Laker, Peter (Oral history)

British served as supply assistant aboard HMS Viceroy, 1940-1942; served as leading supply assistant aboard HMS Bentick, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Horsham and Brighton, 1922-1940: father's military service; family background and social circumstances; education; athletic activities; Boys Brigade activities; religious beliefs; school certificate; work as office boy, 1938-1940; awareness of approach of war; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; father's employment situation; lack of air raid shelter; blackout; question of rationing; effects of war on officer work; view of aerial fighting, 1940; service with Home Guard, 1939-1940; background to volunteering as supply assistant into Royal Navy, 9/1940.> REEL 2 Recollections of period at HMS Royal Arthur Shore Station, Skegness, 9/1940-11/1940: prior journey; reception; chalet accommodation; kitting out; drill; seamanship training; rifle training; food rations; relationship with recruits and instructors; visits to Immingham. Period with Nelson Barracks, Portsmouth and HMS Excellent, Whale Island, 11/1940: joining routine; absence of training as supply assistant and duties on attachment to General Mess Office; question of avoiding posting to submarines and volunteering for destroyers; reactions to draft to HMS Viceroy; loss of kit due to German bombing of barracks; re-kitting out at HMS Excellent. Recollections of period as supply assistant aboard HMS Viceroy, 12/1940-11/1942: joining ship at Rosyth; nature of ship and messdeck; nature of East Coast convoys to Thames including joining convoy in Firth of Forth, convoy discipline, role issuing naval stores, action stations on forward ammunition party and as Oerlicken loader, increased German air and E-Boat threat on passing Flamborough Head, fog problems and problems with early radar.> REEL 3 Continues: nature of East Coast convoys to Thames including lookout duty in crows nest, daytime German dive bomber attacks, night attacks by E-Boats, reinforcements, German mines, continuous periods of action stations, canteen messing system, role of 'cooks of mess' and food, cocoa, personal morale, refuelling and resupply in Thames estuary, participation as part of London anti-aircraft barrage when at Tilbury docks, visits to Southend and northbound return convoys; replenishing naval stores; story of painting ship for King George V inspection; visits ashore to Dunfermline and Edinburgh; relationship with Scottish civilians; relationship with officers and ratings; story of being mined off Sunderland.> REEL 4 Continues: story of being mined off Sunderland; period of repairs at North Shields; dry dock repairs; story of meeting future wife during visit to Newcastle upon Tyne; rough weather in Pentland Firth; question of seasickness; move to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 10/1942; nature of Atlantic convoys; move to Pollock Dock, Belfast, 11/1942; rough weather whilst escorting convoys in Irish Sea; promotion to leading hand and leaving ship, 11/1942. Period at Nelson Barracks, Portsmouth, 11/1942-7/1943: question of shore posting; marriage, 1/1943; flat accommodation in Southsea; duties on beef screen organising distribution of meat for kitchens; question of obtaining extra meat for personal use; German air raids; Toc H; status as barracks staff. Period posted to Combined Operations duty at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, 11/1943-3/1944.> REEL 5 Period posted to Combined Operations duty at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, 11/1943-3/1944. Period at Nelson Barracks, Portsmouth, 3/1944. Voyage to New York, US, 3/1944. Period at Fargo Barracks, Boston, 3/1944-4/1944: first sight of unfinished prefabricated ship; relationship with US civilians. Period as leading supply hand aboard HMS Bentinck, 4th Escort Group, ca 4/1944-8/1945: nature of ship; nature of messdeck and bunks; freezer and fridge storage facilities; general messing system; status of ship as group leader; working up trials at Bahamas; action stations with forward repair damage repair party; voyage via Azores to Pollock Docks, Belfast; composition of 4th EG; role escorting troopship convoys to Naples, Italy including German bombing attacks, radio controlled bombs, recreational visits ashore at Naples an absence of submarine attacks; rum ration; daily routine including duties on radar and book keeping.> REEL 6 Continues: daily routine including issue of rum ration, duties and recreations; washing clothes; showers; latrines; relationship with officers and crew; nature of convoy to Murmansk, Soviet Union, 5/1945, including rendezvous with convoy off Iceland, cold conditions and icing up problem, German reconnaissance aircraft, U Boat attacks, arrival and move up to Polyarno, relationship with Soviet personnel, recreations, state of Soviet civilians and return voyage; prior anti-submarine patrols; VE Day, 8/5/1945; question of conversion of ship to inshore control ship for Far East service; end of commission; . Period at Portsmouth, 1945-1946. Demobilisation, 1946. Post-war career: lack of accommodation and consequent move to Newcastle upon Tyne; career as civil servant; difficulty in acclimatising to civilian lifestyle; athletics activities and foundation of Gateshead Stadium.