Interview with James Charles Macauley Booth

British seaman aboard HMS Hussar, 6th Minesweeper Flotilla in North Sea and English Channel, 1940; served aboard HMS Kenya, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1940-1941; officer served aboard HMS Turquoise in North Sea, 1941-1942; served aboard HMS Pict in North Atlantic, 1942-1943; served with Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) in GB, Normandy, France and Burma, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1921-1939: family; education; degree of awareness of situation in Europe, 1938; membership of Officer Training Corps at Eton College. Aspects of enlistment and training as seaman in Royal Navy in GB, 1939-1940: background to enlistment; pattern of training at HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Hussar, 6th Minesweeping Flotilla in North Sea and English Channel, 1940: appointment to minesweeper; German Air Force bombing of ship, 15/5/1940; minesweeping techniques; messing arrangements and accommodation. Aspects of period as seaman aboard HMS Kenya, 10th Cruiser Sqdn in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 1940-1941: drafting to cruiser; crowded conditions on board; allocation as loader on QF 4 Inch Naval Gun; character of ship's complement; pursuit of German battleship Bismarck in North Atlantic, 5/1941; role as lookout; allocation as CW candidate; attending officer training course and commissioning as midshipman. REEL 2 Continues: amusing story relating to Officers Training Corps at Eton College. Aspects of period as officer aboard anti-submarine warfare trawler HMT Turquoise in North Sea, 1941-1942: participation in east coast convoys; character of crew; conditions on board; coaling ship; clothing worn; appointment to submarine depot ship in Scotland. Aspects of period as officer aboard anti-submarine warfare trawler HMS Pict in North Atlantic, 1942-1943: appointment to anti-submarine trawler; learning navigation; picking up survivors; duration of patrols; duties on board. Recollections of period as officer with Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) in GB, 1943-1944: initial training for manned torpedoes; role of Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP); introduction of X-craft minature submarine; diving suits worn and technique for landing on beach; training on and description of X-craft minature submarine. REEL 3 Continues: description of crew roles in X-Craft; reconnaissance role of COPP 1 craft. Recollections of operations as officer with Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) during Normandy Landings, 6/1944: plan to guide Allied armada into beaches on D-Day; use of coloured lights; how Sherman Duplex Drive (DD) Swimming Tanks would be ahead of invasion fleet; sailing for Normandy, France, 2/6/1944; taking up position on bottom of sea off Sword Beach; reaction to hearing delay in operation; surfacing to check position, 5/6/1944; decision not to use dinghy to carry lights; start of Allied air and naval bombardment; arrival of Sherman Duplex Drive (DD) Swimming Tanks; move to headquarters ship HMS Largs, 6/6/1944; return to GB. Aspects of period as officer with Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) in Burma, 1944-1945: move to Ceylon; nature of operations in Burma; capture of Japanese prisoners of war. REEL 4 Continues: reasons why unit issued with Fairbairn Sykes Knife; attack on Japanese forces' position; reconnaissance of and guiding in invasion fleet at Rangoon; attending parachute course in India; return to GB to resume Royal Navy career; minesweeping duties, 1945-1947; reasons for leaving Royal Navy, 1949.