Reed, Malcolm (Oral history)

British boy seaman at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 1949-1950; served aboard HMS Whirlwind in GB coastal waters, 1950-1951; served as boy seaman and seaman aboard HMS Mauritius and Kenya, 1951-1953; seaman served aboard HMS Vanguard in GB coastal waters, 1954-1955; served aboard HMS Saintes and HMS Armada in Mediterranean, 1955-1957; served aboard HMS Victorious in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1958-1960; seaman and petty officer served aboard HMS Belfast in Far East, 1961-1962; trained as officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1962-1963; officer served aboard HMS Aurora in GB coastal water, 1963-1965; served aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean and Atlantic, 1965-1967; instructor at HMS Dryad in GB, 1968-1969; served aboard HMS Danae in Far East, 1970-1971

REEL 1 Background in Reading, GB, 1934-1949: family; education; memories of Second World War. Aspects of enlistment as boy seaman in Royal Navy, 1949: visit to recruitment office; selection process. Recollections of period as boy seaman with HMS St Vincent in Gosport, GB, 1949-1950: reception on arrival; issue of uniform and sewing name; first leave; repair of clothing; division of boy seamen classes; discipline and punishments; rations; leave; climbing mast; kit muster, 11/1950; divisions; educational tests. Aspects of period as boy seaman aboard HMS Whirlwind in GB coastal waters, 1950-1951: drafting to training ship at Rosyth; issue of sea suit and bedding; nature of boys' mess deck. REEL 2 Continues: duties as cabin boy; instruction; cleaning ship; messing arrangements; ship's broadcast system; return to HMS St Vincent, 2/1951-4/1951. Aspects of period as boy seaman and seaman aboard HMS Mauritius and HMS Kenya in Indian Ocean, 1951-1953: voyage aboard Empire Pride to join HMS Mauritius in Ceylon; character of ship; exchange of crew to HMS Kenya; duties as captain's messenger; reasons for volunteering to become a radar operator; story of accidental firing of ship's gun; watch system; return to Portsmouth, GB, 4/1953. Aspects of period as seaman with HMS Vanguard in GB coastal waters, 1954-1955: leave and training as radar operator prior to drafting to ship, 1/1954; messing arrangements; ports visited; reasons for not firing aft turrets. REEL 3 Continues: duties on leaving ship; discipline on board. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Saintes in Mediterranean, 1955- 1956: attending Cannes Film Festival; loss of ship's potatoes; role and duties; return to GB. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Armada in Mediterranean, 1956- 1957: joining ship; presence of polished ballcock on ship's mast; leaving ship. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Victorious in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1958-1960: joining carrier, 2/1958; character of carrier; cruises; accommodation; rum ration; role as leading seaman; duties in radar room; passing for petty officer on leaving ship at HMS Royal Arthur. Aspects of period as seaman petty officer aboard HMS Belfast in Far East, 1961-1962: drafting to ship in Singapore, 1/1961. REEL 4 Continues: promotion to petty officer; accommodation on board; crossing the line ceremony; discovery of drugs in laundry run by Chinese laundrymen; what makes a happy ship; status as petty officer; selection for officer training. Aspects of training as officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1962-1963: training at HMS Dryad; officers course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich; relations between officers and ratings. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Aurora in GB coastal waters, 1963-1965: joining ship; attitude to officer status; role as helicopter control officer; divisional and officer of the watch duties. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean and Atlantic, 1965-1967: familiarisation with ship; appointment as helicopter control officer. REEL 5 Continues: aircraft ditchings and losses; helicopter ditching; instructional duties at HMS Dyrad after leaving carrier, 1968-1969. Aspects of period as officer HMS Danae in Far East, 1970-1971: joining ship in Singapore; duties; relations with South Africans after loss of helicopter; reasons for decision to take early retirement. Retirement and return to civilian life, 1971. Membership of HMS St Vincent Association and other naval associations.