Description
Object description
British boy seaman trained at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 1947-1948; served aboard HMS Barosa in West Indies and GB coastal waters, 1948-1950; seaman served as armourer aboard HMS Comus in Far East and during Korean War, 1951-1954; served aboard MTB 5001 and Landing Craft 4037 in GB coastal waters, 1954-1956
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Benbridge, Isle of Wight and Worcester Park in GB, 1931-1947: family; education; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training as boy seaman at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 1947-1948: background to enlistment; arrival at HMS St Vincent; issue of kit; back-classing due to illness; accommodation; pattern of training; daily routine; adjusting to life as boy seaman; disciplining for being absent without leave; drafting to HMS Duke of York in GB coastal waters, 1/1948-9/1948. Aspects of period as boy seaman aboard HMS Barosa in West Indies and GB coastal waters, 1948-1950: background to drafting to destroyer; watch systems; defence station; duties in West Indies; Mediterranean cruise; attending gunnery course at HMS Excellent, Whale Island, 1950. Recollections of operations as armourer aboard HMS Comus in Far East and during Korean War, 1951-1954: drafting to ship in Singapore; mess arrangements.
REEL 2 Continues: atmosphere in mess; coping with cold weather conditions; shelling of railway line in North Korea; clothing worn in hot weather; duties as armourer at HMS Terror in Singapore; organisation of gunnery branch; duties in gunnery branch; action station; watch system worked; duties with crash boat; recreational activities; make and mend; rum ration; mail and contact with family; return to GB, 1954; discipline aboard; question of what makes a happy ship.
REEL 3 Continues: shore leave in Singapore and Hong Kong; ashore in Japan; entertainment on board; landing South Korean troops on coast; duties of ship in destroyer squadron; bombardment of North Korean coastline and railway lines; action stations; boredom; sailing in poor weather conditions and lack of seasickness; opinion of rations; duration of service on board ship; relations with officers, petty officers and messmates; leave on return to GB. Aspects of period as armourer with Home Fleet, Royal Navy in GB, 1954-1956: drafting to Motor Torpedo Boat 5001 at HMS Hornet, 1954; character of motor torpedo boat; drafting to workshops at HMS Hornet.
REEL 4 Continues: reasons for leaving Royal Navy; drafting to Landing Craft 4037; amphibious exercise in Scotland; vocational training course prior to leaving Royal Navy; process of leaving Royal Navy; attitude to leaving Royal Navy; visit to Korea, 1990s; attitude to service in Royal Navy; employment on return to civilian life; question of not being on Royal Naval Reserve.