Description
Object description
British stoker served aboard HMS Empress of India in Mediterranean, 1927-1928; served aboard HMS Marlborough on China Station, 1929-1930; served aboard HMS Devonshire in Mediterranean, 1931-1932; served aboard HMS Dehli in Mediterranean, 1932-1933; petty officer served aboard HMS Centurion in Mediterranean, 1933; served aboard HMS Furious in GB coastal waters, 1934-1935; served aboard HMS Norfolk in GB coastal waters, 1938-1939; Master at Arms served aboard HMS Aloninia in Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1940-1944; served aboard HMS Speaker in GB coastal waters and Pacific, 1944-1945; served at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in GB, 1946-1947; served aboard HMS Defiance in Devonport, GB, 1947-1949
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Plymouth, GB, 1907-1926: family; education; father's wounding during Zeebrugge Raid during First World War; inspection from official from Grand Fleet Fund; apprenticeship to hardware business; membership of boy scouts during First World War; rationing. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Navy in GB, 1926-1927: enlistment; work as stoker and longevity; training as stoker; pattern of initial training. Aspects of period as stoker as HMS Empress of India in Mediterranean, 1927-1928: coaling ship; messing arrangements; rum ration.
REEL 2 Continues: supplementing rations; work as stoker; dealing with clinker; description of fire bar; reaction to having to wear monkey suit in boiler; discipline on board; character of officers including Thai officers on board HMS Devonshire, 1931. Aspects of period as stoker aboard HMS Marlborough on China Station, 1929-1930: coaling at Gibraltar; running out of coal near Aden; promotion; story of patrolling off Palestine in HMS Dehli, 1932-1933.
REEL 3 Continues: contracting ulcer and potential threat to his career; drafting to HMS Centurion; role of HMS Centurion as radio controlled target ship. Aspects of period as stoker on board HMS Devonshire in Mediterranean, 1931-1932: work as stoker; accident to Royal Marine gun crew on turret; question of presence of 'Drake's drum being cause of accidents on board; Mediterranean cruise; smell from Russian warship in Black Sea; ashore in Malta; cigarettes on board; band on board ship; ports visited; ashore in Palestine.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as petty officer aboard HMS Furious in GB coastal waters, 1934-1935: aircraft on board. Aspects of period as petty officer aboard HMS Norfolk in GB coastal waters, 1938-1993: sounding of hunting horn aboard HMS Norfolk at start of Second World War, 9/1939; capture of German merchant vessels. Aspects of period as Master at Arms aboard HMS Aloninia in Atlantic and Indian Ocean, 1940-1944: convoy escort duties in Atlantic; duties as Master at Arms; move to Indian Ocean, 1942; ashore in Halifax, Canada; armament on board merchant cruiser; rations; taking tea with Bishop of Bombay, 4/1943; reads postcard from Bishop of Bombay and calling up papers.
REEL 5 Continues prior recollection of voyage from GB to Shanghai aboard HMS Marlborough, 1929; contrast between coal burning HMS Marlborough and oil burning HMS Devonshire; ashore in Halifax, Canada, 12/1941; escorting oil tankers in Persian Gulf; incident of loss of seamen in Bombay harbour; meeting with berthing master at Bombay; in isolation after crew members contracted smallpox, 1943; evacuating female personnel to Colombo; rations available in Persian Gulf.
REEL 6 Continues: duties in Persian Gulf; troop transport duties in Indian Ocean; injuries incurred by premature explosion of depth charge during Atlantic convoy; duties as Master at Arms; memories of captain; joining ship and ship's crew; reasons for demoting crew members; leaving ship, 1944. Aspects of operations as Master at Arms aboard HMS Speaker in GB coastal waters and Pacific, 1944-1945: background to drafting to ship in Scotland; origin of ship; use of arrester wire.
REEL 7 Continues: removal of damaged aircraft; reaction to first landing of Grumman Hellcat on board; incident of accidental firing of guns of Grumman Hellcat; memories of captain; arrival of Scottish officer who he had known during 1930s; entering Tokyo Bay, 8/1945; processing of former POWs; question of problems of sending former naval POWs back to GB too quickly.
REEL 8 Continues: souvenirs taken by shore party; sight of devastation in Nagasaki; transporting former Australian POWs back to Sydney; return to River Clyde; post-war visit to Commander Duncan; prior recollection of captain's secretary aboard HMS Aloninia; promotion to senior Master of Arms in Royal Navy aboard HMS Aloninia. Aspects of period as Master at Arms at Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose, 1946-1947: reaction to drafting to.
REEL 9 Continues: commissioning of Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose, 1946; duties at station. Aspects of period as Master at Arms aboard HMS Defiance in Devonport, GB, 1947-1949: reception on arrival; memories of commander; method of scarring seagulls away; demobilisation, 1949; joining Admiralty Police.
REEL 10 Continues: reasons for not accepting promotion with Admiralty Police and resigning; employment after leaving Admiralty Police; question of changes in Royal Navy between 1926 and 1949.