Wright, John Charles Sigismund (Oral history)

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Sound: © IWM (30392)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British midshipman served aboard HMS Rodney in GB coastal and Norwegian campaign, 1940-1941; served aboard HMS Maori in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1941; served aboard HMS Suffolk in Arctic, 1942; officer served abaord HMS Mauritius in Indian Ocean and Mediterranean, 1943-1944; trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1944-1945; served as pilot with 887 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Indefatigable in Far East, 1945-1946

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Uganda and GB, 1922-1936: family; life in Uganda; leave in GB; education. Aspect of period as cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1936-1940: reasons for joining Royal Navy; term system; education; discipline; lack of awareness of situation in Europe. Aspects of period as midshipman aboard HMS Rodney in GB coastal waters and during Norwegian campaign, 1940-1941: drafting to ship; attending drinks party; ship's armament; role as torpedo officer's runner; move to Norway; wounding during dive bombing of ship by German Air Force; hospitalisation for wounds; return to ship, 1/1941. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as midshipman aboard HMS Maori, 4th Destroyer Flotilla in Atlantic, 1941: composition of flotilla; hunt for Bismarck, 5/1941; sinking of Bismarck and picking up survivors; attempt to save German survivor in scrabbling net after sinking; treatment of German POWs by British troops; bombardment of Axis positions in Mediterranean. Aspects of period as midshipman in HMS Suffolk in Arctic, 1942: sight of Russian shore; amusing story of being at action stations. Aspects of operations as officer aboard HMS Mauritius in Indian Ocean and Mediterranean, 1943-1944: appointment to ship; training as fighter control officer; running aground of coast of Egypt; picking up airborne forces from sea off Sicily, 7/1943; hits of ship from German tank in Sicily. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of training as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in Canada and GB, 1944-1945: pattern of training; crashing into water during deck landing training; sequence of instruction; flying Supermarine Spitfire; accident witnessed during low flying; parent's experiences during war; on flying course in Canada; reaction to end of Second World War. Aspects of period as pilot with 887 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Indefatigable in Far East 1945-1946: appointment to aircraft carrier ; loss of pilot injured in crash; flying accident in which 7 people were killed in Australia; filming of safety documentary; catapult take off; relations between ship's crew and Fleet Air Arm. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1946-1949: decision to resign after discovery of copy of Karl Marx's Das Capital in his cabin; flying De Havilland Mosquito. Reflections of service with Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm, 1940-1945: support for Labour Government in 1945; contrast between service on smaller ships and larger ones; attitude towards rescuing survivors of Bismarck; attitude towards Germans and participation in Second World War

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Brooks, Toby (Recorder)
Wright, John Charles Sigismund (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2007-08
Dimensions: whole: Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 30392

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Wright, John Charles Sigismund
Royal Navy, Maori
Royal Navy, Rodney
Royal Navy, Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
Royal Navy, Indefatigable
Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 887
Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm
Associated events

31/5(41).1
Associated items

Private Papers of Lieutenant J C S Wright RN
Associated places

GB, England
Associated themes

digital

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Wright, John Charles Sigismund (Oral history)

Description

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Associated items

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