Hill, Ted (Oral history)

British stoker and leading stoker mechanic served aboard HMS Belfast in Far East, 1950-1953; served as leading stoker mechanic aboard HMS Cockatrice 1954; served as leading stoker and acting petty officer stoker aboard HMS Tyrian, Portland Flotilla, 1955; served as acting petty officer stoker aboard HMS Woolwich, Reserve Fleet, 1955-1956; served as petty officer stoker aboard HMS Superb, Eastern Fleet, 1956-1957

REEL 1 Recollections of background in GB and Singapore, 1932-1940: father's career as regular soldier with Royal Engineers including service attached to various units, 1914-1918; living in married quarters at Changi, Singapore; education; news of outbreak of war during voyage aboard Dilwara to GB, 3/9/1939; story of involvement of Dilwara in collision and repairs at Gibraltar; father's hospitalisation and discharge from army, 1940. Recollections of period at March, 1940-1949: relationship with local children; prior voyage aboard Rawalpindi to Singapore, 1932; education and sporting activities; food rationing; question of ostracised sister married to German POW, her emigration to US and subsequent parcels sent to family; communal air raid shelter; German air raids and evacuee casualties; brother's service including Russian convoys as wireless telegraphist with Royal Navy, 1939-1945,view of RAF bombing practice area and collecting souvenirs from crashed aircraft; father's service in Home Guard. REEL 2 Continues: awareness of royal and troops train movements; recreations; view of aircraft and gliders assembling for Arnhem operations, 9/1944; bonfire to celebrate VE Day, 8/5/1945; father's practical engineering skills and interest in career as engineer; work as apprentice fitter in engineering factory, 1946-1949; background to volunteering as boy stoker for service with Royal Navy, 4/1949, including parents' permission, tests and medical. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during basic training at HMS Royal Arthur Shore Station, Corsham, 4/1949-5/1949: reception; kitting out and marking kit; barrack room accommodation;' leave; stoker badge; morning routine; food rations; drill; PT; relationship with boy recruits, instructors and officers; canteen; role as assistant class leader; preparing for room and kit inspections. REEL 3 Continues: reactions to naval discipline and lifestyle; passing out parade. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during training as stoker at HMS Raleigh Shore Station, Torpoint, 5/1949-10/1949: hut accommodation; relationship with Petty Officer Fenn; theoretical training in operations and maintenance of boilers, engines and equipment; keeping log book of studies; recreational visits to Devonport and Plymouth; nature of No 11 Punishment; scope of theoretical training; practical training aboard HMS Newfoundland; selection for accelerated promotion; rowing whalers and races; swimming test and subsequent test on HMS Belfast; assault course and firing rifle; train journey to March on leave; assignment to Chatham home port. Joining routine at HMS Pembroke, Chatham, 10/1949. REEL 4 Periods aboard HMS Ulster and Wilton prior to return to Chatham, 10/1949. Period at HMS Pembroke, Chatham, 11/1949-12/1949: joining routine; leave on posting. Voyage aboard HMS Ocean to Hong Kong, 12/1949-1/1950: minimal duties cleaning air lock; mixed messdeck; role of ship carrying relief personnel to various ships and bases; question of seasickness; hot conditions below decks; meeting survivor from HMS Hood; rumours of damage to flight deck from jet landing; conditions; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1949; visit to Singapore; recreations; route; story of towing disabled ship and question of salvage money. Recollections of period as stoker aboard HMS Belfast, Pacific Fleet in Far East, 1/1950-12/1953: first impressions on joining ship in Hong Kong, 1/1950; question of ship colour scheme; question of boys' messdeck and assignment under supervision to stokers' messdeck; story of visit ashore with picnic party from British and Soviet Embassies; nature of No 47 stokers' messdeck including fittings, facilities and hammocks. REEL 5 Continues: assignment to assist Engine Room Artificer; watch system; duties on watch in 'A' boiler room including controlling fuel sprays and cleaning, drinking cocoa and lime juice, hot conditions and necessity of taking salt tablets; messdeck; recreations; general messing system including role of cook of mess and food; restrictions on use of hammock; relationship with stokers; boxing activities; relationship with leading stokers and petty officers. REEL 6 Continues: career structure including status of ERA and mechanicians; relationship with and role of engineer officers and divisional officer; story of problem with engine turbine and sue of engine logbooks; move for refit and accommodation at HMS Terror Shore Station, Singapore; tropical routine; cleaning boilers, funnel and propellers; recreations in Neesom and Singapore; pay; question of relationship with British, Chinese and Malaysian civilians; return to Hong Kong, 4/1950; working up exercises practising damage control. REEL 7 Continues: working up exercises; itinerary of summer cruise around Pacific; setting up British base at Omimoto, Japan; recreational visits ashore; story of accident with oxygen bottle and diver's problem with diving suit; move to Hakodute, 6/1950; recall to ship on news of outbreak of Korean War, 6/1950; move to join US Fleet at Okinawa; situation; nature of 6" shore bombardment of Korea including effective range, action stations with damage control party, coming under fire from Korean 80mm gun and effects of shell in Chinese stewards' messdeck, Chinese casualty, repairing shell damage and success of retaliation from 4" guns; personal morale; morale of Chinese workers; burial of Chinese casualty on North Korean island; reduction in action stations during bombardment; story of Landing Craft Personnel (LCP) coming under North Korean fire. REEL 8 Continues: story of Royal Marine lost on clandestine mission behind North Korean lines; recreational visits ashore during periods at Sasebo US Base including buying tea set, nature of US canteens, Japanese dance hall, danger of unadulterated spirits and polluted food; relationship with Japanese civilians; laundry and washing clothes; latrines; story of carrying Turkish troops to invade North Korean island; latrine cleaners; promotion to ordinary stoker, 3/1950; relationship with ERA John Freston; duties on forward engine room watch including keeping engine log; question of use of asbestos in pipe lagging. REEL 9 Continues: routine duties cleaning and painting engine and boiler rooms; noise levels and air pressure in boiler rooms; duties checking propeller shaft bearings and evaporators purifying sea water; role on promotion to stoker mechanic, 1/1951; studies for auxiliary watchkeeping certificate (AWK) including operation of capstan, refrigeration equipment, electricity generators; steering gear, keeping logs and evaporators; qualification with AWK, 10/1951; story of picking up South Korean soldier following invasion of Changi-Do island; store bombardment and landing troops on Changi-Do; role as AWK. REEL 10 Continues: duties on turbo-generators, freshwater tanks and pumps; memories of Leading Hand John Wills; role on promotion to Acting Leading Stoker Mechanic, 4/1952; question of selection for accelerated promotion, 7/1951; memories of Captains le Measurier and Sir Aubrey St Clair Forth; return to GB to change crew, 10/1950.stories of unwilling reservist demoted from chief petty officer to stoker mechanic; memories of Gunnery Officer Lieutenant 'Dolly' Grey; humorous postcards produced by Royal Marines. REEL 11 Continues: crew morale; story of Stoker Mechanic Kelly involved as witness in court martial of homosexual sailor; question of homosexuality aboard ship; memories of Lieutenant Scrimegoeur playing bagpipes; memories of Stoker Mechanic Peter Fender and his vaccination; reactions to relief by HMS Birmingham and Newcastle, 8/1952; issue of Korean War and war gratuity; visits ashore on voyage back to Chatham, GB, 11/1952; flying paying off pennant; role with skeleton crew aboard ship at Chatham; story of using foreign coins in slot machines; long leave, 11/1952-4/1953; ship's movements; rejoining ship at Portland; preparations to put ship into reserve. REEL 12 Continues: move into Drake Barracks, Devonport, 9/1953; completion of preparations to put ship into reserve; visits ashore; reactions to leaving ship, 12/1953. Period at HMS Pembroke Barracks, Chatham, 12/1953-1/1954: troop train journey from Devonport; duties in charge of coaling party. Recollections of period as leading stoker mechanic aboard HMS Cockatrice based at Harwich, 1/1954-9/1954: first impressions on joining minesweeper at Chatham; stoker messdeck; move to Harwich; duties and watch system in engine room and on diesel generator; minesweeping exercises in North Sea and story of subsequent 'race' back to Harwich; recreations during 'showing flag' visit to London; salute to Royal Yacht Britannia; detachment o fishery protection role off Iceland, 4/1954-9/1954, including provision of medical officer, fishing with depth charges, canteen messing system and visits ashore at Reykjavik. REEL 13 Period in Pembroke Barracks, Chatham, 9/1954-2/1955: attending petty officers' course on St Mary's Island; prior confirmation as leading stoker mechanic; nature of PO's course; qualification as potential mechanician; question of signing on for long service and interview with Lieutenant Commander Broadbent; prior detachment as leading stoker aboard HMS Grenville. Portland Flotilla for exercise in Atlantic, 10/1954, including nature of frigate as converted destroyer and rolling characteristics. Recollections of period as leading stoker and acting petty officer stoker aboard HMS Tyrian, Portland Flotilla, 2/1955-9/1955: reaction to posting; stories illustrating character of unpopular engineer officer; question of promotion to PO and passing fleet board; promotion to acting PO; duties as LS in engine room during anti-submarine exercises; visits ashore at Weymouth; story of practice torpedo running onto holiday beach; story of explosion, sinking and raising of submarine in harbour; prior sinking of liberty boat of HMS Illustrious, 1948; recreations including fishing and regatta. REEL 14 Continues: mock raids to take trophies from other ships and attack on unpopular engineer officer's cabin; recreations whilst acting as guardship at Cowes Week. Period at Pembroke Barracks, Chatham, 9/1955-10/1955. Recollections of period as acting petty officer stoker aboard HMS Woolwich, Reserve Fleet, Gareloch, 10/1955-1/1956: role as wathckeeper in boiler room; story of meeting former deserter from HMS Belfast; visits ashore. Recollections of period as petty officer stoker aboard HMS Superb, Eastern Fleet based at Trincomalee, Ceylon, 1/1956-7/1957: background to joining ship; story of train journey to Chatham; question of commission on West Indies station; route out; problems with propeller shaft and repairs in Columbo dry dock; nature of cruiser; award of watchkeeping certificate and watchkeeping in 'B' boiler room; confirmation as petty officer stoker and change of uniform; 'showing flag' tours; carrying soldiers from Gloucestershire Regt; selection for naval landing parties. REEL 15 Continues: service with naval landing parties at Bahrain and Kuwait including composition, officer's accidental discharge of pistol, weapons training with Lanchester sub-machine gun, ashore at Bahrain, restrictions on ability to fire weapons as naval landing parties and nature of oil fields; local leave at rest camp in Ceylon mountains including snake problem, golf course and leeches problem; meeting film crew making 'Bridge over River Kwai'; tropical routine; composition of Eastern Fleet; stories of 'showing flag' cruise to East Africa including visit ashore at Mombassa, Kenya, prevalence of sharks in harbour and sailor swimming ashore, visit to Dar el Salaam, Tanganyika, selling cigarettes from canteen, gift of tobacco leaves, visit to Seychelles, South African sex tourists and visit to bar run by ex-sailor. REEL 16 Continues: stories of 'showing flag' cruise to East Africa including story of meeting officer in Seychelles officer and visit to Madagascar; presence of admiral's wife aboard ship; economical cruising speed; blocking of Suez Canal and consequent voyage via South Africa to GB; visit ashore at Capetown, including relationship with Afrikaner police and civilians and story of sailor arrested for relations with 'coloured' woman; visit to Dacca to collect wartime ammunition subsequently dumped in sea; return to Chatham, 2/1957; marriage, 3/1957; 'showing flag' tour to Scandinavia including restrictions on taking photographs in Swedish harbours and escorting Royal Yacht Britannia back to GB; preparations for visit by Royal Family; period at Rosyth and exercising with Home Fleet; return to Chatham for summer leave, 7/1957. Period in Pembroke Barracks, Chatham, 7/1957-9/1957: story of prior unjustified charge for drunkenness in Trincomalee and consequent decision to leave RN; procedure on leaving RN, 9/1957. REEL 17 Post-service career: work as engineer mechanic and senior workshop technician with Engineering Dept, Hackney College; career as lecturer with City and East London College; minimal commitments and pay during period on Royal Naval Reserve, 1957-1962. Membership of HMS Belfast Assoc, 1989-2008: review of prior versions of assoc; background to formation of Assoc, 1989; role as secretary and membership secretary; ''Sea Horse' newsletter; review of annual general meeting and reunion, Trafalgar Night and various social events. REEL 18 Continues: attitude to officers and admirals; relationship with IWM staff including question of appropriate ship's colour scheme, educational role aboard ship and reactions of children; background to resignation as secretary, 2007; continuation of activities based aboard HMS Belfast; question of future of Assoc.