Davies, Ted (Oral history)

British gunner served aboard HMS Cotton in North and South Atlantic, Arctic Sea, English Channel and Western Approaches, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Hoxton and Dagenham, London, 1925-1943: social circumstances; education; work as messenger for insurance firm, 1939; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; work as messenger with Kings Cross Goods Depot, 1939-1943; gas masks; blackout; Anderson shelter; German air raids including bombs on Kings Cross Goods Depot, and strafing attack near Goodnoyes Station; service with Railway Home Guard based at Romford Station, 1942-1943, including patrols along railway lines, weapons training, drill, opinion of officers and NCOs and question of military value; background to volunteering for Royal Navy at Romford Recruitment Office and subsequent call up, 3/1943. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with HMS Collingwood Shore Station, Fareham, 3/1943-5/1943: reception; hut 'leaders'; hut accommodation; kitting out. REEL 2 Continues: food rations; PT and netting races; division parade and drill; rifle training; introduction to gunnery and seamanship; kit inspections; relationship with recruits, instructors and officers; visits to Fareham; relationship with civilians; canteen; pay; selection for gunnery training. Period on gunnery training at HMS Excellent Gunnery School, Whale Island and Ainsdale, Liverpool, ca 6/1943-10/1943: punishment drill and nature of discipline; drill; gun drill training including multiple Bofors gun and Oerlicken gun. REEL 3 Continues: beach sentry duty; aircraft recognition; towed targets; qualification as anti-aircraft 3rd class; movements prior to draft. Voyage aboard Queen Elizabeth to New York, US, 10/1943. Period at HMS Saker Shore Station, Asbury Park, New Jersey, 10/1943. Recollections of period at Fargo Barracks, Boston, 10/1943-11/1943: US prisoners; US hospitality; visits to bars and cinemas. Recollections of initial period as gunner aboard HMS Cotton, 11/1943-2/1944: messdeck and bunks; US style facilities; general messing; latrines; welded construction of ship; commissioning ceremony, 8/11/1943; loading stores; working up trials in Casco Bay; question of ship's rolling; seasickness; action and cruising stations at port Oerlicken; opinion of Lieutenant Commander Beloe. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of various officers including Gunnery Officer Lieutenant Cousins; initial posting repeating gunnery orders on bridge; lookout duty; sea trials at Bermuda; visits ashore at Hamilton; story of cancelled trials, 25/12/1943; visit ashore during repairs at New York, 1/1944; effects of storm while escorting convoy to GB, 2/1944. Recollections of periods based at Pollock Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland and Liverpool, 5/1944-5/1945: role escorting convoys to Gibraltar; watch system; cleaning and painting ship; Oerlicken maintenance; letter contact with GB; recreations and visits ashore at Gibraltar; relationship with lower deck; petty officer and officers; crew morale. REEL 5 Continues: escorting convoys to Gibraltar; membership of 22 Escort Group; move to join 19 Escort Group at Liverpool; visits ashore at Belfast; relationship with Irish civilians; visits to Grafton Dancehall, West Derby, Liverpool; role on anti-submarine patrols screening invasion fleet and beaches, 6/1944; acting as escort to Convoy JW66 to Soviet Union, 4/1945, including constant action stations following air alert, cocoa, cold conditions, visits ashore, relationship with Soviet civilians and rowing race with Soviet sailors; escorting Convoy RA66 back to GB, 5/1945, including sinking of HMS Goodall in Kola Bay, sinking of U286, 2/5/1945, question of avoidance of U Boat packs, reputation of Russian convoys and personal morale; VE Day, 8/5/1945; leave and visits to pubs. REEL 6 Continues: Various aspects of postings to Portsmouth Barracks, HMS Rothesey and HMS Blenheim, 1945-1947: duties as petty officers' messman; story of crewman's attacks on petty officers and officers; duties stripping machinery prior to scrapping of HMS Warspite; demobilisation. Post-war career: return to work at Kings Cross Goods Depot; refusal of opportunity to stay in Royal Navy; problems acclimatising to civilian life; membership of Captains Class Assoc, Russian Convoy Assoc and HMS Cotton Association.