Description
Object description
British civilian apprentice electrical fitter in Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, GB, 1940-1944; assistant draughtsman in Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, GB, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Plymouth, GB, 1925-1940: family; education; service presence in Plymouth; leaving school. Recollections of period as civilian apprentice electrical fitter in Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, GB, 1940-1945: disappearance of visable unemployed; selection as apprentice electrical fitter in dockyard school; school syllabus; signing indenture and medical examination; arrival at dockyard, 9/1940; assignment to instructor; first German Air Force raid, 1940; reaction to being under bombing; work on naval vessels in yard.
REEL 2 Continues: bombing of family homes during German Air Force raid; 3/1941; German Air Force raid on dockyard, 4/1941; threat of unexploded bombs; damage to dockyard power station; fire watching; sleeping in bath after damage to family home; night-time evacuation of Plymouth during heavy bombing; last heavy raid on Plymouth area; work on fire control items; description of winding shop; injury and treatment; change in intensity of German raids; nature of damage to family home; bombing of family home, 1943.
REEL 3 Continues: digging for neighbours; finding new accommodation; obtaining clothing; looting of family home; attitude of instructors; description of fire control system on board ships; apprentice pay; father's work in dockyard; loss of public houses in bombing; cycling holidays; dockyard work, 1943-1944; visits to Admirals' office with plans, 12/1943.
REEL 4 Continues: work in drawing office; move of dockyard school; examinations, 5/1944; damaged ships brought into dockyard, 1941; opinion of HMS Hood; attitude of population to MP Lady Astor; practical work undertaken; opinion of instructors; class system in Plymouth; vehicle build up to D- Day in Plymouth area, 6/1944; relations with American servicemen; results of final examinations. Aspects of period as Assistant Draughtsman in Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, GB, 1944-1945: employment in dockyard as assistant draughtsman, summer 1944; popular attitude to war, 1944-1945; living conditions for family above grocer shop; reasons for wanting to leave dockyard, 1945; dealing with Standard Admiralty Orders.
REEL 5 Continues: reasons for employees wanting to leave dockyard, 1945; reaction to VE Day celebrations, 5/1945; employment after leaving dockyard, 1947. Story of arrest for crossing boom during boat trip into estuary to collect birds' eggs.