Description
Object description
British cook trained at HMS Victory, Portsmouth in GB, 1939-1940; served as cook with with 768 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath in GB and aboard HMS Argus in GB coastal waters, 1940-1942; served aboard HMS Spey in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1942-1944; served aboard submarine HMS Taku in GB coastal waters, 1944-1945; various draftings with Submarine Service in GB coastal waters and Atlantic, 1945-1953
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Redhill and Kingswood, GB, 1920-1939: family; education; interest in politics; employment; opposing Blackshirt meetings. Recollections of enlistment and training as cook with Royal Navy at Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Victory, Portsmouth, GB, 1939-1940: volunteering for Royal Navy, 1939; arrival at Royal Naval Barracks at HMS Victory, Portsmouth; issue of uniform and obtaining No 1 suit; pattern of cookery training; opinion of food available in Royal Navy; bombing of galley in barracks; basic naval training; accommodation in messes; working routine.
REEL 2 Continues: initial embarrassment of recruits at being asked to strip off clothing; adjusting to naval life; lack of problems with discipline during naval career; contact with family; shore leave; defence duties in Portsmouth, 6/1940; return to Royal Naval Barracks at HMS Victory. Aspects of period as cook with 768 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station, Arbroath and aboard HMS Argus in GB coastal waters, 1940-1942: drafting to squadron at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath, 12/1940; drafting to aircraft carrier HMS Argus, 1/1941; duties; nature of canteen messing; watch system worked; organisation of cooking; provisioning of aircraft carrier; action station with stretcher party; sleeping and messing arrangements; uniform worn by cooks; washing facilities; recreational activities.
REEL 3 Continues: shore leave; duties on attachment at HMS Landrail, Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish; marriage, 12/1941. Aspects of operations as cook aboard HMS Spey, 10th Escort Group in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1942-1944: drafting to frigate; conditions on board corvette; problems with first assistant; baking bread; cooking facilities; duration of service on board; escort duties; frigate's sinking of German Navy submarines; opinion of captain Commander Humphry Boys-Smith; ashore in Freetown, Sierra Leone; conditions in North and South Atlantic; separation from wife and leave available; seasickness. Aspects of training with Submarine Service in GB, 1944: background to volunteering for submarine service; escape training at HMS Dolphin, Gosport; submarine training.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as cook aboard submarine HMS Taku in GB coastal waters and North Sea, 1944-1945: opinion of captain Lieutenant George Hunt; work as cook; provisioning of submarine; submarine pay and clothing allowance; daily cooking routine; washing up in messes; bread making; restrictions on water use; removal of waste from submarine; diving station on ballast tanks and action station on gun; sleeping arrangements; reasons for staying as leading hand; size of mess; smell on board; clothing worn; reasons for presence of water on board; discipline on board; duration of patrols; degree of communication.
REEL 5 Continues: meal routine; rum ration; Sunday Divisions; naval traditions; flying flag; clash with coxswain over menu; role of submarine as training boat; paying off of submarine after VE Day. Aspects of period with Submarine Service in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1945-1953: contrast between S and T Class Submarines; exercises in North Atlantic; effects of being short handed; problems with water supply in Canada; incident when submarine was damaged on rocks; occasion when whole submarine food supply was eaten in six days; games organised at sea; personalities on board submarine; why submarine HMS Token was the happiest submarine he served on in 1946.
REEL 6 Continues: exercising in West Indies; reasons for leaving Royal Navy; process of demobilisation from Royal Navy, 1953; return to civilian employment and number of ex-naval men encounter.