Description
Object description
British cook trained at HMS Victory, Portsmouth in GB, 1939-1940; served as cook with with 768 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Condor in GB and aboard HMS Argos in GB coastal waters, 1940-1942; served aboard HMS Spey in 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 HMS Victory in GB, 1939-1940: volunteering for Royal Navy, 1939; arrival at barracks at HMS Victory, Portsmouth; issue of uniform and obtaining No 1 suit; pattern of cookery training; opinion of food 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 barracks. Aspects of period as cook with 768 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Condor and aboard HMS Argos in GB coastal waters, 1940-1942: drafting to squadron HMS Condor, 12/1940; drafting to aircraft carrier HMS Argos, 1/1941; duties; character 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: recreational activities; shore leave; duties on attachment at Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Landow; marriage, 12/1941. Aspects of operations as cook aboard HMS Spey in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1942-1944: drafting to corvette; conditions on board; problems with first assistant; baking bread; cooking facilities; duration of service onboard; escort duties; ship's sinking of U-boats, 1942; opinion of captain; 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 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 Atlantic, 1945-1953: contrast between S and T Class submarines; exercises in 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, 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.