Cobb, David (Oral history)

British seaman served with Royal Navy Auxiliary Service in GB, 1940; officer served with Royal Navy in GB and Atlantic, 1940-1942; served with Royal Navy Coastal Forces in GB, 1942-1945; civilian war artist commissioned by Royal Navy in Falklands, 1982, and Persian Gulf, 1991

REEL 1 Background in Ichenor, GB, 1921-1940: family; memories of childhood including background in art; education; story of rugby accident that ended naval career; civilian work in Brighton, 1940; story of joining Royal Navy Auxiliary Service. Aspects of period as seaman with Royal Navy Auxiliary Service, 6/1940-9/1940: posting to and situation in Dover; details of patrols sent out from Ramsgate including weapons carried; rations; make-up of crew and Kent coast patrols; details of Admirals Ramsey and Cunningham; expectation of invasion. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Navy in GB and Atlantic, 1940-1942: officer training aboard King Alfred at Brighton; training for Atlantic in Tobermory; background to posting aboard Canna in West Africa; duties; reason for return to GB as invalid; period at Plymouth; posting to HMS Ganges at Harwich; treatment of Royal Navy recruits. REEL 2 Continues: leisure activities; involvement with parades; description of sailing past Gibraltar; involvement with art during naval service including help received from Charlie Dixon; nature of sea and E Boats; unprepared nature of Royal Navy before war and response after start; fate of Canna at Lagos; further details of Atlantic service including opinion of own shortcomings; background to joining Coastal Forces. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Royal Navy Coastal Forces in GB, 1942-1945: history of Motor Torpedo Boats; background of Royal Navy troops; make-up of Motor Torpedo Boat crews; description of Motor Torpedo Boats; description of German shelling; operations following D-Day including wounding; description and use of trouch line; posting to Antwerp Channel and duties; story of running a boat onto a buoy; nights scenes used later in paintings; opinion that war artists need personal experience; discussion of war; details of Motor Torpedo Boat operations in English Channel; opinions of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy; further details of operations off Antwerp; Motor Torpedo Boat losses including memories of Robert Hichens; discomfort of Motor Torpedo Boats; description of special kit; description of three Motor Torpedo Boat commands. REEL 4 Continues: contacts with Vospers firm; story of taking Navy VIPs to review the D-Day fleet; stories of V1s and V2s. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1945-1982: start of work as artist; background and work of wife, Jean Cobb; reasons for not staying in Navy; decision to become artist; civilian work as artist including story of meeting wife; details of paintings made for Royal Naval Museum including importance of first hand experience; details of commission painting HMS President for Lord Mountbatten. REEL 5 Continues: appointment as unofficial war artist by Royal Navy. Aspects of commission as war artist with Royal Navy in GB and Falkland Islands, 1982: conversion of merchant ships to aid the task force including sketches made and launching and conversion of Queen Elizabeth 2; discussion of Naval Revues; opinion of John Nott and near loss of Falklands War; opinion of Laura Kitson's appointment as official war artist; ships travelling to Falkland Islands; role of Euan Soutby Tailor; speed of conversions to merchant ships; refuelling of planes during voyage; painting of Queen Elizabeth 2 as she disembarked; method of working during Falklands War including research with veterans of conflict. REEL 6 Continues: discussion of HMS Coventry painting; Royal Navy's concern with original art; Vickers VC10 flight to Dakar; missiles used in Falklands; help gained from David Mowlam; story of witnessing a missile launch in Irish Sea; Bristol Hercules flight to Falklands including stop-off at Ascension Island; landing at Stanley and first impressions of Falkland Islands; opinion of care from army during stay; visit of Cranleigh Onslow; problems with mines. REEL 7 Continues: previous experience laying mines in 1944 before D-Day; knowledge of Falklands War; discussion of media; travels around Falkland Islands including use of helicopters; opinion of activities by troops and John "Sandy" Woodward; exercises with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War; importance of working from above; opinion of helicopters; need to work at speed; equipment taken to Falkland Islands; drawings made in country; importance of drawing; influence from various artists including marine artists Charlie Kitson and Norman Wilkinson and importance of understanding subject; impressions of and relationship with civilians on Falkland Islands; visit to Goose Green; importance of viewing locations first hand; discussion of yomping and terrain; visit to Ajax Bay and details of a traumatised medic. REEL 8 Continues: work during war at Ajax Bay including role of Rick Jolly; accommodation; physically demanding nature of task; relationship between army and navy; work brought back to GB: interviews with veterans; reaction to work of Laura Kitson; details and selling of output; details of commission from Admiral Woodward; details of return visit to Falklands in 1985 recording building of Mount Pleasant; changes to like in Falkland Islands; memorial painted. REEL 9 Continues: background to gaining commission in Persian Gulf. Aspects of commission as war artist with Royal Navy in Persian Gulf, 1991: comparison of Falklands War with First Gulf War; opinion of trip to Gulf; journey to Kuwait; accommodation aboard HMS Argos; other ships and squadrons attached to; description of minesweeping; opposition fire received; actions of David Livingstone; question of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological precautions and inoculations; knowledge of war and drawings made; reactions to state of Kuwait City; memories of John Keane; importance of knowing subject; visit with Navy friends in Greenland; commission with NATO in Norway; output of paintings from Gulf; story of being denied place on inflatable boat. REEL 10 Continues: impressions of American command during Gulf War; reactions to receiving Gulf War Medal; opinion of luck in his career. REEL 11 Continues: details of Motor Torpedo Boat operations and mine lying including description of mines; relationship among crewmembers including background of crews and details of the Shetland Bus; behaviour of crews on land; description of a patrol on French coast; question of picking up survivors; details of Commando boats and operations; memories of Freddy Vaughn; example of an unsuccessful operation; opinion of dockyard workers during Second World War; morale of crew aboard Canna; details of commissions from Royal Engineers and Royal Army Service Corps including research for paintings. REEL 12 Continues: details of further commissions; visit aboard HMS Broadsword to aid painting of HMS Coventry; visit aboard Queen Elizabeth 2 on its return from Falklands including opinion of press; use of camera in work; opinion of John Keane's method; unique nature of Falklands and the war there; opinion of Royal Navy; importance of experience of sea.