Freeman, John (Jack) (Oral history)

British seaman served as DEMS gunner with Merchant Navy in Atlantic and English Channel, 1939-1945, including Normandy landings, France, 6/1944.

REEL 1: Aspects of pre-war service with Merchant Navy: description of two years aboard training ship; reason for joining Merchant Navy age 13; family background; duties aboard training ship; discipline; use of training ship as hostel for poor boys; punishments; story about 'sticky gunner'; description of training ship, former German sailing ship Althuser, berthed on River Medway near Chatham Dockyard; attitude to serving with Merchant Navy; description of duties as deck boy aboard passenger ship with Union Castle line to South Africa; family and personal relationships; attitude to 'wandering the world'. Aspects of operations as DEMS gunner with Merchant Navy in Atlantic and English Channel, 1939-1945, including Normandy landings, France, 6/1944: rank system; pay; opinion of German women; story of meeting future wife and marriage; story of being on first ship in Hamburg at end of war; attitude to leaving Merchant Navy; duties as ordinary seaman; watch system; messing arrangements for crew of different nationalities and religions; question of place in hierarchy and not wanting to be an underdog; attitude to being tough; story about incident after drinking ashore; attitude to comradeship. REEL 2 Continues: further comments on toughness and relations with crew mates; problem of staying in touch with friends after changing ship; description of various types of ships and life at sea; attitude to fear; reasons for becoming an Atheist; description of coming under attack; role as DEMS gunner; attitude to war service; opinion of Germans; problem of losing touch with crew mates after the war; description of sailing with Arctic convoys aboard old re-fitted American ship from Nova Scotia; weather and living conditions; organisation of convoy system and varying speeds; opinion of success of convoy system; contact with U-boats and crews; description of ships in convoy coming under attack; role in operations during D-Day landings, Normandy, France, 6/1944; description of ship and cargo; method of loading at sea; reason for volunteering for service during D-Day landings. REEL 3 Continues: description of loading at sea and arrival in Normandy on D-Day, 6/Jun/1944; description of red alerts; reaction to end of war, 5/1945; story about friend and German girl in Hamburg; story about meeting Dutch girl in New York. Aspects of post-war period in GB: civilian employment as carpenter; relations with wife and family during war; reflections on period of service with Merchant Navy.