大象传媒

MUSINGS OF A SAILOR
1940 - 1946
L.H. HORDLE
SUPPLY PETTY OFFICER
P/MX72319

Len Hordle was born and bred in Newark, Nottinghamshire, where he still lives.

Len has made a sound recording of his exciting experiences in the Royal Navy during WW2, in which he served in many far flung countries around the globe. Len has recorded in fascinating detail the trials and tribulations of his early training at HMS Arthur, HMS Dolphin and HMS Daedalus and his later experiences in India, Aden, Egypt, Sicily, Canada and the United States.

The tales are littered with characteristic humour; some of it macabre. A toss of a coin, for instance, decided that another supply petty officer, not Len, would set sail on the cruiser Sheffield. The Sheffield was subsequently sunk by the Japanese with great loss of life.

Len鈥檚 story talks poignantly about simple, everyday aspects of life in wartime Britain, yet touches on some of the big stories of the 20th Century, such as the British reign in India.

His travels allowed him to see the Himalayas and the pyramids of Egypt at first hand and in the same token to be witness to the bewildered, emaciated state of British POWs, newly released from Japanese camps as he helped to escort them home to Britain, and safety. His story finishes on a high note with a ticker tape, victory celebration in New York.

Listen to the whole of Len Hordle鈥檚 fascinating story by logging on to the NELI website:

www.newark.ac.uk/neli/A_大象传媒.htm

Synopsis of Len's audio contribution by Archie Miles

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