Description
Object description
British boy seaman trained at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 3/1938-6/1939; boy seaman and seaman served aboard HMS Sheffield, 18th Cruiser Sqdn in North Sea, North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Arctic, 8/1939-2/1944; petty officer served aboard HMS Arethusa, 12th Cruiser Sqdn in Mediterranean, 1/1945-5/1945; served aboard HMS Truelove, 5th Minesweeping Flotilla in Mediterranean, 1945-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Goudhurst, GB, 1922-1938: family; education; recreational activities; religious beliefs; opinion of school; employment as gardener. Aspects of training as boy seaman at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 3/1938-6/1939: enlistment and accommodation in Chatham Barracks; description of basic training at HMS Ganges; problem of being non-swimmer; selection process; marching; weapons training and sailing skills; climbing mast; story of contracting diptheria and treatment; daily routine at HMS Ganges.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude to shore leave; question of smoking and punishments; attitude to naval life and discipline; opinion of instructors; duties in galley; communication with home; question of pay. Recollections of operations as boy seaman and seaman aboard HMS Sheffield, 18th Cruiser Sqdn in North Sea, North Atlantic, Mediterranean and 8/1939-2/1944: drafting to cruiser, 8/1939; exercises and problem of sea sickness; opinion of ship; position as boy seaman in relation to other ranks; daily duties in Scapa Flow; night watches; attitude to outbreak of Second World War and camouflaging ship, 3/9/1939; scrubbing decks and cleaning ship; explanation of stations and watches; description of role during action stations and firing of guns.
REEL 3 Continues: description of armaments and gun crews on board; joining Force H in Mediterranean, 9/1940; convoy escort duties; involvement in Norwegian campaign, 4/1940; role of Force H and use of radar; bombardment of Genoa, Italy, 8/2/1941; question of personal morale; ship's role shadowing the German battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 5/1940; problem of bad weather and excessive speed; question of Fairey Swordfish aircraft from HMS Ark Royal mistaking HMS Sheffield for the Bismarck, 26/5/1941; shelling of ship by Bismarck and casualties, 26/5/1941; question of being closed up while under fire; funerals for casualties from Bismarck action.
REEL 4 Continues: incident of Supermarine Walrus aircraft crashing into sea; memorial service in Gibraltar Cathedral; taking prisoners from scuttled German submarine supply tanker Fredriche Breme in North Atlantic, 14/6/1941; promotion to able seaman and improvement in pay 10/1940; ship's hitting mine during Convoy PQ 12, 4/3/1942; opinion of officers; attitude to discipline; rum ration; Christmas dinners at sea; recreational activities including ship's concert party; description of watches; shore leave in Gibraltar; communication with home; story relating to girlfriend; promotion to leading seaman; further description of Arctic convoy duties; role as gun layer in turret and problem of ice on guns; role of ship in locating battleship Scharnhorst, 12/1943.
REEL 5 Continues: damage to ship and repairs; working up exercises at Scapa Flow; description of providing naval gunfire support at Salerno, Italy, 14/9/1943 and role as gun layer; further details off Arctic convoy escort duties and problem of frozen turrets; pursuit of battleship Scharnhorst, 12/1943; use of tracer shells and position closed up in turret during Battle of North Cape, 26/12/1943 ; problem of bad weather and damage to propeller; reaction of crew to sinking of Scharnhorst during Battle of North Cape, 26/12/1943; anti-submarine patrols in GB coastal waters; story of taking part in victory parade in Paris, 11/1944. Aspects of operations as petty officer aboard HMS Arethusa in Mediterranean, 1/1944-5/1945: drafting to HMS Arethusa; nature of patrols in Mediterranean; promotion to petty officer and improvement in pay and conditions; comparison between HMS Sheffield and HMS Arethusa; memories of VE Day, 8/5/1945; opinion of Indian troops. Aspects of period as petty officer aboard HMS Truelove; : drafting to minesweeper opinion of minesweeper and accommodation; role and daily duties.
REEL 6 Continues: role as petty officer on minesweeper including duties on sweep deck; types of reels and wires used and functions; problem of dummy mines and use of acetylene cutters; methods of exploding mines; types of mines encountered. Recollections of service as petty officer and chief petty officer with Royal Navy, 1946-1962: further minesweeping duties in Mediterranean; return to GB for duties with Home Fleet; decision to staying in Royal Navy; gunnery training; drafting to HMS Surprise as chief petty officer, 1952-1955; nature of duties and role of ship including use by Queen Elizabeth II and Lord Louis Mountbatten; amusing story of Sir Malcolm Sargent; story of meeting Lord Louis Mountbatten and promotion to chief bosun's mate.
REEL 7 Continues: posts as chief instructor in GB; leaving Royal Navy, 1962; return to civilian life and employment with General Post Office (GPO); reflections on naval career.