Description
Object description
British evacuee from Barking to Chilcompton, GB, 9/1939-1/1940; cleaner and novice monk at Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, GB, 1/1940-11/1940; civilian in Barking, GB, 11/1940-6/1942; seaman served as torpedoman aboard MTB 311, 15th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla, Coastal Forces in Mediterranean, 1/1943-5/1943 including mining and sinking, 2/5/1943; served aboard HMS Fitzroy, 21st Escort Group in North Atlantic, GB coastal waters, Arctic, North Sea and English Channel during Normandy Landings, 2/1944-12/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Shadwell, Wapping, London and Barking, GB, 1925-1939: social circumstances and family; education and sporting activities. Aspects of period as evacuee from Barking to Chilcompton, 9/1939-1/1940: question of age and role as 'helper' to evacuees; departure arrangements, 1/9/1939; bus and train journey; reception and accommodation on farm; introduction to farm animals.
REEL 2 Continues: relations with billeting family; introduction to farm animals; food; relations with local children in Chilcompton; education arrangements; problem with lower standards of education prevailing at Midsomer Norton School; assisting teachers at lower school; duties as choirboy at Roman Catholic church The Church of the Holy Ghost, Midsomer Norton; reaction to declaration of Second World War and question of children returning to London area, 3/9/1939; question of return to Barking after leaving school; lifestyle on farm.
REEL 3 Continues: lifestyle on farm; washing up after meals. Aspects of period as cleaner and novice monk at Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, GB, 1/1940-11/1940: background to application to become monk; refusal to return home with mother; daily routine; background to return to Barking. Recollections of period as civilian in Barking, GB, 11/1940-6/1942: work at kiosk at Barking Railway Station; problems at home and story of running away to work as servant at Downside Abbey; circumstances of return to Barking; recruitment as messenger with Air Raid Precautions.
REEL 4 Continues: duties as messenger and air raid warden with Air Raid Precautions Post 14 at Barking, including story of German Air Force aircraft machine gunning street, story of incendiary raid, patrols, mobile anti-aircraft guns, nature of post and uniform; employment Thames Plywood Manufacturers Ltd, 1941-1942, including story of saw accident and question of compensation; sight of aerial dogfight; continuation of family problems. Aspects of enlistment in Royal Navy at Romford, GB, 4/1942: medical, 5/1942; call-up to Royal Navy, 6/1942; question of security of savings certificates. Recollections of period as seaman at HMS Collingwood, Fareham, GB, 6/1942-9/1942: reception; hutted accommodation; kitting out and marking uniform; visits to pay office and barber.
REEL 5 Continues: marking kit; rations; rigging race; drill; physical training; seamanship and gunnery training; nature of discipline; story of being caught gambling and nature of No 11 Punishment routine; release from punishment to participate in inter-divisional rigging race at HMS Ganges, Shotley.
REEL 6 Continues: hospitalisation with pneumonia; mother's ruse to fraudulently cash savings certificates; relations with fellow recruits and lack of recreational time; relations with instructors and story of meeting ex-teacher. Aspects of period training at HMS Vernon (R), Roedean School, Brighton, GB, 9/1942-11/1942: electrical training; torpedo and depth charge training; examinations and qualification as ordinary seaman torpedoman. Recollections of period as torpedoman aboard MTB 311, 15th Motor Torpedo Flotilla, Coastal Forces in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 11/1942-5/1943: joining motor torpedo boat at Harwich; duties; opinion of captain; training as flotilla; accommodation at HMS Ganges, Shotley.
REEL 7 Continues: voyage to Gibraltar; night patrols in shipping lanes; story of being mined and sunk, 2/5/1943; story of assisting wounded stoker in sea; rescue; return to GB, 5/1943. Aspects period aboard HMS Diadem at Hebburn, GB, 5/1943; joining ship during commissioning phase; role overhauling torpedo tubes; background to leaving ship. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from GB to New York, United States of America, 6/1943: train journey to Gourock, GB; conditions during voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth; delayed disembarkation in New York; formation of crews at HMS Saker, New York, United States of America; American hospitality; move to Boston. Recollections of period at Fargo Barracks in Boston, United States of America, 7/1943-8/1943: conditions of service; lectures in new Captains Class frigates.
REEL 8 Continues: American hospitality and operation of 'Buddies Club'; story of fight with American service personnel during visit to Lighthouse Dance Hall, Boston; initial impressions of HMS Fitzroy. Recollections of period as torpedoman aboard HMS Fitzroy in Boston, United States of America and Bermuda, 9/1943-2/1944: commissioning ceremony, 1/9/1943; messdeck and bunks; question of cafeteria, general and canteen messing systems; reaction to welded construction; depth charge arrangements and firing patterns; sea trials; role setting shell fuses for aft Ordnance QF 3 Inch 20 cwt Anti-Aircraft Gun.
REEL 9 Continues: cleaning ship; splicing wires and rope; status as able seaman; role as officers' training ship during sea trials; sea trials based at Bermuda; story illustrating severity of ship's rolling; hospitalisation with rugby injury in Bermuda; counter-measures taken to reduce rolling; receiving nickname 'Red Arse'. Recollections of operations as torpedoman aboard HMS Fitzroy escorting Convoy HX 275 from United States of America to GB via Iceland, 2/1944: role in submarine screen; story of volunteering to assist rescue of survivors of torpedoed ship; role and subsequent punishment for taking excessive risks hanging from scramble net; refuelling and transfer of survivors at Reykjavik, Iceland; acting as escort for convoy to Loch Ewe, GB.
REEL 10 Continues: Recollections of operations as torpedoman aboard HMS Fitzroy, 21st Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, Arctic and English Channel during Normandy Landings, 2/1944-12/1945: watch system and cruising stations; relations with lower deck personnel and practical jokes; bingo and ship's fund; relations with leading seamen and petty officers; opinion of captain, Lieutenant Charles McNeil, Lieutenant John Duggan captains Lieutenant Commanders Alan Miller and Orme Stuart; crew morale; providing outer screen for Convoy JW 58 in Arctic, 3/1944; German Air Force attacks; suffering burst eardrum and subsequent deafness from firing of Ordnance QF 3 Inch 20 cwt Anti-Aircraft Gun; stormy weather and precautions to keep water from getting below decks; cold conditions.
REEL 11 Continues: minor refit on return to GB, 4/1944; patrolling in English Channel, 4/1944-6/1944; escorting Pipe Line Under the Ocean (PLUTO) and Mulberry Harbour components across English Channel; role acting as screen to Allied invasion fleet, 5/6/1944-10/6/1944; threat from floating mine; patrolling off Gold Beach, Normandy, France; ineffectual contribution of QF 3 Inch Naval Gun to shore bombardment; German coastal guns; formation of Mulberry Harbour; necessity of constant readiness of depth charge crews to counter activities of German Navy frogmen; naval landing party; organisation and role of 21st Escort Group; escorting of Convoy JW 61 to Murmansk, Soviet Union, 10/1944, including story of friend falling overboard in heavy seas; use of Hedgehog Mortar; visits to Soviet Navy ship with female captain in harbour and Murmansk, Soviet Union; voyage from Soviet Union to GB escorting Convoy RA 61, 11/1944; story of marriage whilst on leave, 11/1944.
REEL 12 Continues: story of forging parental consent for marriage, 11/1944; visits to Organ Dance Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland; relations with civilians in Northern Ireland; anti-submarine patrols in North Atlantic; aspects of sinking of U-722, 27/3/1945 and U-1001, 8/4/1945; story of escorting HMS Redmill, 27/4/1945; receiving news of VE Day, 8/5/1945; reception of surrendered German submarines at Loch Eriboll, GB, 10/5/1945-18/5/1945; role checking and disarming torpedoes as member of submarine boarding party.
REEL 13 Continues: collection and escort of surrendered German submarines to Lisahally, Northern Ireland, 5/1945; disbandment of 21st Escort Group; participation in victory parade at Bergen, Norway; prior promotion to leading torpedo operator, 4/1945; leaving ship, 12/1945; background to early discharge from Royal Navy due to deafness, 1/1946. Post-war life and employment: problems on return to work at Thames Plywood Manufacturers Ltd; story of securing work as painter and decorator despite absence of experience; hospitalisation with tuberculosis, 1947; career as electrician; membership of Captain Class Frigate Association.