Description
Object description
British telegraphist served aboard HMS Deveron and HMS Shah in Atlantic, English Channel and Indian Ocean, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Background in GB: story of going with parents to see King George V and Queen Mary review the Fleet at Spithead, 1935; reason for wanting to join Royal Navy; story of Junkers 88 crash landing in field on family farm in Bexhill, 1942; training with ATC Sqdn in Bexhill; learned Morse Code; story of unsuccessful attempt to join Fleet Air Arm in Brighton; called up for service with Royal Navy age 18. Aspects of training with Royal Navy in GB: 1942-1943: posted to HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness; physical training; cold weather; shaved in cold water; seamanship training; posted to HMS Mercury, Petersfield; further training as wireless/telegraphist at shore based establishments, including British School of Telegraphy and HMS Scotia, Ayr, Scotland; returned to HMS Mercury and drafted to Ardrossan, Scotland. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Deveron in Atlantic, 1943-1944: amusing story of throwing rubbish overboard; sailed in convoy from Ireland to Newfoundland; weather conditions; picked up broken down rescue tug; sailed to Azores; picked up convoy and returned to base at Gladstone; further convoys to Newfoundland; problem of icebergs and wireless aerials covered in ice. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Deveron in English Channel, 1944: convoyed landing craft to assembly point on south coast prior to D-Day landings, 6/1944; sailed to Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, 7/Jun/1944; picked up landing craft at Weymouth; description of bodies and debris on Omaha Beach; story of Mosquito crashing while doing victory roll; marriage, 8/1944. Aspects of operations as telegraphist aboard HMS Deveron and HMS Shah in Indian Ocean, 1944-1945: role of HMS Deveron searching for U-boats; amusing story of rat; nature of interception work for Bletchley Park; amusing story of being rescued during monsoon; transferred to aircraft carrier HMS Shah; U-boat sweeps; sank Japanese cruiser; Sunday morning services; story of Lord Mountbatten visiting ship and announcing mission to recapture Singapore; reaction to news of dropping of atomic bomb on Japan and cancellation of mission to Singapore; posted to wireless station in Colombo; returned to GB aboard HMS Fencer; crew quarantined in Plymouth Sound due to possible smallpox case; demobilized at HMS Mercury; amusing story of being rescued not being able to swim.
