Interview with William Bates

British telegraphist served aboard HMS Goodall, Escort Group B6 and 19th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Arctic, 3/1944-4/1945 including sinking in Kola Inlet in Arctic, 29/4/1945.

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Bethnal Green and Stepney, London, GB, 1926-1940: social circumstances; education; sporting activities; installation of Anderson Shelter, 1939; issue of gas masks; blackout; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; work at coffee and tea merchant; camping; listening to British Broadcasting Corporation radio reports; fire watching at plywood factory; service with Local Defence Volunteers and 8th (Hackney) Bn City of London Home Guard at Mile End Drill Hall, 1940-1942, including reasons for joining, story of misfire with Spigot Mortar, uniform, guard duties, close escape in rifle accident, training, story of acting as sniper in street fighting exercise, weapons training, slit trenches prepared on Hackney Marshes; acting as runner for anti-aircraft battery; effects of German Air Force raids. REEL 2 Continues: bomb damage to workplace and homes; father's role as chief Air Raid Precautions warden; narrow escape from German Air Force bombs; effects of German Air Force incendiary raid. Recollections of period training as boy seaman at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness, 1943: volunteering for training as boy seaman with Royal Navy, 1942; reception; chalet accommodation; morning routine; rations; drill; physical training and route marches; absence of weapons training; knots. Aspects of period training as telegraphist at HMS Shrapnel, Glasgow, GB, 1943-1944: prior experience in Morse Code; aptitude tests; training in Morse Code; changing wireless coils and batteries; relations with fellow recruits and instructors; question of refusal to nominate religion in pay book; drafting to Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, 5/1944. Recollections of operations telegraphist aboard HMS Goodall Escort Group B6 and 19th Escort Group in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Arctic, 3/1944-4/1945: initial impressions of frigate; communications mess; presence of bunks and assignment to hammock. REEL 3 Continues: laundry; nature of wireless office; story of Lieutenant Delaway receiving shock from transmitting wireless; role receiving coded messages; maintaining wireless silence; watch system; role as cook of mess; question of cleaning duties as telegraphist; recreations; relationship with ratings and arrangement of various messes; opinion of Petty Officer Telegraphist George Finlay, Lieutenant Robert Whyte, Lieutenant James Delaway and Lieutenant Commander James Fulton; question of ship's all welded construction; shore leave in Litherland and Liverpool; anti-submarine patrols off Northern Ireland, 6/1944; seasickness and ship's rolling characteristic; trips to Iceland; German submarine alarms and failed attempt to rescue victims from sinking ferry; operations with HMS Vindex; procedure on asdic contact. REEL 4 Continues: nature of routine; recreational activities; personal morale; sinking of HMS Bullen, 6/12/1944, including reaction to subsequent sinking of German submarine U-297 and loss of ship's rescue whaler due to actions of HMS Hesperus; reactions to wireless reports of sinking of HMS Affleck and HMS Capel, 26/12/1944; question of wireless broadcasts through tannoy; anti-submarine sweeps and inshore work. Recollections of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Goodall during Convoy JW 66 in Arctic, 4/1945: prior rumours; question of cold conditions; change of action station to emergency wireless station and role in event of destruction of main wireless office; quiet voyage out; attitude of Soviet Army troops and children during shore leave in Polyarno; role screening minelaying during Operation Trammel; story of being propositioned by female Soviet signaller. Recollections of torpedoing and sinking of HMS Goodall, 19th Escort Group in Kola Inlet, Soviet Union, 29/4/1945: escorting Convoy RA 66; presence of floating mines; sight of sinking of German submarine U-307; asdic contact; effects on ship of torpedo fired from German submarine U-286; story of being trapped in emergency wireless cabin; escape; attempt to help Signalman Herbert Fry; failed attempt to reach wireless office and state of burning ship. REEL 5 Continues: state of ship's bridge and focsle; presence of corpses of dead crew; orders from Lieutenant James Delaway to move to stern; corpses; question of removal of fuses from depth charges; move forward on starboard side to look for survivors; explosion of Oerlikon 20mm Cannon ammunition and inability to reach Telegraphist Fenwick; rescue of wounded stoker from engine room; presence of burning oil on sea; abandoning ship; holding on to cork float net; effects of cold; death of wounded stoker; clothes worn; effects of oil on eyes; escaping from encircling flames; question of presence of other survivors and Carley Floats on port side of ship; sea conditions; question of loss of consciousness; effect of depth charge detonations; losing consciousness; rescue with assistance by rope thrown from HMS Honeysuckle; treatment; issue of survivors kit; transfer to HMS Vindex; coincidental meeting with neighbour in civilian life; reaction to noise of aircraft taking off; personal morale and reaction to heavy casualties; surviving signallers; medical treatment on arrival in London on VE Day, 8/5/1945; story of telephoning parents. Aspects of period as telegraphist in Royal Navy Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, GB, 5/1945: kitting out; de-briefing over fate of confidential codebooks; compensation payment for lost personal possessions. REEL 6 Continues: reaction of petty officer to death of his son; inadequate treatment as survivors and story of wearing red star in protest; kitting out; recall early from survivors leave; reaction to draft to Far East posting. Aspects of period as telegraphist aboard HMS Derby Haven in India at Singapore, Malaya, 6/1945-10/1946: voyage from GB to India; role as motor launch depot ship; motor launch coastal anti-smuggling patrols; impressions of Singapore, Malaya; story of boxing match to supplement pay; increasing psychological problems and unwillingness to consult doctors; story of cutting down attempted suicide case. Aspects of voyage aboard Landing Ship Tank 304 from Singapore, Malaya to GB, 10/1946-11/1946: effect of storms; story of developing nervous shakes; demobilisation at Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, 11/1946 including lack of prior knowledge and failed attempt to stay in Royal Navy; question of strain of subsequent meeting with families of victims aboard HMS Goodall. Post-war life and employment: initial work for electrical contractors; panic attacks; acceptance for work as plumber and then housing officer with Stepney Metropolitan Borough Council despite medical report indicating nervous disability. REEL 7 Continues: doctor's medical report diagnosing anxiety neurosis; developing symptoms of agoraphobia and question of treatment; work as housing officer with London County Council and Greater London Council, 1950-1978; symptoms of agoraphobia and eventual early retirement, 1978; diagnosis with agoraphobia and claustrophobia; assistance from British Legion in successful application for disability pension from War Pension Scheme, 1993; attitude to taking disability pension; question of contacts with old comrades, membership of naval associations, contacts with members of crew of U-286 crew and attitude towards Germans.