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SEPTEMBER 1943
CALLED UP FOR SERVICE IN H.M. KING GEORGE VI NAVY. I LEFT EUSTON STATION AT 10PM LATE IN SEPTEMBER 1943 AND ARRIVED PWIIHELI IN NORTH WALES. MY ROUTE TOOK ME VIA CREWE TO BARMOUTH AND I DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 4AM IN THE MORNING.

THANKFULLY PICKED UP BY NAVAL TRANSPORT AND DROPPED OFF AT HMS ‘GLENDOWER’, A COMMANDEERED EX ‘BUTLIN’S’ HOLIDAY CAMP. MY ACCOMODATION CONSISTED OF A SMALL HUT WITH A SINGLE BED — NO MATTRESS.

I HAD ONLY JUST DOZED OFF WHEN I WAS WOKEN UP AT 6AM BY THE REVELLE BUGLE AND HAD TO WASH, SHAVE AND DRESS IN FIFTEEN MINUTES. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THIRTY MINUTES EXERCISE IN THE GYM.

AT 6.45AM WE MADE OUR WAY TO THE CANTEEN FOR BREAKFAST WHICH I WAS CERTAINLY READY FOR……..ON THE MENU, TINNED PILCHARDS IN TOMATO SAUCE, COLD PEAS, A SLICE OF BREAD AND BUTTER AND A MUG OF TEA!

BREAKFAST WAS FOLLOWED BY THE JOINING ROUTINE, A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR, AN EYE AND HEARING TEST, INNOCULATIONS ETC., AND THE DENTIST.

I WAS THEN ISSUED WITH MY UNIFORM PLUS UNDERWEAR ETC. A KIT BAG, SMALL CASE, BLANKET, HAMMOCK, AND SEA BAG. ALL OUR ‘CIVVIES’ WERE PACKED INTO A SUITCASE, LABELLED AND SENT HOME.

I SOON LEARN’T THE ROUTINE, EVERY MORNING ‘DIVISIONS’ CONSISTED OF STANDING TO ATTENTION AND SALUTING WHILST THE WHITE ENSIGN WAS RUN UP THE MAST INCLUDING SUNDAYS FOR CHURCH SERVICE.

AFTER BEING DISMISSED BREAKFAST WE HAD EXERCISE AND TRAINING. ATTENDED CLASSES WHERE I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTION ON KNOTS AND ARMOURY. WE WERE ALSO TRANSPORTED BY LORRY TO CARDIGAN BAY FOR PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION ON SWIMMING, RESCUE, BOAT DRILL, ROWING AND PULLING OAR IN A CUTTER.

AFTER APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS I WAS SELECTED FOR SPECIALISED TRAINING AND TRANSFERRED TO H.M.S. LEIGH, THE SIGNAL SCHOOL AT SOUTHEND-ON-SEA. I STARTED SIX WEEKS OF INTENSIVE INSTRUCTION AS A CONVOY SIGNALMAN. I HAD CLASSES ON IDENTIFYING SIGNAL FLAGS, MORSE CODE MESSAGING AND TO KEEP PHYSICALLY FIT AND ALERT, MARCHING MANOUVERS.

WE WERE IN PRIVATE BILLETS AND OUR WORKING DAY WAS FROM 9AM TO 4.30PM. AFTER THIS PERIOD I SAT EXAMS AND PASSED OUT FULLY TRAINED READY FOR ACTIVE SERVICE.

JANUARY 1944
I WAS ORDERED, TOGETHER WITH THREE OTHER RATINGS AND A LEADING HAND, TO SHOP LOCALLY AND BUY OUR VICTUALS (FOOD) FOR A TRIP TO SOUTHEND PIER WHERE I LEARNED A COMMODORES CONFERENCE WAS TAKING PLACE, PRIOR TO SAILING IN CONVOY TO A SECRET DESTINATION. WE ASSEMBLED AT BASE ON THE PIER AT 5PM (17.00HRS) WITH FULL KIT, LAID OUT OUR BED AND SLEPT TILL EARLY THE NEXT MORNING. A SMALL TENDER CAME ALONGSIDE AND PICKED US UP AND TRANSFERRED US TO THE S.S.’FRANCIS FLADGATE’ A COAL COLLIER, 3,000 TONS — MY FIRST SHIP. THERE WAS ONLY A SMALL CREW OF FIVE INCLUDING MYSELF. AFTER BEING AT SEA FOR FIVE DAYS WE ARRIVED AT BLYTHE A NORTH EAST COSTAL TOWN.

I WAS ORDERED TO TRAVEL, WITH FULL KIT, TO LIVERPOOL BY TRAIN. ARRIVING IN THE AFTERNOON I MADE MY WAY TO THE LIVER BUILDING, OUR HEADQUARTERS. I WAS SENT TO THE SEAMANS HOSTEL FOR TEMPORARY BILLITING.

THE NEXT DAY I REPORTED TO WELLESLY BARRACKS WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL DRAFTING WAS ARRANGED TO ENSURE SIGNALS MEN SUCH AS MYSELF WERE ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS SHIPS ON ATLANTIC CONVOYS.

H.M.S. DEFENDER A SMALL SHORE ESTABLISHMENT JUST OUTSIDE LIVERPOOL WAS ALSO USED AS A BASE AND REACHED BY AN OVERHEAD BASED RAILWAY.

SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING AT H.M.S. DEFENDER I RECEIVED MY FIRST SIGNALS DUTY AND TRAVELLED TO GOUROCK IN SCOTLAND TO GO ABOARD THE S.S. NORFALK A NORWEGIAN STEAMER. WE TOOK ON 8,000 TONS OF BALLAST, AS WE WERE TO PICK UP THE CARGO LATER.

FEBRUARY 1944
FROM GOUROCK WE SAILED TO NEW YORK, U.S.A. AND I WAS TAKEN OFF AND SENT TO BROOKLYN BARRACKS, H.M.S. SAKER.

MARCH/APRIL 1944
I HAD TO TRAVEL BY ROAD TO HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY TO JOIN MY NEXT SHIP M.V.CHESAPEKE. AN OIL TANKER WHICH ALSO CARRIED U.S.A.F. THUNDERBOLT AIRCRAFT AND SAILED TO BOSTON TO TAKE ON FURTHER DECK CARGO OF SPARE PARTS. AFTER THAT WE SAILED BACK TO LIVERPOOL AND TWO WEEKS HOME LEAVE.

MAY/JUNE 1944
AFTER RETURNING TO H.M.S. WELLESLEY IN LIVERPOOL I WAS DRAFTED TO PRINCESS DOCK, GLASGOW TO JOIN THE S.S. CASTALIA. THIS WAS A GENERAL CARGO SHIP OF ABOUT 10,000 TONS AND TOOK STORES AND PASSENGERS TO FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE. I WAS THEN BILLITED AT THE ROYAL NAVEL BASE H.M.S. FOURAH BAY.

WE HEARD OF THE ‘D’ DAY INVASION EN ROUTE, WHICH CHEERED US ALL.

JULY 1944
I RETURNED TO LIVERPOOL ABOARD THE S.S. PORT CAROLINE, A REFRIGERATED SHIP, WITH A CARGO OF BANANAS, ORANGES, MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. WE ENCOUNTERED HEAVY SEAS IN THE BAY OF BISCAY AND THE CONVOY HAD SCATTERED BY THE TIME WE REACHED THE IRISH SEA, BOUND FOR LIVERPOOL. THE VESSEL DEVELOPED STEERAGE TROUBLE AND IT WAS DECIDED I TRANSFER TO A NAVY SHIP, H.M.S. TOWY, A RIVER CLASS FRIGATE WHICH WAS PART OF THE ESCORT TO THE CONVOY.

I WAS TRANSFERRED IN AN OPEN BOAT IN MID OCEAN AND LOST SOME OF MY SIGNAL EQUIPMENT AND DAMAGED MY TOP COAT WITH BATTERY ACID CLIMBING THE ROPE LADDER.

THIS SHIP PUT IN AT GOUROCK IN SCOTLAND SO HAD TO TRAVEL BACK BY TRAIN TO WELLESLEY BARRACKS IN LIVERPOOL.

AUGUST 1944
I WAS SENT FIRST TO R.N.B. CHATHAM THEN TRANSFERRED TO COOKHAM CAMP, ROCHESTER AND FINALLY TO BROMPTON BARRACKS, GILLINGHAM IN KENT. THIS WAS FOR FURTHER SIGNALS INSTRUCTION.

WHILST I WAS STATIONED IN GILLINGHAM, ‘DOODLEBUGS’ WERE COMING OVER HOURLY DURING BOTH DAY AND NIGHT.

SEPTEMBER/NOVEMBER 1944
RETURNED TO LIVERPOOL AND RECEIVED ORDERS FOR MY NEXT SHIP, JOINED AT GOUROCK THE S.S. EMPIRE GULF (PART OF THE BRITISH TANKER COMPANY FLEET) AND CALLED IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA.

DURING THE VOYAGE WE ENCOUNTERED VERY HEAVY GALES IN THE ICELAND APPROACHES AND THE CONVOY WAS BLOWN OFF COURSE.

AT OUR NEXT PORT OF CALL, BOSTON MASSACHUSETS BECAUSE OF THE BAD WEATHER WE HAD TO CARRY OUT FLEET OILING TO THE ESCORTS WHICH NEEDED EXTRA FUEL.

WE THEN RESUMED OUR VOYAGE TO THE U.S. NAVAL BASE AT NORFOLK VIRGINIA WHERE WE REFUELLED FOR THE RETURN JOURNEY. I WENT ASHORE TO SIGHTSEE AND WAS ORDERED OFF THE BUS BY THE LOCAL POLICE. IT SEEMS WE WERE SITTING AT THE BACK OF THE BUS WHERE ONLY BLACK PEOPLE WERE TO SIT.

ONCE BACK ON THE SHIP WE PICKED UP THE CONVOY OFF CAPE COD BOUND FOR LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND.

I LEFT THE S.S. EMPIRE GULF AND TOOK THE FERRY TO BELFAST TO STAY IN THE SHORE BASE H.M.S. PEGASUS. FROM BELFAST I TRAVELLED BACK TO LIVERPOOL AND H.M.S. WELLESLEY, WHICH BY NOW HAD BEGUN TO FEEL LIKE MY SECOND HOME.

DECEMBER 1944
I WAS NEXT DRAFTED TO S.S. MALAMPUS (A DUTCH VESSEL) AND CARRIED A CARGO OF SMALL ARMS, RIFLES ETC. FREETOWN. DURING THE TRIP ONE OF OUR CHINESE COOKS MANAGED TO CATCH A BARRACUDA, VERY TASTY.

JANUARY 1945
FROM KISSY BARRACKS IN FREETOWN TO KING TOM BARRACKS WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET AFTERNOON TRIPS TO THE BEACH, FOR A SWIM. THE SEA WAS WARM DESPITE IT BEING THE ATLANTIC BUT THERE WAS THE DANGER OF BEING BITTEN BY BARRACUDAS. A CASE OF THE HUNTER BEING HUNTED.

FEBRUARY 1945
SAW ME ABOARD THE TROUP SHIP, H.M.T. BOISSEVAIN FROM FREETOWN TO GIBRALTER IN THE COMPANY FERRYING ARMY AND AIRFORCE PERSONNEL HOME ON LEAVE. I WAS BILLETED AT THE SHORE BASE, H.M.S. CORMORANT AN OLD NELSON SHIP, WHICH WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AND OVER CROWDED. HOWEVER ONCE WE WERE UP AND HAD BREAKFAST WE WERE FREE TO GO INTO TOWN, IF CIVILLIAN CLOTHES WERE AVAILABLE WE COULD GO ACROSS THE SPANISH BOARDER TO LA LINEA.

I WAS DRAFTED TO S.S. PENDEEN, WHICH WAS CARRYING A CARGO OF IRON ORE, BANANAS AND TINNED FRUIT BOUND FOR THE ISLE OF ARRAN IN SCOTLAND. THIS PROVED TO BE AN EVENTFUL JOURNEY.

THE CAPTAIN LOST THE CONVOY AND AFTER MANY EXTRA DAYS AT SEA THE OTHER OFFICERS TOOK CONTROL OF THE SHIP, DECLARING THE CAPTAIN INCAPABLE (DRUNK ON SCOTCH).

ONCE OFF ARRAN I COULD NOT ESTABLISH ARRIVAL WITH THE SIGNAL STATION, OWING TO BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. AFTER FREQUENT ATTEMPTS BY HAND LAMP SIGNAL I FINALLY MANAGED TO RADIO THE SHORE STATION AND ADVISED THE NAVY CONTROL. WE WERE THEN DIVERTED TO ADROSSAN, A MUCH LARGER PORT.

WITH MUCH RELIEF I LEFT THE SHIP AND RETURNED TO LIVERPOOL VIA GLASGOW. ON ARRIVAL I COLLAPSED WITH A MALERIA ATTACK AND WAS RUSHED TO THE ROYAL NAVAL HOSPITAL. I WAS DELERIOUS FOR MANY DAYS AND WHEN I FINALLY RECOVERED WAS SENT HOME ON SICK LEAVE FOR TWO WEEKS.

MARCH/APRIL 1945
DURING THIS PERIOD ‘U’ BOAT ATTACKS BECAME MORE FREQUENT IN HOME WATERS, THIS MADE ESCORTED CONVOYS FOR SHORT VOYAGES NECESSARY.

I BOARDED MY NEXT SHIP THE U.S. WYNN SEALE (U.S.A. LIBERTY SHIP), AT CARDIFF BAY. THIS SHIP WAS LOADED WITH, AMONGST THE USUAL STORES A DECK CARGO OF AIRCRAFT AND WE SAILED FOR ANTWERP. THIS SHIP WAS RETURNING TO MILFORD HAVEN BUT I WAS TAKEN OFF TO BOARD THE S.S. NELEUS, CARRYING A BALLAST CARGO OF FLYING BOMB DEBRIS.

ONCE BACK IN GLASGOW I TRAVELLED TO LIVERPOOL AND GOT A SHIP FROM MY HOME PORT THE S.S. BARON HAIG, LOADED WITH GENERAL CARGO FOR NEWPORT, UP THE BRISTOL CHANNEL.

APRIL 1945
AFTER 48HRS LEAVE; I WAS ORDERED TO SOUTHEND TO REPORT ABOARD THE M.V. EMPIRE PLOUGHMAN (A BRITISH TANKER, PART OF THE ANGLO AMERICAN OIL COMPANY FLEET). OUR DESTINATION ON THIS TRIP, NEW YORK.

I RETURNED TO MILFORD HAVEN ABOARD THE M.V. LACKLAN, DURING THE VOYAGE WE HAD TO CARRY OUT FLEET AND ESCORTS OILING.

APRIL/MAY 1945
DISEMBARKED THE M.V. LACKLAN, RETURNED TO LIVERPOOL

8TH MAY 1945
WAR IN EUROPE DECLARED OVER!

JUNE/JULY 1945
THE NAVY HAD TO ROTA ACCOMODATION BECAUSE OF RETURNING NAVAL PERSONNEL OFF CONVOY DUTY, SO I RECEIVED FOURTEEN DAYS LEAVE.

I WAS EVENTUALLY ORDERED TO H.M.S. SCOTIA A SHORE BASE IN AYRSHIRE FOR A REFRESHER SIGNALS COURSE, READY FOR FAR EAST SERVICE. AFTER COMPLETION I WAS DRAFTED TO R.N.B. CHATHAM.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1945
THIS EXTRA TRAINING BECAME UNNESSARY AFTER THE ATOM BOMBS WERE DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI WHICH FORCED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF JAPAN.

OCTOBER 1945
TRANSFERRED TO COOKHAM CAMP AND THEN ON TO BRAINTREE CAMP, AN EX AMERICAN SERVICE PERSONNEL BASE

NOVEMBER 1945 TO OCTOBER 1946
I WAS ORDERED TO ADMIRALTY HEADQUARTERS TO FINISH SERVICE, CUT SHORT BY SUSPECTED APPENDICITAS.

I WENT TO GILLINGHAM HOSPITAL AND MY APPENDIX WAS REMOVED BY ONE OF KING GEORGE’S OWN SURGEONS. BY THE TIME I WAS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL MY NAVAL SERVICE WAS ALSO OVER

I HAD SPENT 214 DAYS AT SEA, WHICH APART FROM THE INCIDENTS ALREADY MENTIONED INCLUDED:-

ONE OF OUR OWN MINES RAN ALONG THE SIDE OF THE SHIP, IT DIDN’T EXPLODE! MUST HAVE BEEN A DUD

I WAS WASHED OVERBOARD WHILST ON TANKER FLY BRIDGE, DURING HEAVY SEAS, RESCUED FORTUNATELY.

LOST CONVOY DURING A STORM AND HAD TO SAIL INDEPENTLY FOR FIVE DAYS, DURING THIS TIME WE WERE IN CONSTANT DANGER OF ATTACK BY U BOAT.

PICKED UP SURVIVORS FROM A DOWNED BEAUFORT BOMBER IN THE NORTH SEA

PASSED SOME SPANISH FISHERMEN ONE NIGHT, THEIR LIGHTS EXPOSED US TO ENEMY ATTACK BUT PASSED UNNOTICED.

PICKED UP 3 GERMAN E BOAT SURVIVORS, WHICH WERE ONLY 18-20 YEARS OLD, NOT VERY CO-OPERATIVE.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CONVOY WAS ATTACKED BY U BOATS, FORTUNATELY OUTSIDE OF THE CONVOY RING AND SUNK BY THE ESCORT SHIPS.

WENT ABOARD SHORT SUNDERLAND FLYING BOAT FOR A FLIGHT TO GREENLAND, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EXPERIENCE BUT THE FLIGHT WAS CANCELLED AT THE LAST MINUTE DUE TO BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS.

SPENT TWO NIGHTS DOING GUARD DUTY AT ROCHESTER BARRACKS, TO PREVENT BORSTAL BOYS ESCAPING INTO WRENS QUARTERS. I WAS ALSO ORDERED TO DO CHAPARONE DUTY DURING CHURCH PARADE ON THE SUNDAY.

… - …

LATE OCTOBER 1946
I RETURNED TO BARRACKS AFTER MY OPERATION FOR DISPERSAL AND MY DEMOB CLOTHES. I WAS ISSUED WITH A HAT, SHIRT, TIE, TWO PIECE SUIT AND A RAINCOAT. I HAD A CHOICE OF COLOUR FOR THE SUIT; BROWN, GREY OR NAVY, I CHOSE THE BROWN.

I TRIED RETURNING TO MY PRE-SERVICE JOB AT THE YORKSHIRE COPPER WORKS IN THE CITY OF LONDON BUT SOON LEFT AND JOINED, MANN CROSSMAN AND PAULIN IN E.1.

IT TOOK A WHILE TO RECONCILE MYSELF TO THE ROUTINE 9-5 OF A CIVILIAN JOB.

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