Description
Object description
British seaman served as telegraphist with Royal Navy in GB, 1943-1943; served aboard LCT 506 and LCT 523 in North Sea and English Channel, 1943-1945, including Normandy landings, 6/1944
Content description
REEL 1: Background in London, GB, 1922-1941: family; childhood in Finsbury Park and Hornsea; education and sporting activities; left school age14; employment as milk boy; hours and wages; awareness of political situation; reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; air raid precautions and shelter; effect of war on milk round; air raids; price of milk; volunteered for service in Royal Navy, 12/1941; medical examination and tests.
REEL 2 Continues: story of train journey to HMS Collingwood. Aspects of training as telegraphist with Royal Navy at HMS Collingwood, Falmouth, GB, 12/1941-8/1942; service number; issued with uniform and kit; accommodation in Nissen hut; opinion of food; attitude to naval life; washing clothes; pay and expenses; discipline; inspections; description of HMS Collingwood; physical training; duties in cookhouse; drill; gas training; Morse code training; further training at signal school, Cookham Camp, Rochester; story of temporary accommodation in Borstal facility; daily routine and training; issued with tropical kit and Webley revolver; drafted to HMS Dundonald, Troon, Scotland, 9/1942. Aspects of period as flotilla telegraphist at HMS Dundonald, Troon, Scotland, 9/1942-9/1943: description of conditions aboard LCT Mk III; accommodation in well deck; sanitary and washing facilities; opinion of rations.
REEL 3 Continues: duties as telegraphist aboard LCT 506; amusing story of commanding officer; reason for transfer to LCT 523; location of signals hut on bridge; general duties as seaman; duty watches; first use of DD Valentine tanks; role in exercises landing tanks on beaches, including Slapton Sands and Isle of Wight; opinion of stability of LCT; relations with army troops; story of burial of casualties from HMS Curacoa in Oban; description of exercise landing troops from LCT on Isle of Bute; problem of becoming stuck on beach and flooding of mess deck; story of seeing aircraft crashing into aircraft carrier HMS Dasher in Firth of Clyde, 3/1943; reaction to sinking of HMS Dasher and casualties; opinion of possible connection of sinking of HMS Dasher with Operation Mincemeat.
REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Scottish people; social life; memories of submarines; story of training exercise with DD tanks; posted to Southampton, 9/1943. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard LCT 523, 9/1943-6/1944: description of naval bombardment during Operation Tiger exercise on Slapton Sands, 4/1944; reaction to US casualties during Operation Tiger; description of exercise landing DD tanks off Isle of Wight; role in signaling for flotilla; story of CO constructing signal lamp with klaxon; story of visit by King George VI. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard LCT 523 in English Channel during Normandy landings, 6/1944: embarkation of Canadian troops aboard LCT; description of landing on Juno Beach, Normandy, France, 6/Jun/1944; story of mine stuck in LCT door and return to Portsmouth, GB, 7/Jun/1944; removal and detonation of mine; further trips to Normandy; story of making skull and crossbones flag for LCT; story of towing LCT 256 back to GB.
REEL 5 Continues: sailed to Ostend, Belgium, for repairs. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard LCT 523 in North Sea, 6/1944-2/1945: role in operations at Walcheren Island, 10-11/1944; description of damage caused to LCT by rocket and shell fire; casualties; volunteered to take control of wheel; story of helping badly wounded sick berth attendant and coxswain; returned to Ostend; wounded by explosion aboard hospital ship; treatment of casualties; story of LCT being towed back to Southampton during storm; repairs to damage; story of rum in emergency locker. Aspects of period in GB, 2-10/1945: sent to hospital in Southampton for medical treatment; amusing story of tea; re-classified as Grade 6 due to injury; description of injury to ear and treatment; sent to hospital in Westcliffe for recuperation; duties in charge of cleaning floors in sick bay; story of not being transferred into army due to medical condition .
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period with Royal Navy in Port Edgar, Scotland, 20/10/1945-4/11/1945: allocated duties in wireless room; story of batteries; description of operation to remove tonsils; duties as flotilla postman for CO; story of fight. Aspects of period at HMS Ford, Arundel, GB, 11/1945-4/1946: story of visiting relatives of seaman killed aboard LCT; duties as officer's secretary; demobilised, Apr/1946. Aspects of post-war life in GB: awarded 20% war pension for damaged hearing; story of disabled servicemen at show in Edinburgh; story of signal flag; story about receiving 'X' signal from HMS Warspite; further comments on sinking of HMS Dasher, 1943; civilian employment.
