Interview with Stanley Harris

British civilian in Twickenham, GB, 1939-1944; trained as stoker with HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness, GB and aboard HMS Revenge in GB coastal waters, 1944; stoker served aboard HMS Formidable in GB coastal waters, Gibraltar, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Australia, 9/1944-3/1944; served aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacfic Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Pontypridd and Twickenham, GB, 1926-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as schoolchild and civilian in London, GB, 1939-1943: offer to schoolchildren from actress Jessie Matthews to use her home in Hampton during German Air Force raid; attitude to outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; membership of 267 (Twickenham) Sqdn, Air Training Corps, including flight in Miles Magister aircraft and visit to parachute packing shed; reason for choosing Royal Air Force as preferred service; employment making Hawker Hurricane panels; father's membership of 3rd (Twickenham) Bn Middlesex Home Guard; narrow escape from German Air Force bombs; collecting shrapnel; volunteering for Royal Air Force at aged seventeen, 1944; failure of Royal Air Force selection due to colour blindness. Aspects of enlistment and training as stoker with Royal Navy at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness, GB, 1944: volunteering for Royal Navy; reception at HMS Royal Arthur; jokes relating to issue of uniform; marking kit; instructor's introduction; learning to row; messing arrangements; use of hammock; inspirational recruit from Liverpool; drill. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of training. Recollections of period as stoker aboard HMS Formidable in GB coastal waters, Gibraltar, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Australia, 9/1944-3/1945: move to Scapa Flow; initial impressions of aircraft carrier; character of mess; storage of equipment; messing arrangements; punishment received by stoker who refused duties; Captain Philip Ruck-Keene's inspections of mess; getting revenge on unpleasant petty officer; ablutions; prior recollection of six week stoker training aboard HMS Revenge; purchase of first 'tiddly' suit; shore leave from HMS Revenge; work as stoker on boilers aboard HMS Formidable; method of seeing smoke created from boilers down in boiler room; seasickness during voyage to Gibraltar, 9/1944; loss of stoker on flight deck. REEL 3 Continues: repairs to ship in Gibraltar, 9/1944-1/1945; Christmas celebrations at Gibraltar, 25/12/1944; watch system worked; problems sleeping; attitude towards ablutions; drying clothing; exercise on Rock of Gibraltar; method of looking after uniform and making them 'tiddly'; rum ration and use of it to barter; civilian visits to aircraft carrier in Gibraltar at Christmas, 12/1944; move to Alexandria Harbour, Egypt, 1/1945; ashore in Alexandria, Egypt, 1/1945; amusing story of visit to brothel in Alexandria, Egypt, 1/1945; passing through Suez Canal and Bitter Lakes; conditions below decks in Red Sea; provisions for fluid. Recollections of operations as stoker aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945: arrival and going ashore in Sydney, Australia, 3/1945; move into Pacific, 3/1945; receiving mail from home. REEL 4 Continues: work with damage control party during Japanese Kamikaze attack on aircraft carrier, 4/5/1944; putting out fires in torpedo shop; conditions on flight deck after Japanese Kamikaze attack; dealing with damage to flight deck; hearing commentary during second Kamikaze attack on aircraft carrier, 9/5/1945; hospitalisation in Sydney, Australia; return to aircraft carrier from Australia; work in engine room; transporting former Australian prisoners of war back to Australia and former Indian prisoners of war to Bombay, India; amusing story of being ashore in Bombay, India; return to GB; trooping duties. REEL 5 Continues: loss of aircraft during accident in hangar, 18/5/1945; removal of aircraft from flight deck; further details of trooping duties; demobilisation, 1946; attitude towards service in Royal Navy.