Parker-Pfeil, Ralph (Oral history)

British stoker served aboard HMS Gardiner with B3 Escort Group operating in North Atlantic, Western Approaches and Mediterranean, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in London, 1924-1932: family background; social circumstances following parents' divorce; mother's remarriage, 1930; education; background to move to Corsica. Period living in hotel in Corsica, 1932-1934: education; lifestyle; servants. REEL 2 Continues: problems caused by maid and local Corsican men; story of drinking wine during grape harvest; treading grapes; failure of hotel business and return to GB. Recollections of period at Welwyn Garden City, 1934-1942: social circumstances; education; mother's pacifist and political activities; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; work for seed firm; work as farm labourer and attending agricultural college; dances; German air raids. REEL 3 Continues: volunteering as messenger boy for ARP; local searchlight battery; duties as ARP messenger in Stepney, London; mother's writing activities; background to volunteering as stoker to join Royal Navy. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with HMS Royal Arthur Shore Station, Skegness, 10/1942-12/1942: reception; chalet accommodation; kitting out and uniform allowance; food rations; vaccinations; psychological tests and selection for training as wireman with combined operations forces; drill; sunset ceremony; recreational visits to Skegness; drill; question of swimming tests; relationship with recruits; question of swearing. REEL 4 Continues: cold weather; preconceptions of training; mother's reactions to enlistment; relationship with instructors. Period training on degaussing gear at Government Training Centre, Letchworth, 12/1942-1/1943: billets; combined operations status; leave; failing course and return to stoker training; story of meeting future wife. Recollections of period at Chatham Barracks, 1/1943-12/1943: story of reception from chief petty officer; attending course in landing craft diesel engines; duties cleaning bilges, boilers and oil tanks; impetigo attack; nature of discipline; receiving punishment No 11 for reporting back late; marriage arrangements, 9/1943. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as stoker aboard HMS Gardiner, B3 Escort Group based at Gladstone Dock, Liverpool, 12/1943-6/1945: joining ship as replacement at Tilbury Docks; nature of ship; stokers' messdeck and bunk beds; relationship with lower deck; prior removal of US style facilities; opinion of Lieutenant Commander Bolton; code used in letters home to wife; watch system; Atlantic convoys; question of seasickness and ship's rolling; engine room duties; story of man lost overboard and subsequent precaution on deck; relationship with Newfoundland civilians at St Johns, Newfoundland. REEL 6 Continues: action stations in magazine of 3" gun; opinion of 3" guns; washing clothes; adaptations to uniform; status of stokers; canteen messing system and role of cook of mess; food; rum rations; cocoa; recreations and gambling on 'crown and anchor'; relationships with ratings and nicknames; smoking habits and making prick of tobacco; caulking wooden decks; story of murder of rescued German seaman. REEL 7 Continues: story of being trapped on duty in engine room due to severe weather conditions and avoiding duty repairing mast head siren; story of accidentally turning off master fuel valve whilst at sea; question of refuelling; water supply from evaporation of sea water; duties on auxiliary engines used for power supply; effects and use of depth charges; story of going AWOL to visit new born daughter, subsequent defaulters parade and conditions during 14 day period in depot cells; completion of punishment aboard ship on sailing. REEL 8 Continues: nature of convoy routine; story of being caught by snowstorm whilst on shore leave at Newfoundland and reporting aboard HMS Vervain, 2/1945; circumstances of sailing aboard HMS Vervain back to GB, 2/1945; account of sinking of HMS Vervain and rescue from water by John Deer, 20/2/1945; landing at Gibraltar; reason for not subsequently telling family or friends of sinking of HMS Vervain; story of sailor given enema prior to operation in hospital; rejoining ship, 31945; personal morale; VE Day, 8/5/1945; role with boarding party on surrender of U532, 5/1945; view of treatment of German naval prisoners by army. Period at Chatham Barracks, 6/1945-8/1945: story of being overpaid on pay parade; cancellation of Far East draft on VJ Day, 8/1945; question of draft into army. Period aboard HMS Erebus at Chatham, 8/1945-4/1946: duties on 15"gun hydraulics. REEL 9 Continues: nature of monitor; story illustrating effects of 15" guns firing. Demobilisation, ca 5/1946. Post-war career: return to work as farm labourer; career as salesman and sales manager; membership of Royal Naval Association and Captain Class Association.