Description
Object description
British seaman served as signaller aboard HMS Barham, HMS Warspite and HMS Penelope in Mediterranean, 9/1938-8/1939; served aboard HMS Enterprise in North Sea and North Atlantic, 9/1939-5/1940 and in South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 5/1940-1942; survived sinking of RMS Laconia, 12/Sep/1942; commanded Naval Beach Section at HMS Dundonald, Troon, Scotland, GB, 2/1943-4/1945; served on staff of Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean in Malta, 1945-1946; served as communications officer aboard aircraft carriers HMS Glory, HMS Vengeance and HMS Warrior in GB, 1/1950-1/1952; served aboard HMS Shavington, HMS Essington and HMS Walkerton in Mediterranean, 1/1956-9/1958; served aboard frigate HMS St Bride's Bay in Pacific, 1960-1962; various staff posts with Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence in GB, Far East and US, 1962-1985
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Lancing, Sussex, GB, 1919-1936: family and childhood; education; hobbies; activities with Cubs; story of enlistment with Royal Navy age 16, 1936. Aspects of training as Boy Seaman in GB, 6/1936-10/1937: joined training ship HMS St Vincent, 16/Jun/1936; discipline and punishments; uniform; opinion of other recruits; swimming; accommodation in dormitory; daily routine; inspections; opinion of food and messing arrangements; attitude to naval life and discipline; promoted to leading boy; sporting competitions; recreational activities; leave; description of basic training.
REEL 2 Continues: drill; physical training; weapons training; story of 'special supper' for winning field gun competition; gas training; seamanship; specialist training as signal boy; Morse code; sending and receiving signals; punishments; canteen; pay; boat work; passing out parade. Aspects of training at HMS Iron Duke, Scapa Flow, 10/1937-9/1938: weather conditions; scrubbing decks; training at sea; description of Iron Duke; accommodation; hammocks. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Barham, HMS Warspite and HMS Penelope in Mediterranean, 9/1938-8/1939: duties as junior signalman; exercises; role of Mediterranean Fleet.
REEL 3 Continues: patrols aboard HMS Penelope during Spanish Civil War; organization of crew and duties; messing arrangements and food; action stations; clear lower deck procedure; watches; shore leave in Malta; returned to Portsmouth, 8/1939; posted to HMS Enterprise; opinion of ship; repairs to ship; crew; reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; accommodation and living conditions; personal hygiene. Aspects of operations aboard HMS Enterprise in North Sea and North Atlantic, 9/1939-5/1940: stop and search patrols and boarding parties; weather conditions; communications; watches and action stations; pay and promotions.
REEL 4 Continues: winter clothing; escort duties with convoys from Nova Scotia to Liverpool; problem of U-boats; shore leave in Nova Scotia; types of convoys; role in operations during Narvik campaign, Norway, 4-6/1940; anchored in fjord; description of air attacks on ship; evacuation; casualties; returned to Plymouth, 5/1940. Aspects of operations aboard HMS Enterprise in South Atlantic and Mediterranean, 5/1940-1942: role in pursuit of Graf Spee; summary of movements and duties.
REEL 5 Continues: role of HMS Enterprise with Force H in Mediterranean; description of attack on French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir,7/1940; witnessed sinking of HMS Ark Royal, 11/1941; convoy escort duties in Mediterranean; detached to join Far East Fleet; rescued survivors from HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, 12/1941; escorted last convoy into Singapore; description of voyage aboard RMS Laconia and sinking by German U-boat, 9/1942; conditions in lifeboat; rescued by German U-boat U-156; bombed by US aircraft; taken aboard French warship La Gloire and sailed to Casablanca. Aspects of period of internment by Vichy French in Casablanca, Morocco, 9-11/1942: description of accommodation in former barracks.
REEL 6 Continues: story of journey from barracks to camp at foot of Atlas mountains; story of journey to America and period in New York; sailed to Scotland. Aspects of period in command of Naval Beach Section at HMS Dundonald, Troon, Scotland, GB, 2/1943-4/1945: role in creating Section and duties directing landing craft; attached to 1st Canadian Infantry Div; description of training for Second Front; story of injuring knee; further training for possible Far East operations; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; description of commando training; death of father; transport and equipment; landing exercises; story of fatal accident with Bangalore torpedo; opinion of Canadian troops; accommodation; composition of Naval Beach Section.
REEL 7 Continues: further description of accommodation and living conditions during internment in Casablanca, 9-11/1942. Aspects of period in Malta, 1945-1946: posted to staff of Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean; role in charge of distribution of signals; sporting activities; daily routine and duties; accommodation at naval base in Valetta; returned to GB, 11/1946; training for commission. Aspects of period aboard aircraft carriers HMS Glory, HMS Vengeance and HMS Warrior in GB, 1/1950-1/1952: attitude to serving aboard aircraft carriers; living conditions and duties; story of refusing to be posted to another carrier; served aboard frigate HMS Wild Goose, 1952; further training at Royal Naval College, Greenwich. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Shavington, HMS Essington and HMS Walkerton in Mediterranean, 1/1956-9/1958: duties as 1st Lieutenant and specialist in anti-submarine warfare; description of duties with Cyprus patrol stopping and searching fishing vessels; story of visit to Haifa; various memories of Admiral; further comments on Cyprus patrol including boarding parties to check for weapons.
REEL 8 Continues: role in training other crews in minesweeping techniques; maintenance of ship; discipline; promoted Lieutenant-Commander. Aspects of period with Royal Navy in GB, Far East and US, 6/1959-1985: role as instructor at Underwater Detection Establishment, Portland, Dorset, 1959-1960; duties as 1st Lieutenant and second-in-command aboard frigate HMS St Brides Bay in Pacific,1960-1961; promoted Commander; duties at naval recruitment office in London, GB, 1962-1964; duties on staff of NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Norfolk, Virginia, US, 1965-1967; duties with Operations Division, Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1967-1969; summary of career and appointments until retirement from Royal Navy, 1985. Reflections on career with Royal Navy: role of officers in maintaining a happy ship; importance of food.
