Description
Object description
British marine NCO served with HMS Royal Sovereign in Scotland, North Atlantic, Far East and USA, 1941-1944
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in St Johns Wood, London, 1920-194: social circumstances; education; work as off licence errand boy, 1934-1936; work as 'jelly boy' for Gainsborough Studios, 1936-1937; work as cinema projectionist at Savoy Theatre, Burnt Oak, 1937-1940; training with Army Cadets, Middlesex Regt, Pound Lane Drill Hall, Willesdon, 1936-1937, including uniform, PT, drill and annual camp; service with 3rd (City of London) Royal Fusiliers, 1937-1940, including call up to guard munitions factory at Ashford during Munich crisis, 1938, assisting in weapons training, firing on ranges and question of firing rifle left handed.
REEL 2 Continues: service with 3rd (City of London) Royal Fusiliers, 1937-1940, including call up during Munich crisis, 1938, background to volunteering for Royal Marines; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; air raid precautions; call up, 11/1940. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during training with Royal Marines at Chatham Barracks, 11/1940-10/1941: organisation of Royal Marine divisions and homeports; reception; barrack room accommodation; relationship with recruits and allocation to squad; morning routine; food rations; kitting out; value of TA experience; drill; weapons training; unarmed combat skills.
REEL 3 Continues: map reading and tactical exercises; relationship with instructors and officers; rejection for officer training; recruits failing course; basic seamanship training; training on Oerlicken; 6" gun drill and use of director layer; drill on breech assembly of 15" gun; sound of 4" twin gun; visits to Chatham and drinking habits.
REEL 4 Continues: preparing for kit inspections and nature of discipline; passing out parade; marriage, 6/1941; watch system; guard duties. Recollections of period aboard HMS Royal Sovereign, 1941-1943: reception on joining ship at Greenock, 10/1941; role as captain of right hand 15" gun of 'X' Turret and operation of loading mechanism; role of 15" gun turret crew members.
REEL 5 Continues: nature of messdeck including lockers and hammocks; general messing system, role of cook of day and food; rum ration; make and mend sessions; action station on 'X' Turret; cruising station as gunlayer on P6 6" gun casement or 4" anti-aircraft twin turret; action stations procedure.
REEL 6 Continues: ignorance of movements; nature of North Atlantic convoys; watch keeping duties as corporal of gangway, key board sentry, cell sentry and focsle sentry; role of RM sergeant major checking ship's clocks; relationship with stokers, ratings, marines, NCOs, officers and midshipmen; clashed with U Boats; nature of convoys and effects of rough weather; anti-submarine role; role against German capital ships.
REEL 7 Continues: nature of Russian convoys and clothes to counter cold conditions; composition of escort force and ship's nickname 'Tiddly Quid'; visits ashore at Halifax, Nova Scotia; Canada; periods at Rosyth; question of cleaning duties; visits ashore; question of washing uniform; latrines; role cleaning officer's bathrooms and question of right to take bath; background to promotion to corporal, 1/1943; role as guard commander and corporal of gangway; voyage to Far East; composition of fleet.
REEL 8 Continues: change into khaki service drill; gun drill and competitions; question of movements and convoys in Indian Ocean; hospitality of South African civilians during period at Durban, South Africa; reaction to apartheid system; voyage to Philadelphia, US; opinion of Captain Peter Skelton. Period at Philadelphia, 1943-1944: reception; refitting with armoured deck; story of getting US dock worker drunk on rum ration; story of tracing aunt in Detroit.
REEL 9 Continues: duties on care and maintenance party; relationship with US civilians and recreations; participation in ceremonial parade; story of competitive drill display with US Marines; story of deserter from HMS Resolution; escort duties for drunk sailors; story of sailor attacked by US sailors; relationship with US Marines; exercises in Blue Ridge Mountains; nature of US bars; relationship with US civilians; carrying evacuated British schoolchildren back to GB. Story of handing over HMS Royal Sovereign to Soviet Union crew, 5/1944: cruise with joint crew; attitude of Soviet crew; handover and renaming as Archangel; drinking rum on leaving ship. Period in Chatham Barracks, 5/1944-3/1946: question of duties acting as 'rear rank' instructor.
REEL 10 Continues: attending NCOs' course at Deal, 1945, including morning parade, syllabus and passing with distinction; nature of tunnels used for sleeping quarters; demobilisation, 3/1946. Post-war career: work as model maker; membership of Royal Marine and Royal Naval Assoc; role as ceremonial standard-bearer; service with Royal Marines Voluntary Reserve.