Description
Object description
British marine served with Royal Marines in GB and Japan, 1944-1946; NCO served with Royal Marines aboard HMS Triumph in Mediterranean, 1947-1948; served with Armourers Shop at HMS Excellent, Whale Island in GB, 1948-1949; served aboard HMS Belfast in Far East and off Korea Peninsula, 1949-1950; served with Royal Naval Gunnery School, HMS Excellent, Whale Island, GB, 1950-1952; served aboard HMS Superb in Mediterranean and Caribbean, 1952-1953; served with Falkland Force on Falkland Islands, 1953-1954; served with Royal Naval Gunnery School, HMS Excellent, Whale Island, GB, 1954-1958; served aboard HMS Newfoundland in Far East, 1958; officer served with Joint Services Establishment at Poole in GB, 1958-1960; served with Royal Marine Volunteer Reserve in Glasgow, GB, 1960-1963; served as Pay and Records Officer with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden, Aden Protectorate, 1963-1964; served as Pay and Records Officer with Initial Training Centre, Royal Marines at Lympstone in GB, 1964-1967; served with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Singapore and Indian Ocean, 1967-1970; served with Naval Pay and Records Project at HMS Centurion, Gosport in GB, 1970-1974
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1920-1944: family military service; employment. Recollections of enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1944: reasons for volunteering for Royal Marines; basic training at Royal Marines Depot Deal, 1/1944-6/1944; physical training; individual and teamwork; drill and treatment by instructors; weapons training; charge for breaking bayonet; use of live ammunition during training and fatal accident with grenade; field training; origins of squad recruits; degree of contact with officers; accommodation and messing; cleaning kit; education in history of Royal Marines; nature of squad.
REEL 2 Continues: gunnery training at Plymouth; gun crew and duties; breach operation and fuse setting; differences between QF 4 Inch Naval Gun and QF 6 Inch Naval Gun; advanced field training at HMNB Chatham, including house clearing exercises; training on Ordnance ML 3 Inch Mortar, Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT) and Vickers Machine Gun; uses of Ordnance SBML Two Inch Mortar; sea service training at HMS Pembroke, HMNB Chatham; landing craft training at Barmouth; indirect fire and sighting training; live firing exercises; VE Day at Poole, 8/5/1945; general duties in holding camp. Aspects of period as marine aboard landing craft LCG(M)1091 and LCG(M) 1901 in GB and Japan, 1945-1946: commissioning of LCG(M) 1901; move to Japan; crew of LCG(M) 1901.
REEL 3 Continues: transfer to LCG(M) 1901 conditions on board LCG(M) 1901; duties in bonded warehouse; relations between seamen and marines. Aspects of training on corporals course at Royal Marines Depot Deal, GB, 1946: syllabus of training; system of annual reports; basics of leadership; pattern of training; posting to HMS Ganges, Shotley at end of course, 1947. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Triumph in Mediterranean, 1947-1948: drafting to light fleet carrier; duties with marine detachment; joining light fleet carrier at Malta; life on board; types of aircraft flown from carrier; visit to Venice, Italy; training ashore. Aspects of period with HMS Pembroke at HMNB Chatham in GB, 1948-1949: training as armourer; content of course; checking of guns.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Belfast in the Far East and off Korean Peninsula, 1949-1950: voyage on troopship from GB to Hong Kong; drafting to cruiser; duties off mouth River Yangste, China during time of Yangste Incident, 4/1949-7/1949; sight of HMS Amethyst in Hong Kong; gunnery training; duties as breach worker on QF Six Inch Naval Gun in Y Turret including operating breach and loading drill; incident with shell stuck in breach; move to Japan, 1950; bombardment duties off North Korea; armourer's work. Aspects of period as NCO with Armourers Shop at Royal Naval Gunnery School, HMS Excellent, Whale Island, GB, 1950-1952: duties; staff and work of shop; repairing equipment damaged by recruits.
REEL 5 Continues: repair work. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Superb in Mediterranean and Caribbean, 1952-1953: drafting to ship; Mediterranean cruise; sergeants' mess; routine in dry dock during refit at HMNB Chatham; move to Caribbean. Recollections of period as NCO with Royal Marines with Falkland Force on Falkland Islands, 1953-1954: orders to move rapidly to Falkland Islands; briefing for landings on Deception Island; sea conditions an blocking of entry to Deception Island by ice; duties observing Argentinean bases and role to prevent unauthorised party leaving; contact between Argentine Navy and British parties; conditions on Deception Island, Antarctica; transfer of Argentine Navy party to ship at South Georgia; move to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; leaving party on Deception Island, Antarctica; return to Deception Island, Antarctica; issue of cold weather clothing; reporting on Argentine Navy party's activities; mail and mess arrangements; issue of windproof suits.
REEL 6 Continues: size of shore party; decision to remove shore party after ship SV John Briscoe freed from ice, 1952; character of Falkland Islands Defence Force weaponry; inspection visit to Jason Islands, Falkland Islands; degree of threat felt by Falkland Islanders; conditions during march across Falkland Islands; move to wireless station; accommodation and facilities at wireless station; tactical training; supplementing rations; weekly runs ashore; question of abuse of alcohol; relations with civilians; training seamen landing parties; National Service marine sent home for discharge; role as permanent detachment in Falkland Islands; visit to Grytviken, South George; reasons for voyage to Deception Island, Antarctica.
REEL 7 Continues: precautionary searches for Argentine Navy activity and seal poachers; gunnery exercises, including firing Hedgehog Mortar; exercises; difficulties of boarding ships; arrival of Chilean Navy frigate during visit to Deception Island, Antarctica; growth of Royal Marine detachment in Falkland Islands; discouragement of Royal Marines who wanted to stay on in Falkland Islands. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Naval Gunnery School, HMS Excellent, Whale Island, GB, 1954-1958: few changes on return to Royal Naval Gunnery School; development in machinery; receiving entertainment from Soviet Navy during official visit to Portsmouth, 4/1956. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Newfoundland in Far East, 1958: appointment as sergeant-major; strength of marine detachment and routine duties on board; treatment of instances of theft; reasons for only spending short period on ship.
REEL 8 Continues: commissioning process, 1958; air trooping to Hong Kong; sailing on HMS Newfoundland to Singapore, Federation of Malaya; patrols with Special Air Service in Federation of Malaya. Aspects of period as officer with Joint Services Establishment at Poole in GB, 1958-1960: appointment to establishment; staff in his department; duties, including accounting for losses; relations with staff. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Marine Volunteer Reserve in Glasgow, GB, 1960-1963: role as quartermaster; location of volunteer reserve bases; level of training; pay in volunteer reserve; visits to London; seamanship training in Greenock. Aspects of operations as Pay and Records officer with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden, Aden Protectorate, 1963-1964: situation in Aden on arrival; role as Pay and Records Officer with rear party; convoy taken to Dhala.
REEL 9 Continues: organisation of convoy; meal at Emir Palace; speed of convoy and terrain travelled over; frequency of convoys; start of troubles in Little Aden; routine work as pay and records officer; method of paying marines; security measures for visits to bank; role of commando in rapid deployment to Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika, 1/1964. Aspects of period as pay and records officer with Royal Marines Initial Training Centre, Lympstone in GB, 1964-1967: responsibilities as pay and records officer; concerns over rate of re-engagement. Aspects of operations as quartermaster with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Singapore and Indian Ocean, 1967-1970: appointment to commando in Singapore; cruising off Aden, Federation of South Arabia to cover withdrawal; exchanging roles with 42 Commando, Royal Marines; life in Singapore; opinion of regimental quartermaster sergeants; wife living alone in Singapore whilst he was on active service in Aden, Federation of South Arabia; preparations for departure from Singapore, 1969-1970.
REEL 10 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Naval Pay and Records Project at HMS Centurion, Gosport, GB, 1970- 1974: aims of project; duties; drafting procedures; organisation of work; decision to leave service and recruitment to Tesco. Reflections on military service with Royal Marines, 1944-1974: value of service training in man management; loosing contact with Royal Marines Association; application for discharge; details of civilian career.
