Description
Object description
British seaman served aboard HMS Kempthorne operating in Atlantic, Mediterranean and Western Approaches, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Wallasey, 1925-1943: family military service; social circumstances; education; Sea Scout activities; brief evacuation to Heswell, 9/1939, including wireless notification, departure, 2/9/1939, billets, outbreak of war, watching troops drilling and return home; part time work as newspaper delivery round and milk delivery boy; financial problems after father's call up and background to leaving school at 13; work on milk round, 1939-1941; Anderson shelter; blackout; effects of German air riads.
REEL 2 Continues: story of case of looting after bombing incident; death of customers; work on steam barge, 1941-1942; work as trucker in flour mills, 1942-1943; background t volunteering underage at Renshaw Hall Recruitment Office, Liverpool, 5/1943. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at HMS Raleigh Shore Station, Torpoint, 5/1943-7/1943: train journey; reception; hut accommodation; kitting out.
REEL 3 Continues: morning routine; food rations; drill; seamanship training including use of manual, knots and splices, boxing compass and rules of road; PT and assault course; lifeboat drill in tank; 6" gun drill; rifle training; prior training and activities with Seacombe Home Guard.
REEL 4 Continues: minimal signal training; vaccinations; canteen; preparing for kit inspections; relationship with recruits, instructors and officers; dental treatment; recreational visits to Plymouth; pay. Period at Pembroke Barracks, Chatham, 7/1943-9/1943: reactions to posting; nature of discipline; inspections prior to leaving barracks; duties as kitchen messman.
REEL 5 Continues: prior gas mask drill at HMS Raleigh Shore Station, duties as kitchen messman; drafting procedure. Voyage aboard Queen Elizabeth to New York, US, 9/1943: loading baggage; conditions. Period at HMS Saker Shore Station, Asbury Park, 9/1943: hotel accommodation and food rations; naval patrols. Periods at Fraser and Fargo Barracks, Boston, 9/1943-9/1943: games of American football; problems with pay and pay parades; Columbus Day parade; US hospitality and Buddy's Club; training films; working parties aboard HMS Kempthorne. Recollections of initial period as ordinary seaman aboard HMS Kempthorne, 11/1943-2/1944: commissioning ceremony; nature of messdeck and bunk beds.
REEL 6 Continues: nature of messdeck; refit with additional depth charges at Newport; initial cafeteria messing; latrines and showers; laundry; pay; relationship with ratings, leading seaman and petty officers; opinion of various officers including Lieutenant Commander Alan Brown and Lieutenant Bill Mann; crew morale; sea trials and questions of rolling and seasickness; bridge and masthead lookout duty.
REEL 7 Continues: duties as bosun's mate assisting quartermaster and taking wheel; role as sight setter and communications number on 'X' 3" gun; opinion of 3" gun; duties on hedgehog and risk of detonation of forward magazine; duties on depth charges and question of subsequent medical treatment for burst eardrums; engine problems; sea trials at Casco Bay, 11/1943; working up trials at Bermuda, 12/1943; various action and cruising stations; duties as acting radar operator; story of motor boat crew duties at Bermuda, 25/12/1943; run ration.
REEL 8 Continues: escorting convoy back to GB; leave during refit at Newport. Recollections of period with 5th Escort Group based mainly at Pollock Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2/1944-6/1945: composition of group; escort duties on Atlantic convoys; impressions of Argentia, Newfoundland; watch system; cleaning and painting ship; recreations and question of crown and anchor; washing clothes and baths using bucket; sea water on messdecks; question of all welded construction and effects of rough weather conditions; frequent U Boat alarms and depth charge attacks; personal morale; fatigue; cocoa.
REEL 9 Continues: general messing and food; anti-submarine sweeps with HMS Vindex; role escorting troop convoys into Mediterranean; missing D Day operations through depth charge damage to 'A' frame, 6/1944; escorting aircraft carriers during Operation Goodwood against Tipitz off Norwegian coast, 8/1944, including question of use of Foxer anti-acoustic torpedo device, torpedoing of HMS Nabob and HMS Bickerton, role in picking up survivors, renewed U Boat attacks and necessity of disinfecting ship after landing wounded; duties as quartermaster at sea and in harbour; promotion to able seaman; anti-submarine sweep in Bay of Biscay, 25/12/1944; leave periods in Birkenhead including problems with customs officials.
REEL 10 Continues: leave periods in Birkenhead including journey back from Belfast; shore leave in Belfast including relationship with Irish civilians, fights with US service personnel and story of being attacked; fatigue; status as 'canteen' boat; story of ship being ordered to stand back after locating submarine and subsequent ramming by HMS Aylmer of U 1172, 26/1/1944; reaction to orders to wear lanyards ashore at Plymouth; story of locating and depth charging submarine in English Channel before being ordered to withdraw and subsequent claim of submarine by fleet destroyer; question of credit for sinking submarines and opinion of conduct of Captain Macintyre and Commander Taylor; opinion of Lieutenant Wilson; pursuing submarine contacts within Eire 3 mile limit; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; voyages to Norway to collect surrendered submarines including reception from Norwegian civilians and acting as armed guard aboard U Boat during return to GB.
REEL 11 Continues: preparing ship for return to US; paying off at Chatham. Period at Chatham Barracks, 7/1945-9/1945: inspections prior to 'going ashore'; move into outlying camp; application for overseas draft. Recollections of service as able seaman aboard HMS Beauly Firth, 9/1943-3/1946: joining ship at Rosyth; role as aircraft engine repair ship; routine duties; voyage out to Australia including replenishing water at Aden, crossing line ceremony and route; Christmas celebrations hospitality of Australian civilians at Townsville, Australia, 25/12/1945; repairing and testing aircraft engines; movements round Australia; dumping huge excess quantities of equipment in Pacific; loading cargo of food and gold prior to return to GB; security on landing gold cargo. Demobilisation, 9/1946. Post-war career: decision not to return to flour mills; various jobs and problems acclimatising to civilian lifestyle; work with Admiralty Salvage ships; career as diver and salvage officer.