Description
Object description
British artificer apprentice at HMS Fisgard, Portsmouth, GB, 1926-1930; engine room artificer served aboard HMS Royal Oak and HMS London, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 11/1930-1/1934; served aboard HMS Crusader, Home and Mediterranean Fleets in GB coastal waters, Red Sea and Mediterranean, 1935-1937; standing by during construction of HMS Impulsive in GB, 1937-1938; served as warrant officer engineer aboard HMS Nelson, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 7/1938-10/1940; standing by during construction of HMS Victorious, Home Fleet at Newcastle upon Tyne, GB and served in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, off Norway and Mediterranean, 1940-1942; engineering officer served aboard HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters, Arctic, English Channel during Normandy Landings and in Far East, 1942-1946; served aboard HMS Resource during voyage from Singapore, Malaya to GB, 1946; served aboard HMS Triumph, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 1946-1948; served on shore duties at HMS Hornet, Gosport, GB, 1948-1949; served aboard HMS Cockade in Far East and off North and South Korea, 1950-1952; served aboard HMS Cleopatra in GB coastal waters, 1952-1953; served aboard HMS Rampure at Malta, 1953-1956; served as staff officer on Admiral's Staff in Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 1956-1957
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Portsmouth, GB, 1910-1925: family; education at Portsmouth Southern Secondary School for Boys; division of school into Latin and Dockside groups; family home; family life; memories of Southsea; effect of family finances on sporting activities; childhood illnesses and deaths.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of enlistment and training as artificer apprentice at HMS Fisgard, Portsmouth, GB, 1926-1930: joining Royal Navy in Portsmouth, 1/1926; signing on for naval service; issue of sea chests; organisation of classes; use of hammocks; regulation of bedtimes; issue of uniform; description of apprentice uniform; eating arrangements; role of naval artificer; first job to convert cylinder into hexagonal shape; nature of HMS Fisgard; trade tests and examinations; importance of results on choice of home depot.
REEL 3 Continues: lack of drill and naval training; drafting to Artificer's Mess, Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, GB, 8/1930-11/1930. Recollections of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Royal Oak, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 11/1930-12/1931: initial experiences of sea service; method of dealing with seasickness; duties aboard battleship; character of artificers' mess; messing arrangements; laundry facilities; artificer traditions and language; distinctions between artificers and rest of crew; relations with officers and other ratings; daily routine; structure of engine room department.
REEL 4 Continues: role of stokers; distinctions between chief and petty officer artificers and leading rates; Mediterranean cruises; inter-fleet competitions; character of fleet regattas; pulling boats; role as coxwain during fleet regatta; preparations for fleet regattas; interest in ship's football team and inter-ship competitions; ambition to become officer and qualities needed; encouragement of his divisional officer once ambition became known; artificer action stations; contact with family and lack of leave. Recollections of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS London, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 1/1932-1/1934: character of ship; importance of familiarisation with ship.
REEL 5 Continues: reception on arrival on board ship; daily routine; full qualification as engine room artificer; joining duty watch; ship's boats maintenance duties; watch keeping system; duties in harbour; avenues to promotion; further details of qualities needed to become officer; use of engineering officer's cabin for studying; examination to become acting sub-lieutenant and result; attending fleet promotion board aboard HMS Victory, Portsmouth, GB, including types of questions asked; final selection board and prospect of promotion given to failed candidates. Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Crusader, Home and Mediterranean Fleets in GB coastal waters, Red Sea and Mediterranean, 1935-1937: duties aboard destroyer.
REEL 6 Continues: messing arrangements; exercises with Home Fleet at Invergordon; coping with cold weather conditions; use of exclusive space for artificers. Aspects of period as engine room artificer aboard HMS Impulsive in GB coastal waters, 1937-1938: standing by destroyer during construction; familiarisation with ship's pipe work; billeting in family home and recreational activities; anticipation of coming war from 1938. Recollections of operations as warrant officer engineer aboard HMS Nelson, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 7/1938-10/1940: background to promotion to warrant officer engineer, 7/1938; lack of damage control; use of warrant officer mess and status of warrant officers including use of cabin; laundry arrangements; role of Royal Marines; amusing story relating to incident of poor etiquette at dinner table; expenses incurred on joining warrant officers mess.
REEL 7 Continues: prestige of joining flag ship; impressions of having admiral on board ship; character of ship; presence of staff officers on board; reaction to hearing declaration of Second World War at sea, 3/9/1939; atmosphere aboard ship after declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; state of readiness in engine room; convoy protection duties; states of readiness; magnetic mine damage to ship at entrance to Loch Ewe, 4/12/1939; checking his compartment after mining of ship; casualties to seaman using ship's heads; repairs to ship and damage to ship; role supervising dockyard repairs.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as warrant officer engineer standing by construction of HMS Victorious at Newcastle upon Tyne, GB, 10/1940-3/1941: billeting in private home; fire watching aboard ship; launching of aircraft carrier; conditions in Newcastle upon Tyne, winter 1940-1941; rationing and reasons why Royal Navy was issued with white flour; sea trials. Aspects of operations as warrant officer engineer aboard HMS Victorious, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic, off Norway and Mediterranean, 4/1941-1/1942: orders to put to sea and pursue German battle ship Bismarck, 5/1941; role of aircraft carrier's aircraft in attacking German battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 24/5/1941; actions off Norway; duties during actions; obtaining information after attacks; method of counting aircraft taking off and returning; size of engine room department; action stations and improvements in damage control; Axis air attacks during Malta convoy duties in Mediterranean.
REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of operations as engineering officer aboard HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 2/1942-6/1944: background to selection and promotion to Lieutenant (E); standing by HMS Belfast during repairs at Devonport; billeting in civilian house in Devonport and incident of being knocked of bicycle; German Air Force attacks on Devonport; conditions on board ship; character of skeleton crew prior to commissioning; sea trials and arrival of ratings; opinion of Captain Frederick Parham; degree of knowledge of ship and rest of crew; occasions when ship's crew could assemble; initial role commanding engine rooms; promotion to Acting Lieutenant Commander (E) and change in duties; method of addressing officers in ward room; messing arrangements in ward room; character of president of mess; recreational activities in ward room.
REEL 10 Continues: organisation and funding of ward room; mess bills; formal wartime meals in harbour; traditional games in ward room including amusing story of officer breaking leg during one game; memories of Commander (E) Esmonde; story of Captain Frederick Parham producing certificate for crew who served in Arctic; amusing story of Royal Marine bandmaster becoming defaulter for not playing lively music; post-war correspondence with Captain Frederick Parham; degree of contact with captain; visit by King George VI at Scapa Flow.
REEL 11 Continues: story of leaving ship; introduction of officers to Admiral Robert Burnett; impressions of Admiral Robert Burnett; close liaison between engine room and electrical departments; degree of contact with other officers; character of watch keeping system; question of what makes a happy ship and its effect on crew's behaviour; reasons why HMS Belfast was a happy ship; lack of major disciplinary problems aboard ship; role as divisional officer during disciplinary actions; visit to detention cells; sporting activities in Scapa Flow; officer's physical training on quarterdeck; deck games.
REEL 12 Continues: character of SOD's Operas; performances from artistes on board ship; memories of actor John Mill's performance in cruiser's hangar; cinema and tomb olla; issue of rum ration and reasons for issue at eleven o'clock; reasons for admiralty order forbidding sippers; issue of rum on special occasions; tradition of 'make and mend'; number of 'make and mend' days available.
REEL 13 Continues: atmosphere aboard ship during 'make and mend'; character of Sunday Divisions and accommodation for different religious groups; role of chaplain on board ship; condition of ship following refitting after 1939 mining; sea trials; move to Scapa Flow and becoming admiral's flag ship, early 1943; convoy protection duties; question of threat to ship after leaving harbour; operating in Arctic during winter weather; problems caused by icing of ship; methods of dealing with ice on board ship; issuing orders to dislodge ice from ventilation pipes in boiler rooms; clothing worn in arctic conditions; estimated time taken to die if crewman went overboard in Arctic; use of electrics to de-ice; role of ship in pursuing German battleship Scharnhorst, 26/12/1943.
REEL 14 Continues: role of engine room personnel during action; his instructions to maintain full speed during Battle of North Cape, 26/12/1943; use of loudspeakers in engine rooms to follow progress of action; degree of tension on going into action; providing rations during action station; importance of inter-departmental co-operation in getting ship into position to attack German battleship Scharnhorst; reaction to announcement of sinking of German battleship Scharnhorst and smell of it's discharged oil fuel, 26/12/1943; lack of awards for engine room staff; Captain Frederick Parham's broadcast on ship's tannoy at end of Battle of North Cape, 26/12/1943; attitude to providing convoy protection in Arctic.
REEL 15 Continues: Recollections of operations as engineering officer aboard HMS Belfast in English Channel during Normandy Landings, 6/1944-7/1944: Admiral Robert Burnett's announcement that ship would be taking part in invasion; delay in D-Day operations, 5/6/1944; reaction to taking part in Normandy landings; joining armada in silence off Cornwall; sight of invasion armada; opening fire on coastline, Normandy, France, 05:00am, D-Day, 6/6/1944; giving engine room personnel two minute opportunity to view landings; sight of landing craft going into beaches on Normandy coast, D-Day, 6/6/1944; nature of ship's targets inland; continuing at action station, 6/6/1944; move to second position, 7/6/1944; reduced role of ship as fighting moved inland; proportion of ship's company who went ashore; reaction to sinking of destroyer by German Air Force attack. Aspects of period as engineering officer aboard HMS Belfast, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters and Far East, 1944-1946: refitting of ship in GB for move to Far East, 8/1944-3/1945; sea trials at Scapa Flow, GB, 4/1945-6/1945; need to conserve fuel oil during voyage from GB to Australia to join British Pacific Fleet, 7/1945; arrival in Sydney, Australia, 7/1945.
REEL 16 Continues: reasons for second refit in Australia; move to Formosa to collect former Allied prisoners of war after end of Second World War; move to Shanghai, China; reaction to leaving HMS Belfast after wartime service. Aspects of period as engineering officer aboard HMS Resource on voyage from Singapore to GB, 1946: flight in Royal Air Force aircraft from Shanghai, China to Singapore, Malaya; appointment to ship; character of fleet repair ship; crew's making of lead soldiers. Aspects of various appointments as engineering officer with Royal Navy, 1946-1950: period as engineering officer aboard aircraft carrier HMS Triumph, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 1946-1948; character of officer complement on board aircraft carriers; reaction to being replaced as senior engineering officer; appointment to HMS Hornet, Gosport; character of experimental work at HMS Hornet, Gosport. Aspects of operations as engineering officer aboard HMS Cockade in Far East and off North and South Korea, 1950-1952: state of ship; role of ship in bombarding coastline; role following United States Navy aircraft carrier.
REEL 17 Continues: problems of travelling at high speed; refitting in Japanese dockyard and shore leave in Japan; incident when ship came under fire from Communist position on shore. Various appointments as engineering officer with Royal Navy, 1953-1958: drafting to HMS Rampure a fleet repair ship in Malta, 1953-1956; promotion to Commander (E), 26/12/1955; drafting to Admiral's Staff in Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 1956-1957; cancellation of appointment be chief engineer of Karachi, Pakistan, 9/1957; volunteering to retire from service with Royal Navy, 1958; adjusting to civilian life and employment in civil engineering and teaching.
REEL 18 Continues: Reflections of service with Royal Navy, 1925-1958: lack of preparations for leaving Royal Navy, 1958; arrangements for married personnel; period as service aboard HMS Cleopatra, 1952-1953, including attending Queen's Coronation celebrations. Aspects of period as schoolchild in Portsmouth, GB, 1914-1918: sight of German Zeppelin; story of watching recuperating wounded soldiers in hospital blues leaving hospital on mass at two o'clock each day during First World War. Reflections on service with Royal Navy: story of deployment to Red Sea during Abyssinian Crisis, 1935-1936l service in North Atlantic during Spanish Civil War, 1936; attributes of service with Royal Navy.
