Description
Object description
British seaman served aboard HMS Anthony in Mediterranean, 1943; served aboard HMS Belfast in Arctic, 1943; officer served with Combined Operations in English Channel, 1944; served aboard LCT 1319 in Far East, 1944-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Barnet, 1924-1942: family; education; fashioning blade from shrapnel; German Air Force attacks in Barnet area; use of shelter. Enlistment and training under Y Scheme with Royal Navy, 1942-1943: background to volunteering, 7/1942; winter conditions on arrival at HMS Collingwood at Fareham, 1/1943; question of not being able to swim. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Anthony in Mediterranean, 4/1943-7/1943: duties as lookout; treatment as potential officer at HMS Collingwood; seasickness on voyage to Casablanca.
REEL 2 Continues: convoy escort duties in Mediterranean; role as flag signaller on leaving harbour; being put on charge for loosing cap; opinion of captain; an attempted case of theft in Casablanca; contracting gastro enteritis in Malta; attack on German U-boat; attitude towards U-boat crew; guard duties on damaged oil drums; sight of German POWs being loaded onto merchant vessels; bombardment of Lampadusar and Pantellaria.
REEL 3 Continues: impressions of Malta; incident of Axis dive- bombing in Gibraltar; leave at home. Recollections of operations as seaman aboard HMS Belfast in Arctic, 10/1943- 1/1944: background to drafting to ship after officer training course; ashore in Scapa Flow; initial impressions of ship; joining writers' messdeck and role as commanders' runner; his action station.
REEL 4 Continues: initial confusion in finding way around on joining ship; conditions in Arctic; conditions for Russian civilians in Murmansk; strength of flotilla; death of reindeer gifted by Russians; reaction to start of Battle of North Cape, 12/1943; atmosphere aboard ship during engagement with Scharnhorst; receiving message that HMS Duke of York had joined engagement; reaction to sinking of Scharnhorst; commissioning after training at HMS King Alfred after leaving HMS Belfast, 1/1944-5/1944. Recollections of period as officer with Combined Operations aboard landing craft in English Channel, 1944: drafting to landing craft; taking metal airfield strips to Normandy; relations with crew and US personnel.
REEL 5 Continues: situation on Omaha Beach after fighting and disposal of bodies floating in water; ashore in Normandy; attitude towards white US personnel behaviour to black personnel; conditions on board landing craft including relations with crew; handling of landing craft. Aspects of period as officer aboard LCT 1319 in Far East, 1944-1946: character of experimental voyage across Indian Ocean from Port Tewfik; amusing story of visit by senior officer; behaviour of dock workers in Bombay.
REEL 6 Continues: training with Duplex Drive Amphibious tanks of 25th Dragoons; opinion of crew; attempts to recover stolen lanterns in out of bounds area of Bombay; demobilisation, 10/1946. Attitude to serving with Royal Navy during Second World War.