Dennis, John Alexander Jeffreys (Oral history)

British officer served aboard HMS Griffin, in GB, off Norway, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1939-1943; served aboard HMS Savage on Arctic convoys and during Normandy landings 1944; commanded HMS Valorous in GB coastal waters, 1945

REEL 1 Background in India and GB, 1918-1931: family; family's naval tradition; father's military service in Boer war and first world war; education; effects of depression. Recollection of period with Royal Navy, 9/1931- 9/1939: joining navy as a cadet at Dartmouth, 9/1931; question of bullying at Dartmouth; story of cadet's father's pro Nazi links; conditions at Dartmouth; opinion of GB and empire; story relating to Admiral William Wordsworth Fisher; reaction to threat of war; recollection of Japanese army marching into Tsingtao, 1937; story of cousin's role as ambassador to Japan in 1930's; training cruise; 1935; midshipman on HMS Rodney; story of sailing on board yacht HMS Entranchress, 1936; move to China station, 1936-1937; sub-lieutenant's course; story relating to Munich crisis, 1938; question of getting seasick. Recollections of service onboard destroyer HMS Griffin in GB, Norwegian campaign, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1939-1943: opinion of ship's captain, Lee-Barber; story of captain towing a crippled submarine during evacuation of Greece, 4/1941; outbreak of war 3/9/1939; return to Harwich, 10/1939; story of being mined off Harwich, 11/1939; reaction to being in action; story relating to first bombing off Scottish coast, 3/1940; Norwegian campaign, 4/1940, including duties embanking troops. REEL 2 Continues: story of boarding a German trawler, return to Norway, German air attacks on evacuation convoy, story of sinking of French destroyer Bison and HMS Afridi, reaction to sinking of Afridi, Stuka attacks and return to Scapa Flow; move to Dover, 5/1940; bombarding German troops, Holland, 5/1940; refitting and evacuation of Polish element of French army from St Nazaire; patrolling form Dover; story of captain's father onboard during an air raid; question of whether Britain could lose war; question of sinking of ships Prince of Wales and Repulse, 1/1942; Griffin joining Eastern Fleet, 1942; opinion of Admiral Somerville; withdrawal to Mombasa, 5/1942; Malta convoy, 6/1942; story of capturing small French Island off East African coast; return to Southampton, 6/1943; HMS Griffin's service in Canadian Navy, question of ship's personality. REEL 3 Continues: prior recollection of troopship sinking off Ireland, 1940; service in Mediterranean, 1940-1941; situation in Mediterranean, 1940; patrolling; story of seeing U-Boats in international waters off Tangiers; stories relating to an eccentric captains, Captain CP Frobisher-Brown and Ronald Swindley; question of personal morale; a Malta convoy, 6/1942, including loss of ships, turning convoy around, attacks of larger ships, opinion of Italian torpedo bomber crews and being cheered on arrival in Malta; story of being dive bombed; opinion of Australian and New Zealand troops during evacuation from Greece, 4/1941; action off Crete and sinking of HMS Greyhound, 27/5/1941; bombarding Syrian coast; shore leave in Alexandria. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Egyptians; short leave in Palestine. Recollection of service onboard destroyer HMS Savage, 1943-1944: joining HMS Savage; recollections of captain and officers; view of gunnery duel between HMS Duke of York and Scharnhorst, 12/1942; recollection of torpedo attack on Scharnhorst; reception by Russians at Kola Inlet; Russian attempt to spy on experimental gun; conditions at Murmansk; weather conditions on convoy; story of attempting to rescue American merchant seaman in Arctic; large waves; anti-U-Boat tactics; contrast between Murmansk and Mediterranean convoys; question of fatigue; personal morale; taking command of HMS Savage; escort duties during Normandy landings; opinion of organisation of operation; mines, view of D-Day armada; patrol duties in English Channel. Recollection of period of service, commanding HMS Valorous, 1945: taking command of HMS Valourous, Rosyth. REEL 5 Continues: escort duties off east coast of GB; story of American ship opening fire on Valorous; story of Captain John Rudkin; liberation of Norway, 5/1945; arrival in Norway; taking German surrender of a port; treatment of German SS POWs ; story of Russian POWs; reluctance to return to Russia; reaction to end of war; prior recollection of action and decoration, Greece, 4/1941. Recollection of period in Royal Navy, 1945-1957: training duties, 1945-1947; command of a minesweeper in Mediterranean, 1947-1949; story of problems with officers on minesweeper; move to motor torpedo gunboat shore establishment, Gosport.story of presenting Queen's colour. REEL 6 Continues : promotion to commander, 1953; joint service staff course; move to USA; role as planning officer at Allied Naval Command and member of supremo presentation team; question of job security in navy; leave and retirement from navy. Background to return to civilian life; opinion of Canadians; opinion of Commonwealth.