Interview with James Luff

British seaman served aboard HMS Gore, 1st Escort Group in United States of America, GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, Mediterranean and English Channel, 11/1943-7/1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in East End, London, GB, 1925-1943: family; hop picking in Kent; social circumstances; education; interest in aircraft; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; employment in factory, 1939-1940; move to work as chemist's delivery boy in Maidenhead, 1940; membership of Air Training Corps, 1940-1941; question of recruitment into Royal Air Force; employment as builder's assistant; return to East London, 1941; employment loading sugar onto lorries in London Docks; use of Anderson Shelter; German Air Force raids; membership of social and sports club. Recollections of enlistment and training as seaman at HMS Collingwood, Fareham, GB, 6/1943-8/1943: background to recruitment into Royal Navy at Romford, 4/1943; reception; hutted accommodation; story of German Air Force bombs hitting neighbouring hut and subsequent clearing up operation. REEL 2 Continues: guard duty; rations; mast drill in gas mask; seamanship; hair cut; gunnery drill; visits into Fareham; relations with fellow recruits and instructors; discipline. Aspects of period at Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Victory, Portsmouth and Havant Camp, GB, 8/1943-9/1943: training with pikes; acting as beater for bird shooting; seamanship training; drafting procedure. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from GB to New York, United States of America, 9/1943: rations; seasickness. Aspects of period on draft with Royal Navy in United States of America at HMS Asbury, Asbury Park and Boston, 9/1943-10/1943: American hospitality; story of meeting cousin. Recollections of period as seaman aboard HMS Gore in United States of America and Bermuda, 11/1943-12/1943: story of assisting welder during fitting out; messdeck and bunks; laundry and washing clothes; training as communications number and sightsetter on BL 3 Inch Naval Gun. REEL 3 Continues: stories illustrating relationship with leading seamen, petty officers and fellow seamen; duties as officers' servant; opinion of officers, including captain, Lieutenant Commander John Reeves-Brown, Lieutenant Anthony Terry, Sub-Lieutenant Michael D'Arcy and Lieutenant Mack; preliminary sea trials prior to full sea trials at Bermuda; gunnery training; loading Hedgehog Mortar; problem with Hegdehog Mortar charges breaking free during storm; abandon ship exercise; duties as crow's nest and bridge lookout. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of voyage from United States of America via Argentia, Newfoundland to GB, 12/1943: story of repatriated former prisoner of war; Christmas celebrations at St Johns, Newfoundland, 25/12/1943. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Gore, 1st Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1/1944-7/1945: initial basing of ship at Pollock Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1/1944-3/1944; passing as able seaman, 2/1944; duties on gunner's party including cleaning BL 6 Inch Naval Gun and loading Oerlikon 20mm Cannon magazines; story of narrow escape from jammed Lewis Gun; scrubbing messdeck; watch system and standing by BL 3 Inch Naval Gun; recreational activities, including playing 'Uckers' and 'Priest of the Parish' and watching films; prior training on anti-aircraft simulator; reading; letter contact with family; smoking cigarettes; canteen messing system and food; story of sailor's failed attempt to sell tinned food ashore; rum ration; tobacco leaf periques. REEL 5 Continues: escorting convoy across North Atlantic, 1/1944; joining 1st Escort Group; training on night shoot and 'creeper' massed depth charge attacks; opinion of Hedgehog Mortar; anti-submarine sweep in Bay of Biscay; account of sinking of German submarine U-91 in North Atlantic, 26/2/1944, including role as communications number, closing up to 3 Inch Naval Gun, dropping depth charges, surfacing of U-91, opening fire on submarine, use of scrambling nets to pick up German survivors, switching off searchlights, leaving some survivors in water and treatment of survivors; co-ordinated depth charge attacks on German submarine U-358 in North Atlantic, 14/2/1944; subsequent sinking of German submarine U-358 by HMS Gould, 14/2/1944; visits ashore at Gibraltar, 3/1944-5/1944; crew morale; anti-submarine patrols and convoy escort duties in Mediterranean, 3/1944-5/1944; visits ashore in Belfast, Northern Ireland and relations with civilians. REEL 6 Continues: anti-submarine training; visits ashore during period off Anglesey; operations in support of Normandy Landings in English Channel, 6/1944, including screening role, night-time German Navy E-Boat attacks, escorting convoys and rescuing survivors in English Channel; story of torpedoing by German Navy submarine U-483 of HMS Whitaker whilst escorting convoy, North Atlantic, 1/11/1944, including rescue of survivors and towing ship back to Londonderry, Northern Ireland; acting as relief helmsman; acting as bowman on motorboat and story of storm in Milford Haven; story of fish fight on jetty; leave periods in London, including journey, bomb damage to family home, injury to uncle in German V2 Rocket explosion, visiting mother in Bishop's Stortford and subsequent death of uncle from injuries; sinking of troopship SS Leopoldville by German submarine U-486 in English Channel, 24/12/1944; story of sinking of HMS Capel and torpedoing of HMS Affleck by German submarine U-486 in English Channel, 26/12/1944. REEL 7 Continues: anti-submarine sweeps; reduced role of 1st Escort Group; convoy escort duties in English Channel; background to decision to refuse promotion to leading seaman; attitude to possibility of transfer to British Army; surrender of German submarines off Weymouth, 5/1945; failure of damaged stabiliser; decommissioning of ship at Hartlepool, 7/1945. Aspects of period as seaman with Royal Navy in GB, 7/1945-9/1946: period in Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Victory, Portsmouth and Havant Camp, 6/1945-3/1946; role unloading gold shipment aboard HMS Formidable; preference for small ships; posting to HMS Maidstone; missing Far East draft; duties with care and maintenance party aboard HMS Wye at Dartmouth; fishing activities; demobilisation, 9/1946. Post-war life and employment: career as specialist scaffolding erector; story of establishing contact with former shipmates from HMS Gore.