at York, GB, 1959-1961: travelling requirements; annual inspections of Sea Cadet units; role of district officers. Aspects of period as student at Joint Services Staff College at Latimer House, Little Chalfont, GB, 1961-1962: nature of course. Aspects of period as executive officer aboard HMS London in GB coastal waters, 1962-1965: role commanding advance party at Swan Hunter Ltd Shipyard, Wallsend; sea trials; opinion of Captain Joseph Bartosik; move to Portsmouth; working up exercises at Portland; role as executive officer; South American cruise and giving assistance to Chilean Navy.
REEL 12 Continues: presence of Sea Slug Missiles and inadequate storage; Sea Cat Missiles; visit to Tristan da Cunha; return to GB. Aspects of period as Queen's Harbour Master, Portland, GB, 1965-1976: powers as legal harbour authority; role as commander of naval base; role liaising with trades unions; enjoyment of role; question of extended length of posting. Post-service career: initial problems finding employment; work as assistant editor on naval magazine; work as charity officer; work revising navigational publications for Hydrographer, Royal Navy; membership of HMS Calder Association.
