Haskell-Thomas, Brian (Oral history)

British rating served aboard HMS Cottesmore, 21st Destroyer Flotilla operating in North Sea, 1941-1942; served as officer aboard HMS Magpie with 2nd Escort Group operating in Arctic, North West Approaches and Atlantic, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Welwyn and Southend, GB, 1923-1941: family background and social circumstances; education' sporting activities; interest in jazz and playing drums in dance bands; interest in sea; activities with Sea Cadet, 1937-1941; story of visit aboard HMS Vimy, 8/1939-9/1939, including messdeck conditions, canteen messing system, duties and reactions to outbreak of war whilst at sea, 3/9/1939; evacuation to Burnham on Crouch, 9/1939-3/1940. Recollections of attending Training School, HMS Worcester, Greenhithe and Footscray, 6/1940-9/1941: conditions; daily routine; move to Footscray, ca 9/1940; effects of German air raids; syllabus; relationship with instructors and pupils; failing exams; dance band activities; call up and assessment as potential officer, 9/1941. Period of basic training at HMS Collingwood Shore Station, Portsmouth, 9/1941-12/1941: reception and status as senior recruit; tent accommodation. REEL 2 Continues: drill; seamanship; training on 2pdr pom-pom at HMS Excellent, Whale Island; relationship with recruits as senior recruit; opinion of instructors and discipline; assessment; German air raid. Recollections of period as gunnery rating aboard HMS Cottesmore, 21st Destroyer Flotilla based at Chatham and Sheerness, 12/1941-9/1942: nature of ship and armament; messdeck and hammocks; watch system; action stations on focsle 2pdr pom-pom; cleaning ship; role escorting East coast convoys; testing guns on Thames wreck; E-Boat threat and their failure to observe wireless silence; close escape from shell hit on 2pdr shield; German air attacks and ineffectiveness of anti-aircraft fire; destinations and cargo carried; minimal losses amongst convoy ships; visits ashore; relationship with ratings; fatigue; effects of storms; story of accidentally firing of 2-pdr gun. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of officers; crew morale; assessment as potential officer. Recollections of period as officer cadet at HMS King Alfred Shore Station, Hove and Greenwich, 9/1942-1/1943: food rations; signals, navigation, seamanship and damage control training; dance band activities; assessment and commission; selection for training as substitute warrant officer gunner; learning to behave as officer at Greenwich. Attending course as substitute warrant officer gunner at Plymouth, 3/1943-11/1943: training on 4" gun drill, depth charges and hedgehog spigot projector; electrical role; assisting fire brigade during German air raids; WREN servant; officers' wardroom; story of getting drunk on birthday aboard HMS Cottesmore; assisting in training as shore station. Recollections of period as gunnery officer aboard HMS Magpie based at Gladstone Dock, Liverpool, 11/1943-2/1946: first impressions on joining ship with 2nd Escort Group; opinion of officers including Lieutenant Commander Abrams. REEL 4 Continues: responsibility as substitute warrant officer gunner for ship's armament and electrics assisted by gunners' mate, ordnance artificer and ship's electrician; ammunition storage; question of officers' smoking; cabin and servant; action stations controlling pattern of depth charges on quarterdeck; role of tactics teacher and Captain Walker's success in developing anti-submarine tactics; action station role supervising use of hedgehog on focsle and use of 'creeping' anti-submarine tactic; role of officer on watch on bridge including bridge crew, telephones and voice pipes, instruction prior to award of watch keeping certificate, reaction to approaching torpedo, question of calling captain, cocoa, clothes worn and fatigue; routine maintenance duties; lave ashore; harbour routine including repairs and re-ordering ammunition and visits to pub. REEL 5 Continues: role as diving officer and prior diving course at HMS Vernon Shore Station, Portsmouth, 11/1943; story of Walker demonstrating leaking decks to admiral; tactics employed in sinking U-Boats by 2nd Escort Group in Western Approaches, 2/1944, including use of depth charges to deflect acoustic torpedoes , checking for debris from sunken U Boats, rescue of crew from surfaced U Boat and relationship with German prisoners; nature of Arctic convoy JA58 to Murmansk, Soviet Union including issue of tropical kit as ruse, voyage to Scapa Flow, informal nature of uniforms worn, sinking U Boat, role escorting US cruiser, weather conditions, sinking surfaced U Boat, arrival at Murmansk, attempted desertion by Communist sympathiser, return with convoy RA58; dissolution of 2EG; role escorting merchant ships to Thames Estuary; issue of orders for Operation Nelson; escort role during D-Day operations, 6/1944-7/1944, including view of bombardments, rescue of wounded officer from water, sinking of HMS Boadicea, 13/6/1944 and escorting ships laying PLUTO pipeline; return to Western Approaches, 7/1944; reactions to death of Walker; anti-submarine patrols in Western Approaches; award of watchkeeping certificate; effect of bad weather; relationship with crew and officers. REEL 6 Continues: story of surrender of U-249 off Lands End and escort to Portland, 8/5/1945; use of ship to represent HMS Amethyst in film 'Yangtze Incident'; preparations for Pacific service; repairs after collision at Gibraltar; reactions to VJ Day, 15/8/1944; operations attempting to stop ships carrying Jewish refugees to Palestine; threat from limpet mines and beach obstructions; stories illustrating internal security situation in Damascus, Syria; visit to Adriatic ports; resumption of patrols off Palestine; reactions to leaving ship, 2/1946. Period as senior officer aboard HMS Melbreak, Reserve Fleet at Chatham, 4/1946-5/1946. Demobilisation, 7/1946. Post-war career: clerical wok for insurance company; career as chartered shipbroker with oil company; effects of war service; membership of HMS Magpie Association and Captain Walker's Old Boys Association.