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Description: | British seaman served aboard HMS Impregnable, HMS Crescent, HMS Albemarle, HMS Onslaught, HMS King George V and HMS Orion in GB and North Sea, 1913-1920; present at Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916-1/6/1916
REEL 1 Background, 1897-1912: father's return from service as reservist in Royal Fusiliers in Boer War, 1901; married quarters barrack lifestyle and education; periods in Wood Green London and Bengeo following father leaving army; effects of attack of rheumatic fever. Recollections of conditions and lifestyle at Navy League Training School, Liskeard, 4/1911-2/1913: background to selection of school; dormitory accommodation; staff; origins of boys; education; seamanship; naval discipline; examination results; gymnastics and summer camp display; homesickness and contacts with home; recreations; homesickness.
REEL 2 Continues: background to decision to enlist in Royal Navy, 12/1912. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine aboard HMS Impregnable Training Establishment at Devonport, 12/1913-2/1914: return of Navy league uniforms; issue of uniform and kit aboard HMS Powerful; orlop deck accommodation; hammocks; kitbag; morning routine; bare feet; masthead drill; food; pay as 1st Class boy; training in boxing compass, knots and rules of sea.
REEL 3 Continues: signal training; lectures in Royal Navy traditions and pride in Royal Navy; small boat training; food; recreations; route marches; relationship with petty officer instructors; food; recreations; relationship with boys; swimming lessons aboard HMS Circe and river test; attack of scarlet fever; scrubbing decks and cleaning ship; kit inspections; discipline and punishments; question of concentration on sail as opposed to engines; relationship with boys; role of divisional officers; differences between uniform cap of 1st and 2nd Class boys.
REEL 4 Continues: passing out as advanced class boy, 2/1914. Recollections of period aboard HMS Crescent, 2/1914-8/1914: segregated messes for boys; effects of seasickness during voyage to Ringoskiddy, Ireland; relationship with Irish civilians; rifle training; gunnery and seamanship training; food; relationship with ORs; return to GB; presence at royal review at Spithead. 7/1914. Aspects of period in Victory Barracks, Portsmouth, 7/1914: desire for posting to dreadnought; question of choice of Portsmouth as 'home port'; importance of advice of father; question of reputation of Royal Navy with civilians; ignorance of approach of war; preconceptions of war. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine aboard HMS Albermarle, 7/1914-1/1916: nature of ship; reception at Portsmouth; boys' mess deck.
REEL 5 Continues: segregated boys' mess deck accommodation and stowage of kit; watch system; morning routine; heads; duties as messenger boy; preparation of food as 'cook of day' under messing system; relationship with boys; recreations; sailors 'firms' providing tailoring, laundry and barber services; pay; move to Medway and aftermath of explosion of HMS Bulwark, 26/11/1914; reaction to absence of naval battles.
REEL 6 Continues: move to join 8th Battle Sqdn, Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow; reactions to being aboard pre-dreadnought; method of coaling and subsequent cleaning of ship and uniform; question of trips ashore and lack of recreational facilities at Scapa Flow; question of homesickness; daily routine in Scapa Flow; close escape from torpedo and question of submarine threat during sweep into North Sea; preparations for action stations and effects of firing broadsides; view of Grand Fleet at sea; story of rescuing survivor from mined HMS Audacious, 27/10/1914; state of morale; promotion to ordinary and able seaman; action station on searchlights; relationship with seamen, petty officers and officers.
REEL 7 Continues: story of damage sustained by overloaded HMS Albemarle in rough weather in Pentland Firth, 12/1915; background to posting back to home port, 1/1915. Aspects of period at Victory Barracks, Portsmouth, 1/1915. Recollections of period aboard HMS Onslaught, 2/1916: draft to join ship on Clyde; cramped conditions and storage of kit; seasickness during acceptance trials in rough weather; joining 12th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow; question of Captain Jeremy H Onslow's intended posting to HMS Onslow; training as torpedo-man; role of destroyers; story of rescuing survivors from torpedoed Norwegian wood pulp merchant ship; meetings with Norwegian torpedo-boat; story of uneventful sweep into Baltic; relationship with ORs and leading seaman; story of being assigned to cleaning torpedo tubes; relationship with officers including Captain Onslow. Account of Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916-1/7/1916: state of morale; moving ahead of Grand Fleet; vulnerability of British battlecruisers; sinking of Ledo; wreckage, lifeboats and dead fish in sea; quiet period; action stations and view of approach of German ships, 01.00, 1/6/1916; manoeuvring to follow German ships and firing torpedoes; sinking of Pommern; effects of direct hit by salvo German shells; manual steerage from aft wheel during voyage back to Leith; playing football by Leith docks; reactions to death of Captain Onslow; telegram from father.
REEL 8 Continues: sending telegram to father; question of civilian reaction to news of battle; duties as torpedo-man. Aspects of period aboard HMS Onslaught, 6/1916-8/1917: explosion of HMS Vanguard at Scapa Flow; sweeps into North Sea; convoy duties in North Atlantic; seasickness; effects of first rum ration. Aspects of period training as torpedo-man at HMS Vernon, Portsmouth, 8/1917-11/1917. Aspects of period aboard HMS King George V, 11/1917-9/1920: superior conditions in contrast to destroyer; initial role looking after telephone network aboard ship; passing as leading torpedo-man and responsibility for electrical fittings in engine room; recreations; fear of ship explosions caused by sabotage; attack of rheumatic fever; view of surrender of German High Seas Fleet, 21/11/1918; reactions to Armistice, 11/11/1918. Aspects of period aboard HMS Orion, 1/1920-11/1920: reactions to posting; attack of rheumatic fever; demobilisation. Various aspects of post-war career: diagnosis with disordered action of heart; work as postman in Hertfordshire; work as assistant election agent for Conservative Party.
REEL 9 Continues: qualification as customs officer; prior carpentry training at disabled ex-servicemen establishment at Luton; reaction to cancellation of disability pension; question of rejoining navy. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Wainford, George | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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