Bush, John Fitzroy Duyland (Oral history)

British cadet served aboard HMS Frobisher in GB coastal waters, 1932- 1933; officer served aboard HMS Cumberland on China Station, 1934-1936; served aboard HMS Stronghold in GB coastal waters, 1936-1937; served aboard HMS Nubian in Mediterranean and during Norwegian campaign, 1938-1941; commanded HMS Belvoir in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1942-1944; commanded HMS Zephyr in GB coastal waters, 1944-1945; commanded HMS Chevron in Mediterranean, 1945-1946; served as staff officer with Plans Division at Admiralty in London, GB, 1947-1948; student with US Armed Forces College in Virginia, US, 1948-1949; commanded HMS Cadiz in GB coastal waters, 1950-1951; served as planning officer for Operation Mainbrace in London, GB, 1952; served as Deputy Secretary to Chiefs of Staff Committee and Secretary of the Joint Planning Staff with War Office in London, GB, 1953-1955; commanded 6th Frigate Sqdn in Mediterranean, 1955-1957; served as Commodore Chatham Barracks in GB, 1957- 1959; served as Director of Plans with Admiralty in London, GB, 1959-1960; served as Flag Officer Flotillas in Mediterranean, 1961-1962; served as Commander Naval Staff and Naval Attaché in Washington DC, US, 1963-1965; Vice-Chief of Naval Staff at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1965-1967; served as Commander-in- Chief Western Fleet, Eastern Atlantic and Channel in GB, 1967-1970

REEL 1 Background in Clifton, Bristol, GB, 1914-1932: family; education. Aspects of period as cadet with HMS Frobisher in GB coastal waters, 1932-1933: cruises; attitude to being awarded second-class certificate; attitude to service. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Cumberland on China Station, 1934-1936: joining ship; stationing in China; return to GB and taking further certificates; pattern of training. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Stronghold in GB coastal waters, 1936-1937: appointment to destroyer; duties. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Nubian in Mediterranean, during Norwegian campaign, 1938-1941: appointment to destroyer; activities in Mediterranean, 1939-1940; participation in Norwegian campaign, 1940; return to Mediterranean, 6/1940; torpedoing Italian cruiser Pola during Battle of Matapan; promotion to first lieutenant; bombing of ship off Crete; bombing of merchant vessel on return voyage to GB. Aspects of operations commanding HMS Belvoir in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1942-1944: background to appointment. REEL 2 Continues: reaction to completion of sea trials; Japanese submarine threat off Durban and running aground; move to Port Said; outline of duties in Mediterranean; character of ship; attitude to serving in Mediterranean; bombing of ship during Aegean operations, 1943; morale and time off during boiler cleaning; entering Steamer Creek at Alexandria. Aspects of period commanding HMS Zephyr in GB coastal waters and HMS Chevron in Mediterranean, 1945-1946: joining HMS Zephyr; taking command of HMS Chevron; restrictions on married life; question of women at sea; prior recollection of accidental firing of torpedo at convoy during Sicily landings. REEL 3 Continues: prior recollection of intercepting Italian convoy in HMS Nubian in Mediterranean; attitude to commanding destroyer; return to peace time routine in Mediterranean, 1945; intercepting illegal immigrant ship off Palestine; prior recollection of co-operation with Turks during Aegean operations in HMS Belvoir, 11/1943; glider bomb attack on HMS Dulverton and HMS Belvoir's subsequent sinking off her with torpedoes off Kos, 11/1943; promotion to commander, 12/1946. Aspects of period as staff officer with Plans Division with Admiralty in GB, 1947-1948: role of Plans Division; duties and responsibilities; disposal of naval craft. Aspects of period as cadet with US Armed Forces Staff College in Virginia, US, 1948-1949: foreign students; usefulness of posting. Aspects of period commanding HMS Cadiz in GB coastal waters, 1950- 1951: attitude to appointment; fate of ship in Indo-Pakistan War, 1971; opinion of hostilities only wartime personnel. REEL 4 Continues: story of drowning of naval attaché and three first lieutenants in Portugal. Aspects of period as planning officer for Operation Mainbrace in London, GB, 1952: appointment and staff; nature of Operation Mainbrace; resistance of Americans to placing their forces under foreign command; co-ordination of orders and debriefing after operation; degree of Russian threat; promotion to captain. Aspects of period as Deputy Secretary to Chiefs of Staff Committee and Secretary of the Joint Planning Staff with War Office in London, GB, 1953-1955: duties and responsibilities; swapping role for planning duties; attitude to planning role. Aspects of period commanding 6th Frigate Sqdn in Mediterranean, 1955-1957: appointment to command squadron; lack of contact with family; role of squadron during Suez landings and American interference; ashore at Port Said; opinion of operation; return to GB. Aspects of period as Commodore of Chatham Barracks in GB, 1957-1959: nature of appointment; role and duties including changing messing arrangements. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of loss of Women's Royal Naval Service. Aspects of period as Director of Plans in Admiralty in London, GB, 1959-1960: reaction to appointment; nature of work; opinion of integration of armed services at Ministry of Defence; size of department; relations with First Sea Lord Admiral Caspar John; lecture duties; question of long term planning; opposition to construction of aircraft carriers. REEL 6 Continues: question of Royal Navy working unilaterally or as part of a joint force; question of unsuitability of aircraft carriers for present day naval operations; promotion to rear admiral. Aspects of period as Flag Officer Flotillas, Mediterranean, 1961-1962: role and responsibilities; attending Jamaican and Trinidad Independence celebrations aboard flagship, HMS Blake; situation in Mediterranean. Aspects of period as Commander Naval Staff and Naval Attaché in Washington DC, US, 1963-1965: appointment; social engagements; demotion of Russian naval attaché visit to South Pole; visits to all American states; office duties; negotiations over Polaris programme; visits to White House. REEL 7 Continues: lack of involvement in intelligence matters. Aspects of period as Vice- Chief of Naval Staff at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1965-1967: atmosphere in old Admiralty building and contrast with Ministry of Defence; relations between RAF and Fleet Air Arm; clash with RAF over need for aircraft carriers; cancellation of aircraft carrier programme; question of operating single carriers; plans for through deck cruiser; question of using aircraft carriers unilaterally. REEL 8 Continues: proposed role of through deck cruiser; effect on fleet morale of cancellation of aircraft carrier programme; organising HMS Tiger for talks between Prime Minister Harold Wilson and Rhodesians. Aspects of period as Commander-in-Chief Western Fleet, Eastern Atlantic and Channel in GB, 1967-1970: problem with size of NATO Channel Fleet; American attitude towards their predominance; background to change of name of Home Fleet to Western Fleet; measures to improve morale of fleet; frustrations of defence cuts; question of becoming First Sea Lord; need to divide time between fleet and NATO; reasons for taking retirement, 3/1970. REEL 9 Continues: activities on retirement from Royal Navy; role as Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom.