Interview with Geoffrey Flack

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Description

Object description

British seaman trained as writer at HMS Drake, Devonport, GB, 1940-1941; petty officer served a writer aboard HMS Rodney, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1941-1942; petty officer and officer served with Special Branch, Royal Navy in GB and GB coastal waters, 1943-1944; served with Naval Party 117 in GB and Germany, 1944-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Ossett, GB, 1919-1940: family; family home; childhood memories; economic conditions in area during 1930s; education; hobbies and church activities; attending University of Leeds, 1937-1940; nature of visit to Germany, 1936; awareness of situation in Europe. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of enlistment and training as writer with Royal Navy in GB, 1940-1941: reaction of parents to his call-up to Royal Navy, summer 1940; arrival at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness; decision to become writer; opinion of HMS Royal Arthur as training facility; pattern of basic training; adjusting to life in Royal Navy; move to Devonport to start training as writer; German Air Force raids on Plymouth area; meeting wife prior to drafting to HMS Rodney; training as writer at HMS Drake, Devonport; daily routine; pay; recreational activities. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as writer aboard HMS Rodney, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1941-1943: drafting to ship at HMNB Rosyth, 1/1941; allocation to No 1 Mess; use of hammocks; messing arrangements; recreational activities on board ship; giving talks on classical music; facilities available ashore at Scapa Flow; organisation of writer's work including use of ledgers; dealing with crew's pay; preparing ledgers for action stations. REEL 4 Continues: work of paymaster; organisation of pay section; his action station; duties at action station; loudspeaker communication used by captain; escorting convoys in North Atlantic, early 1941; description of the 'Rodney Roll'; conditions on board; extra cargo and passengers carried for voyage across North Atlantic for refit in Boston, United States of America, 5/1941; diversion to hunt for German battleship Bismarck, 5/1941; reaction to loss of HMS Hood in North Atlantic, 24/5/1941; participation in hunt for German battleship Bismarck, 5/1941; effects of firing on German battleship Bismarck. REEL 5 Continues: aftermath of sinking of German battleship Bismarck, 27/5/1941; reasons for HMS Rodney leaving when German battleship Bismarck was sunk, 27/5/1941; damage to mess from shelling; atmosphere on board after sinking of German battleship Bismarck; return to GB; voyage from GB to Boston, United States of America; ashore in Boston, United States of America; working up off Bermuda; joining Force H at Gibraltar; participation in Operation Pedestal in Mediterranean, 8/1942; move to Iceland and patrolling in North Atlantic; crossing the line ceremony; long refit. Recollections of period as petty officer and officer with Special Branch in GB and aboard HMS Albrighton in GB coastal waters, 1942-1944: training with Special Branch; role listening to German Navy E-boat communications; attachment to HMS Albrighton; duties as writer; working area on board HMS Albrighton; discovery of German Navy E-boats using buoys as cover. REEL 6 Continues: secondment to Royal Air Force in Kent; commissioning; work on aircraft carriers; relations with other ranks as officer; ashore in Normandy, France, 1944; lack on awareness of situation during operations. Aspects of period as officer with Naval Party 117 in GB and Germany, 1944-1945: training duties; move to Flensburg harbour; situation in Germany, 5/1945; duties at Flensburg; demobilisation process, 11/1945 and return to civilian life; attitude to serving on board HMS Rodney and formation of HMS Rodney Association.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
White, Jo (Recorder)
Flack, Geoffrey (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2003-10-01
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 25527

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Interview with Geoffrey Flack

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