Wright, John Charles Sigismund 'Jake' (Oral history)

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

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