Description
Object description
British officer served with Submarine Service in GB coastal waters, Far East and Atlantic, 1959-1976; served as Naval Assistant to First Sea Lord at Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1978-1980; commanded HMS Brilliant in GB coastal waters and Falklands War, 1980-1982
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1937-1953: family; early education; attending Dartmouth Naval College. Recollections of period as officer with Submarine Service in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean, Far East and Atlantic, 1959-1976: pattern of submarine service in GB coastal waters Far East, 1959-1963; role of submarine HMS Tactician; duties as navigation officer aboard HMS Tactician; service in Canada aboard submarine HMS Riga; appointment to submarine HMS Warspite; operating diesel submarines in contrast to nuclear submarines; duties aboard HMS Warspite; sonar equipment aboard HMS Warspite; abolishing of rum ration; attending submarine commanders' course; appointment as first lieutenant to HMS Warspite; role commanding HMS Valiant; flooding of HMS Valiant's nuclear reactor in Mediterranean.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as Naval Assistant to First Sea Lord with Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1978-1980: reaction to appointment to Ministry of Defence; opinion of Lord Terrance Lewin and Sir Henry Leech; Sir Henry Leech's disapproval of navy cuts. Recollections of operations commanding HMS Brilliant during Falklands War, 1982: standing by construction of ship in GB, 1980-1982; attitude to sea service; preparations for sailing for South Atlantic; attitude to prospect of going to war; intelligence prior to reaching Exclusion Zone; training on route; detachment to South Georgia; threat of Argentine submarines; attempts to tow submarine Santa Fe away from quayside; reaction to sinking of HMS Sheffield; degree of knowledge of Exocet missiles; picking up survivors from Atlantic Conveyor; operation of Sea Wolf system and subsequent modifications; damage to ship.
REEL 3 Continues: guard ship duties with HMS Invincible; covert operations launched from ship; attitude to war service; question of how war cannot be trained for and how personalities change in war situation; question of use of rules of engagement; opinion of Argentinean Air Force; role of his first lieutenant; activities during voyage from South Atlantic to GB; presence of Chinese contractors on board; reaction to reception on return to GB; adjusting to service life after return to GB. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Navy, 1983-1994: procurement procedures at Ministry of Defence; question of location of guard rails on ships; return to peacetime regulations; pattern of service from 1986; appointment as Lieutenant Governor as Guernsey, 1994-2000; amusing story of encounter with Russian admiral on visit to Russia.
REEL 4 Continues: visit to Russian music hall; opinion of Russian Navy during Cold War.
