Gosling, Fred (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British ordinary seaman served aboard Seaward Defence Motor Launch (SDML 3515), HMS Osprey Shore Station, Portland, GB, 1954-1955; served aboard HMS Torquay, 1956-1958; served as able seaman gunlayer/armourer aboard HMS Belfast, 1958-1961; served aboard HM Yacht Britannia, 1963-1965

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Paddington, Hampstead and West Hampstead, London, 1935-1944: family background and social circumstances; Anderson shelter; blackout; father's service with Royal Artillery; food rationing; education; nature of German air raids; story of V1 blast damage to home and rescue from under stairs; staying with relatives. Evacuation to Teignmouth and Yeovil, 1944-1951: initial accommodation with relatives; reactions to countryside; education; relationship with local children; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; relationship with US soldiers; work as apprentice panel beater in garage, 1949-1950; volunteering to join Royal Navy, ca 1950. Period at Edmonton, London, ca 1951-1953: work as barman; recreations; call up after prior volunteering, 9/1953. Period at Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth, 9/1953: kitting out; reception; hair cut; guard duty on WRENS barracks. Recollections of period as recruit aboard HMS Implacable, 9/1953-2/1954: first impressions on joining ship at Portland. REEL 2 Continues: hammock; cafeteria messing system and food; seasickness; education classes; seamanship training including knots and splices, sailing and rowing whalers and introduction to flag signalling; drill; PT including deck hockey and boxing; relationship with recruits, potential officers, instructors and officers; preparing for kit inspections; return voyage to Jamaica; effects of storm. Period at Victory Barracks, Portsmouth, 2/1954-3/1954: duties; visits to Portsmouth pubs including fights and drinking habits. Recollections of period as ordinary seaman aboard Seaward Defence Motor Launch (SDML 3515), HMS Osprey Shore Station, Portland, 3/1954-4/1955: nature of SDML; composition of crew; sword asdic equipment; armament; canteen messing and role as 'cook of mess'; nature of mess and bunks. REEL 3 Continues: nature of patrols and asdic surveillance role; anti-submarine exercises; lookout duty; relationship with crew and fights; relationship with officers; shore facilities. Recollections of attending course at Royal Naval Gunnery School, HMS Excellent Shore Station, Whale Island, Portsmouth, 6/1955-10/1955: aptitude tests; training as gunlayer on Bofors gun at Fraser Battery, Portsmouth; ear defenders and anti-flash precautions; Bofors gun training; selection as gunlayer; discipline and opinion of Lieutenant Commander Cyril Bagley. Recollections of period at Boys Training School, St Vincent's Barracks, Gosport, 10/1955-5/1956: duties and relationship as officer's servant; treatment of boys. Recollections of HMS Torquay, 5/1956-2/1958: joining frigate at Belfast shipyard; engine problems; nature of Leander class and armament; messdeck; action stations role on bridge gun sight; composition of flotilla; watch system; cleaning and painting ship. REEL 4 Continues: working up trials at Portland including damage control exercises and assessment; emergency move to Mediterranean during Suez Crisis, 1956; personal morale; joining flotilla at Malta; move to Port Said, Egypt, 11/1956, including view of carrier aircraft sorties, troops landing and preparations to rescue ship caught in harbour; situation and patrols off Cyprus; visit ashore to se brother at Limosol, Cyprus; exchange with army personnel at Limosol including foot patrols, opinion of Lanchester Sub-Machine Gun and conditions of service; role with motorboat boarding party searching fishing boats; crew morale and relationships; rum ration; latrines and showers; visits ashore and shore patrol duty at Malta; return to GB. Recollections of attending gunlayer/armourer course at RNGS, HMS Excellent Shore Station, Whale Island, Portsmouth, gun drill on 4.5 gun; weapons training including Bren gun and hand grenades; ceremonial guard duties; buying 'tiddley' uniform from tailors; home leave. Training in operation of close range blind fire director <CRBFD> for anti-aircraft guns. REEL 5 Recollections of period as able seaman gunlayer/armourer aboard HMS Belfast, 12/1958-1/1961: role on joining ship as advanced party at Devonport including chipping off rust, cleaning and painting; first impression of ship; commissioning ceremony, 12/5/1959; navy day visitors; sea trials and working up trials; forward messdeck and bunk beds; action stations role as gunlayer on centre 6 gun of 'A' Turret including role of gun crew and noise of firing; anti-aircraft role on aft CRBFD for anti-aircraft guns; routine gun maintenance and cleaning; working up exercises; memories of various ratings, petty officers and officers including Commander David Repard and Captain John Wilkinson; search for Vulcan wreckage, 20/8/1959; gunnery exercises based at Malta, 8/1959-9/1959, including firing at AA drogues and indirect fire shore bombardments; voyage via Suez Canal to Singapore; 'Sods Opera' concert party; voyage to Hong Kong; brewery visit; role of Chinese workers painting ship. REEL 6 Continues: role as guardship at Hong Kong; visit from Montgomery; hit climate and outbreak of impetigo; 'showing flag' visits to Indian ports, 1/1960; nature of joint exercises, 2/1960; 'showing flag' visit to Australia, 2/1960-4/1960; crossing line ceremony; visits to South Korea and Japan, 5/1960-6/1960;, including Japanese riots against US forces and effects of hurricane; period at Hong Kong, 7/1960-9/1960; refit and period at HMS Terror Shore Station, Singapore; bed bugs problem; flight back to GB, 1/1961. Role operating motorboat during period at HMS Osprey Shore Station, Portland, 2/1961-1/1962. Period as able seaman aboard HMS Loch Fyne, 1/1962-6/1963: nature as frigate; messdeck; role as gunnery yeoman; voyage out to Bahrain; role on patrols to counter gun-running in Gulf area and execution of gun-runner at Muscat; effects of hot climate; question of visits ashore; return to GB and paying off, 6/1963. Period on routine duties at HMS Osprey Shore Station, Portland, 6/1963-11/1963. Recollections of period as able seaman aboard HM Yacht Britannia, 11/1963-10/1965: background to volunteering for posting; first impressions on joining yacht; machine polishing decks. REEL 7 Continues: daily routine duties including cleaning ship, telephone exchange, lowering ladder for royal apartments, washing mast, rubbish disposal system and lowering Rolls Royce onto raft; relationship with royal family; review of voyages and royal visits; uniform; confidentiality; size of crew and royal entourage; story of coxswain losing boat engine; story of near accident whilst cleaning mast; memories of crew members; question of signing on again; leaving RN, 10/1965. Post-service career: work in plastics factory; career as treefeller on London Underground; effects of naval service; membership of HMS Belfast Association and Royal Yacht Association.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Hart, Peter M (Recorder)
Gosling, Fred (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2008
Dimensions: whole: Duration 210, Number Of Items 7
Catalogue number: 31444

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