Gow, Eric (Oral history)

British wireless telegraphist served aboard HMS Implacable, 1952-1953: detached for tests at Research Centre, Porton Down, GB, 1954; served aboard HMS Veryan Bay on West Indies Station and Antarctica, 1954-1955; served as wireless operator in shore stations in GB and Bahrein, 1955-1960. Chairman of Porton Down Veterans Association, 2003-2007

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Glasgow and Old Swan, Liverpool, 1935-1950: family background and social circumstances; effects of war, 1939-1945. sleeping under stairs, communal air raid shelter, injured thumb playing on building site, mobile anti-aircraft guns, collecting shrapnel, effects of German bombing raids, effects on education, food parcels from Canada, food, sweet and clothes rationing, story of barrage balloon, story illustrating awareness of German anti-Semitism, uncles service in Merchant Navy, VE and VJ Day street parties, 1945; education; background to recruitment as boy entrant to , Royal Navy, 11/1950. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine as boy recruit with HMS Ganges Shore Station, Shotley, 11/1950-6/1951: reception; medical; kitting out; haircut; initial hut accommodation in annexe. REEL 2 Continues: morning routine; food rations; sewing name on kit; drill; aptitude tests and selection for training as wireless telegraphist; PT and boxing activities; preparing for kit and room inspections; enforced scrubbing of dirty recruit; question of bullying by senior boy recruits; relationship with recruits and instructors; passing out parade and entry into main camp, 12/1950; posting to Hawke Division and nature of drill hall; organisation of training and uniforms; seamanship training including rowing cutters and navigation. REEL 3 Continues: seamanship training including knots and splices, question of using seamanship manual and visits to destroyer; speed of Morse code transmission required and touch typing course; Morse code training and exam; signals training including semaphore and Aldis lamp; cipher codes including 'one use pad' and coding machines; training on wireless receivers and transmitters; assault course and firing rifle; punishment runs on Laundry Hill; accident on capstan training; sports activities including cross country running and cricket; cycling club visits to pubs; visit to Ipswich; leave. REEL 4 Continues: mast head drill; cheating during swimming test; punishments; canteen; passing out parade; assignment to Devonport as home port. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine as boy telegraphist and ordinary telegraphist aboard HMS Implacable, Training Sqdn, Home Fleet, 6/1952-10/1953: reception and first impressions; nature of boys' messdeck and hammocks; nature of wireless office; role taking morning wireless report and wireless telephony; prior voice procedure training; watch system; washing and repairing clothes; food; cocoa; rum ration. REEL 5 Continues: relationship with boy semen and lower deck; fleet exercises and effects of storm; Spithead review including impact of Soviet cruiser and Queen Mary; Sunday divisions; story of maintenance carried out on aerials with hangover; visits ashore in Copenhagen, Denmark and Gibraltar; duties cleaning wireless offices; use of telescope on harbour; visits ashore to Weymouth; transporting troops to British Guinea; story of seamanship demonstration in front of US fleet by captain of HMS Eagle; story of reaction to black US sailor attacked by US MPs in Plymouth; transfer to men's communications messdeck; leaving ship, 10/1953. Period at HMS Drake and St Budeaux Camp, Devonport, 12/1953-1/1954: nature of barracks; boxing activities. REEL 6 Continues: move to St Budeaux Camp; wireless and coding training; visits to Devonport and Plymouth including nature of dance halls. Account of tests at Research Establishment, Porton Down, 1/1954: background to volunteering for common cold cure tests and ignorance of real nature of tests; journey from Plymouth; reception and hut accommodation; signing official secrets act; medical questionnaire; separation with John Conibera for tests; simple intelligence tests before and after drinking hallucinogenic drugs including effects of drug, and subsequent visit to Salisbury; question of nature of drug as LSD administered by representative of MI6 as possible 'truth drug'; blanks in memory; second test dripping mustard gas onto arms and testing efficacy of palliatives. REEL 7 Continues: effects of mustard gas on skin; confidence in safety of tests and question of prior death of Aircraftsman Ronald Maddison; question of origins of scientists and troops; third test dipping arm into metal container filled with acid solution to check fat content of arm; inaccuracy of centre medical records; leaving centre; absence of follow up medicals; question of common cold tests. Period at St Budeux Camp, 1/1954-5/1954: question of ignorance of authorities of nature of PD tests; question of after effects of PD tests; attack of influenza. Recollections of period as ordinary telegraphist aboard HMS Veryan Bay, West Indies Sqdn, 5/1954-8/1955: ship's nature as frigate; joining ship at Plymouth; canteen messing system and food; communications messdeck; relationship with lower deck; duties in wireless office; story of dropping sailor with appendicitis at Eire port; voyage to Bermuda, 8/1954; firing Lanchester sub machine gun; question of seasickness. REEL 8 Continues: visit ashore at Hamilton, Bermuda; question of role of ship visiting Port Stanley, Falkland Isles; monitoring Argentinean wireless traffic and rescue of Argentinean vessel in Antarctica; stories of ship's dog; visits ashore; 'cross the line' ceremony; stories of visits ashore and football match at Brazil; visit to Port Stanley, Falkland Isles; role taking supplies to Antarctic Survey Teams on Deception Island; ice flows; visit ashore at Gritviken Sound, South Georgia; cold weather and clothing; opinion of officers including Lieutenant Commander Lawson; monitoring Argentinean wireless traffic due to dispute over ownership of Falkland Isles; Christmas celebrations and pantomime at Port Stanley, 25/12/1954; fight with crew of HMS Superb over football match; cruise around Antarctic; icebergs; stories illustrating incompetence of gunners and hedgehog team. REEL 9 Continues: story of death of sailor swimming shore; visits to pub in Port Stanley and relationship with Falklands civilians; stories of various visits ashore during voyage up Pacific coast of South America; passing through Panama Canal; assisting ship in difficulties; story of shark and ship's dog; stories of various visits ashore in West Indies, US and Canada; stories of problems with sharks and squids whilst sea swimming in Atlantic; painting ship prior to entering Plymouth harbour; leaving ship on end of commission, 8/1955. REEL 10 Period at Drake Barracks, Devonport, 8/1955-1/1956. Recollections of period at HMS Gull Crest Shore Station, Haverford West, 1/1956-1/1957: duties in control tower; cross country running; aircraft crashes and story of midshipman's reaction to being ordered back to fly again; training as cinema projectionist; question of posting to Suez, 1956; attitude to shore postings; role as cinema projectionist. Recollections of period at HMS Jufair Shore Station, Bahrein, 1/1957-8/1958: question of safety record during flight out on Comet; climate; wireless duties; accidental shooting incident; accommodation; faunae; food rations; sporting activities; story of explosives merchant ship blowing up; birthday party celebrations; story of visit to Manama. REEL 11 Continues: memories of officer and Terry Thomas; hunting sea snakes; terrapins; dates; hailstones; question of choice of next posting. Recollections of period at Admiralty, Trafalgar Square, London, 8/1958-4/1960: duties taking teleprinter messages from Simonstown, South Africa; story of being reprimanded for transmitting jokes; story of role as extra sending Morse signal during film 'Sink the Bismarck'; nature of duties; accommodation; question of social life and recreations; rifle club activities; nature do underground complex; appendicitis operation; background to decision to leave RN and demobilisation, 5/1960. Post-service career: work in drawing office of telephone engineers; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; state of health including problems with duodenal ulcer and panic attacks. REEL 12 Recollections of role as chair of Porton Down Veterans Assoc, 2003-2007: increasing awareness of LSD tests conducted at Porton Down and contacts with journalist Rob Evans; contacts with Porton Down to determine nature of tests; question of prostrate medical problems; assistance from MP; contacts with police investigation into death of Aircraftsman Ronald Maddison and question of reopening inquest; contact with Ken Earl and Porton Down Veterans Support Group; abusive e-mails directed at Ken Earl and background to formation of PDVA, 2003; role as chair of steering committee; role as advocate at Madison inquest at Trowbridge, 5/2004-11/2004, including value of previous experience as magistrate, discovery of sarin gas factory at Sutton Oak, hired cottage accommodation, legal representatives and question of tests concerning common cold. REEL 13 Continues: role as advocate at Madison inquest at Trowbridge, 5/2004-11/2004, including advice on presentation of case, clashes with Ministry of Defence barrister, move into hotel, progress of inquest, testimony of victims and expert witnesses, extension of inquest, additional witnesses called, summing up by Coroner David Masters and jury verdict of unlawful killing; subsequent media interviews; importance of verdict; question of compensation paid to Maddison family; MOD appeal to High Court to restrict application of verdict only to Maddison case; question of MOD compensation for victims and role in mediation of payments; question of closure of PDVA; attitude to Porton Down experiments.