Description
Object description
British wireless telegraphist served aboard HMS Cubitt in Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea, 1944-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Shoreditch, Edmonton and Tottenham, London, 1924-1942: social circumstances; education; work as office boy for shipping company, 1938-1939; cycling activities; question of approach of war; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; work in office of timber yard, 1940-1941; Anderson shelter; blackout; German air raids; story of land mine damage to home, rescue of neighbour and aftermath; move to Tottenham; service with Home Guard, Hornsea, 1940-1942, including recruitment, instructors, drill, weapons training, personal morale, street fighting exercise, tactical exercise and lack of briefing.
REEL 2 Continues: service with Home Guard, Hornsea, 1940-1942, including guard duties, composition of platoon and uniforms; work as progress chaser at timber yard and story illustrating uncooperative attitude of workers to war work including manufacture of gliders; work as shop window dresser in London and Weston Super Mare, 1941-1942: blast damage to windows; failed attempt to volunteer underage for RAF; volunteering to join Royal Navy, 12/1942; question of parents' reaction. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness, 12/1942-1/1943: reception; vaccinations and dental treatment; kitting out; chalet accommodation; food rations; PT; drill; minimal seamanship training; aptitude tests and selection for training as telegraphists; relationship with recruits and group leader.
REEL 3 Continues: relationship with instructor; lectures from veterans; recreations and visits to Skegness; relationship with civilians. Recollections of training as telegraphist at HMS Scotia Shore Station, Ayr, 1/1943-8/1943: hut accommodation; learning Morse code, wireless theory, procedure and codes; signallers' training; story of food fight; punishments; potato picking for local farmers; recreational visits to Glasgow; informal political debates. Period at Pembroke Barracks, Chatham, 8/1943-9/1943: conditions of service; presence of long standing personnel; joining routine.
REEL 4 Continues: question of draft. Voyage aboard Queen Elizabeth to New York, US, 9/1943. Period at HMS Saker Shore Station, Asbury Park, 9/1943: conditions of service; US hospitality. Period at Fargo Barracks, Boston, 9/1943-12/1943: visits to out of bounds bars in Scolly Square; relationship with US sailors; hospitality of US civilians; minimal duties; attending course in US wireless equipment in Florida including reaction to policy of racial segregation and story illustrating superior conditions of service of US sailors; relationship with US dockyard personnel. Recollections of initial period aboard HMS Cubitt, 1943-1945: first impressions of ship; communication ratings messdeck; question of bunks and hammocks; question of all welded construction; personal morale; US style latrines; story of case of constipation and embarrassing consequences.
REEL 5 Continues: sea trials; ship's rolling and seasickness; nature of wireless office and equipment; relationship with leading telegraphist; opinion of various officers including Lieutenant Commander G D D Gregory; working up trials at Bermuda, 12/1943-1/1944; seasickness and rough weather; visits ashore at Bermuda; reaction to air raid warning during visit to New York; escort of US troopship to GB, 1/1944-2/1944, including size of waves, SOS message received and investigating radar contacts; escort of convoy to Gibraltar, 2/1944, including action station on wireless telephony set on bridge used to communicate with escorts, awareness of threat of German acoustic torpedoes, shadowing Condor shot down by escort carrier, failed attempt to rescue Condor air crew, submarine alarm and story of sinking of HMS Asphodel.
REEL 6 Continues: escort of convoy to Gibraltar, 2/1944, including story of sinking of HMS Asphodel, watch system, shutting down engines and silence to evade acoustic torpedo and depth charge runs while patrolling to rear of convoy; visit ashore at Gibraltar; return convoy to GB, 3/1944. Recollections of period with Nore Command based at Sheerness and Harwich, 4/1944-6/1945: moorings; picket boats; story of seeing man lost overboard on neighbouring destroyer through abuse of rum ration; rum ration; role escorting convoys through English Channel into mid-Atlantic; visits ashore at Southend and Sheerness; relationship with communications ratings and stokers; story of stoker cutting up ribbon of Lieutenant Commander Gregory's DSO; recreations; writing letters.
REEL 7 Continues: washing; reactions to case of homosexuality; washing clothes; question of action on convoys; role escorting tugs towing Mulburry Harbour and PLUTO Pipeline parts; move to Harwich, ca 6/1944; trip to Arromanches, Normandy, France, ca 8/6/1944; close escape from anti-aircraft fire of US landing craft whilst escorting them back to GB; rumour of assignment to Arctic convoys; refit at Tilbury docks and view of German POWs; role supporting MTBs intercepting E Boats in North Sea; story of acting as wireless operator aboard MTB during patrol; story of rescuing crew from burning MTB; nature of patrols with MTBs and action station in wireless office.
REEL 8 Continues: nature of clashes with E Boats in North Sea; opinions of various friends including artist Charles Keeping; progress of war; stories of visit ashore to Rotterdam, Netherlands; celebrations on end of war; conversation with German soldier during visit ashore at Hamburg, Germany; visit ashore at Oslo, Norway; period collecting and sinking U Boats during Operation Deadlight; questions of Far East service and demobilisation; leaving ship. Period at Cookham Camp, 1/1946-6/1946: second hand story of friend avoiding coaling ship; attending course as signwriter.
REEL 9 Contineus: Demobilisation, 6/1946. Post-war career: background to establishing successful business in sign writing, display and exhibition work; question of value of naval service; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; membership of Captain Class Assoc; importance of war experiences; post-war reunions with HMS Cubitt shipmates.
