Luff, Frank Stanley (Oral history)

British signaller served aboard HMS Hillary in Mediterranean and English Channel, 1943-1944

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Walworth, London, 1924-1942: social circumstances; education at open air school, Clapham Common, 1935-1938; work in leather goods factory, 1938-199; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; question of effects of war on work in leather goods factory, 1939-1942; air raid shelters; effect of evacuation on family; story of looting after German bomb hit flats; story of bomb hitting factory air raid shelter and subsequent visit to medical treatment centre; temporary accommodation prior to move to Camberwell; fire watching; training with Camberwell Home Guard, Flodden Road Barracks, 1941-1942, including street fighting exercises, hand grenade accident, tactical exercises, and guard duties; compensation for being bombed out of home; background to call up for training as signaller with Royal Navy, 11/1942. REEL 2 Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during training as signaller with HMS Impregnable Shore Station, Plymouth, 11/1942-5/1943: reception; hut accommodation; kitting out; meeting divisional officer; food rations; cleaning fatigues; course of remedial PT; training in Morse code, semaphore, flag signalling and fleet manoeuvres; lack of ammunition during coastal defence duties; story of running aground in cutter on River Tamar; question of seamanship training; failed attempt to learn to swim; canteen and story of drinking cider; recreational visits to Plymouth; nature of code books and code training; relationship with recruits. REEL 3 Continues: relationship with instructors; bugle calls; special friends; preparing for kit inspections; assessment. Period at Yeovil, 5/1943-6/1943. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during period as signaller aboard HMS Hilary, 6/1943-1/1945: joining ship at Troon, 6/1943; special adaptations to ship for communications role with invasion forces; armament; effect on morale of ex-prisoners with status as merchant seaman; nature of messdeck; washing clothes; latrines; story of nudist leading seaman; general messing system and food; water supply; signal duties on flag deck; presence of Yeoman of Signals Ted Briggs; watch system and fatigues. REEL 4 Continues: move to Glasgow; 'sealing ' of ship prior to briefing by Mountbatten; model of Normandy invasion beaches; question of use of daylight signalling lamp as part of deception plan; seasickness; opinion of Admiral Vian and Captain James Paget; problems with convoy station keeping; route through Mediterranean; landing at Sicily, 7/1943; story of taking shelter in Admiral Vian's cabin during Stuka dive bomb raid on ship; transport of Italian POWs; ship's role organising landing craft; story of elderly signaller casualty; coaling ship at Tripoli, Libya; arrival of Commodore Oliver; problem with fire breaking out in coal bunkers during invasion convoy to Salerno, Italy; operations during Salerno landings, 9/1943, including shallow nature of beachhead, shelling from German tanks, shore bombardment by HMS Warspite and German radio controlled bombs; crew morale; Italian surrender, 9/1943; cocoa; ship's canteen; smoking habits. REEL 5 Continues: use of carrier pigeons by naval forward observation officers; case of nervous breakdown; state of harbour on move to Naples, 10/1943; story illustrating starvation of Italian civilians; water supply; German air attack during visit by Italian general; shore leave; water rationing; reception on arrival at Algiers, Algeria, 10/1943; film shows; comparison of conditions of service on visit to US ship; visits ashore including Arab pickpocket, canteen and ship's dance in warehouse; voyage to Gibraltar; re-supply with water; period in Gibraltar dry dock including shore latrines, guard duties, visits ashore and contact with Italian sailors; story of selling cigarettes to Italian civilians in Naples, 10/1943; difficulty in taking lamp signals in crowded lit harbours; convoy back to GB, 12/1943, including detour to avoid U Boats, effects of storm, water shortages and damage to ship; period of refitting in Southampton dry dock. REEL 6 Continues: story of collision during German air raid; leave; question of contact with brother; rehearsal landing exercises; move to Cowes; question of circumstances of not saluting officers; signals practice; deception to conceal movements of wireless operators; visit by Admiral Ramsey; question of postponement of D Day; Channel crossing, 5/6/1944-6/6/1944; religious service; approach to beach with HMS Belfast; naval bombardment and rocket launchers; visit by Montgomery; German air attacks and story illustrating effects of bombing; duties as signaller; personal morale; jelly fish; treating wounded aboard ship; transfer of Admiral Vian to ship; visit by George VI; effects of storm and importance of anchoring Mulberry harbours.> REEL 7 Continues: V1 attacks; threat of acoustic mines; return to GB; leave; attack of scabies after period in shore camp at Cowes; story of receiving lengthy complex signal for RAF liaison officer; effects of collision with HMS Brigadier and subsequent investigation and repairs; move to Loch Fine, 1/1945; rum ration; pay and question of promotion; end of ship's commission, 1/1945; cold weather during train journey to Devonport, 1/1945. Period at Devonport Barracks, 1/1945-7/1945. Period aboard HMS Starling, 7/1945: joining ship at Jarrow; New Zealander composition of crew; story of shore leave. REEL 8 Continues: nature of working up trials under Commander Stevenson at Tobermory; cancellation of Far East posting following VE Day, 8/1945; move to Devonport; marriage, 7/1945. Period aboard HMS Redwing attached to HMS Defiance at Devonport, 1945-1946: story illustrating difficulty in handling ship; loading stores; attempt to repair electricity supply; snooker tables aboard HMS Defiance. Background to demobilisation from HMS Impregnable, ca 5/1946. Post-war career: return to work at leather goods factory; question of acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; membership of Royal Naval Assoc.