Eason, Christopher (Oral history)

British officer served aboard HMS Enterprise with Eastern Fleet on operations in Indian Ocean, 1941-1942; served aboard HMS Calder operating in North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Western Approaches, 1943-1945; served aboard HMS Onslaught, 1945; served aboard HMS Zealous, Home Fleet, 1945-1947; served on fishery protection and regulation duties based at Scapa Flow, 1947-1948; served as assistant navigation officer aboard HMS Diadem, Home Fleet, 1948-1949; served as fighter direction officer aboard HMS Vengeance, 3rd Carrier Sqdn, Home Fleet, 1950-1951; served on staff 2nd Training Sqdn at Portland, 1951-1953; served as navigation instructor at HMS Dryad, Portdown, 1953-1955; served as navigational officer aboard HMS Newfoundland in Far East,1955-1956; served aboard HMS Sefton in command of 108 Minesweeping Sqdn based at Malta, 1957-1958; commanded of HMS Scarborough, 1958; commanded of HMS Grenville, Home Fleet, 1958-1959; served as North East Area Officer, Sea Cadet Corps based at York, 1959-1961; attended Joint Services Staff College at Latimer House, Chalfont, 1961-1962; served as executive officer aboard HMS London, 1962-1965; served as Queen's Harbour Master, Portland, 1965-1976

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Southsea, Portsmouth, 1923-1937: family naval background; education at preparatory school. Recollections of conditions, daily routine and lifestyle as cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 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; used 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; prep period; hobbies, PT and sporting activities; relationship with cadets; gunroom recreation area; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; brother's naval career; awareness of Slapton Sands incident; question of increase in practical tuition; passing out examinations. Voyage aboard Elphacco to Mombasa, Kenya, ca 1/1941-2/1941. Recollections of conditions of service, daily routine and lifestyle as midshipman aboard HMS Enterprise with Eastern Fleet operating in Indian Ocean and based at Columbo, Ceylon, ca 2/1941-4/1942: joining ship at Mombasa; nature of ship 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; relationship with midshipmen and gunroom sub-lieutenant; role running ship's boats in harbour; shore patrols; period during ship refit at Diytallawa Camp; shooting parties; shore leave recreations and visit to tea plantation. REEL 4 Continues: food; relationship with lower deck; expansion of fleet and naval situation following Japanese entry into war, 12/1941; role in bridge plotting room; escorting last troop convoy into Singapore; movement. Return aboard Duchess of Richmond to GB, ca 4/1942. Review of sub-lieutenant courses including gunnery at HMS Excellent, Whale Island, signals at HMS Mercury, ????, torpedoes at HMS Vernon, Roedean School, navigation at HMS Dryad, Southwick House, Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth and flying training at Gosport airfield, 1942-1943. Voyage aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth to New York, ca 5/1943. Period waiting for completion of HMS Calder at Higham Shipbuilding Yard, Boston, ca 6/1943-7/1943: billets and relationship with US family; storage arrangements; role as navigating officer in correcting charts and opinion of Navigating Yeoman Harold Fine; opinion of Lieutenant John Davidson, Lieutenant Commander A White and Midshipman John Huckle. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Engineering Officer Leech; opinion of Engine Room Artificer Ron Ayers and story of visit to gyroscopic compass factory; opinion of Warrant Officer Torpedo Gunner Hatcher; review of US construction methods employed at Hingham shipyard; store arrangements; nature of Captain class ships including all welded construction and through deck; armament including 3" guns, extra depth charges carried instead of torpedo tubes, hedgehog projector and Bofors and Oerlicken guns; question of US fittings; machinery and basin trials; arrival of crew and commissioning ceremony, 15/7/1943; conduct of crew ashore; sea trials; de-gaussing procedure. Voyage in hurricane to Bermuda, 8/1943: rolling; problems with gyroscopic compass; seasickness. Period on working up trials at HMS Mallabar, Bermuda, 8/1943-9/1943: nature of base. REEL 6 Continues: fitting of back-up magnetic compass and problems with gyroscopic compass in rough weather; anti-submarine and gunnery exercises; opinion of Gunnery Lieutenant Gordon Patterson; disputes between Lieutenant Davidson and dockyard personnel; question of visits ashore; delay awaiting convoy. Voyage in convoy to GB, 9/1943. Recollections of operations with 4th Escort Group based at Pollock Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland, ca 9/1943-2/1945: nature of base and HMS Caroline; refit and fitting of Sperry gyroscopic compass; comparison of turbo-electric and diesel Captain Class frigates; opinion of Captain Noel Chavasse; shore anti-submarine trainer; role escorting Convoy SL 139 in bay of Biscay, 11/1943, including situation and attack by glider bomb dropped by Heinkel 177; role on action station on bridge and method of operating US and British devices on plotting table in chartroom; asdic contacts. REEL 7 Continues: encounter with surfaced U Boat, ca 11/1943, including initial radar contact, measures to avoid acoustic torpedoes and dropping depth charges; daily routine as navigating officer including location of minefields on charts and role acting as officer of watch; nature of cabin accommodation; cooking arrangements and food; 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 black market. REEL 8 Continues: change to hunter/killer anti-submarine role in Western Approaches; story of sinking U1051 off Holyhead, 26/1/1945, including situation following torpedoing of HMS Manners, use of echo sounder to confirm contact with U Boat, ruse to confuse submarine captain, successful hedgehog attack, opening fire on surfaced U Boat, reaction to HMS Alylmer ramming and sinking U Boat; opinion of Commander Playne; background to leaving ship, ca 2/1945. Recollections of period aboard HMS Onslaught, 1945: nature of ship; comparison of hostilities only and regular officers; escorting towed ship from North Russia, ca 5/1945; party with Soviets; reactions to VE Day, 8/5/1945; difficulties in sinking surrendered U Boats in Atlantic under Operation Deadlight; question of deployment to Far East; role acting as harbour guard ship at Kiel, Germany; relationship with German civilians; question of black market; yachting. REEL 9 Continues: rotation of guard ship duties at Kiel. Recollections of period as navigation officer aboard HMS Zealous, Home Fleet, 1945-1947: routine during summer visits to British ports; role as communications officer. Period at Navigation School, HMS Dryad Shore Station at Portdown Hill, 1947: navigation course and introduction of radio navigational aids; control of aircraft course and interception exercises using bicycles. Period on fishery protection and regulation duties based at Scapa Flow, 1947-1948. Period as assistant navigation officer aboard HMS Diadem, Home Fleet, 1948-1949: nature of ship; predominance of national servicemen. Period as fighter direction officer aboard HMS Vengeance, 3rd Carrier Sqdn, Home Fleet, 1950-1951: nature of ship; Sea Fury and Fairey Firefly aircraft carried; 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 Casper John; cruise to West Indies. Period on course at Navigational School, HMS Dryad, Portdown, 1951-1953: separation of navigation and aircraft direction officers; nature of course. Period on staff supervising anti-submarine exercises of 2nd Training Sqdn aboard HMS Zephyr and ashore at Portland, 1951-1953. Period as navigation instructor at HMS Dryad, Portdown, 1953-1955: classroom navigational courses; recreational yachting. Period as navigational officer aboard HMS Newfoundland in Far East, 1955-1956: shore bombardments during Malayan Emergency; responsibility of post; crash landing at Karachi during flight back to GB. Period at Anti-Submarine School, HMS Sea Eagle, role planning exercises with RAF; promotion to commander. Period aboard HMS Sefton in command of 108 Minesweeping Sqdn based at Malta, 1957-1958: night patrols to prevent gun running to Cyprus; minesweeping exercises. Period in command of HMS Scarborough, 1958: nature of ship as purpose built 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 to Newfoundland. Period in command of HMS Grenville, Home Fleet, 1958-1959: nature of ship; fishery protection duties in Iceland fishing war; difficulty of refuelling at sea in rough weather. Period as North East Area Officer, Sea Cadet Corps based at York, 1959-1961: travelling requirements; annual inspections of cadet units; role of district officers. Period as student at Joint Services Staff College at Latimer House, Chalfont, 1961-1962. period as executive officer aboard HMS London, 1962-1965: role commanding advance party at Swan Hunter Shipyard, Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne; 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: Sea Slug guided missiles and inadequate storage; Sea Cat defence missiles; visit to Tristan da Cunha; return to GB. Period as Queen's Harbour Master, Portland, 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 Assoc.