Content can be downloaded for non-commercial purposes, such as for personal use or in educational resources.
For commercial purposes please contact the copyright holder directly.
Read more about the The Creative Archive Licence.
Description
William Howell Selby Davies was 43 when he was offered the opportunity to work on the HMS Camroux III, a coaster ship testing barrage balloons and rockets stationed at Ynyslas Camp, on the Dyfi estuary. His position at the Ynyslas camp drew him to Aberdyfi, an area he came to love and lived in until he died at the age of 106 in 2011.
He describes the experience on the HMS Camroux III as ‘luxury’ in comparison to an earlier vessel of the same (Camroux II) particularly being 'able to take off my clothes, get into pyjamas and go to my bunk and sleep. I hadn’t been able to do this for four years! And a proper sized bath with hot water. Luxury indeed.’
William was the second engineer on the coaster, and with the other members of the crew, undertook many of the high specialized tasks associated with servicing an offshore rocket range. Some of the tasks were 'hair-raising' when you read them, but they are told with wonderful warmth and humor.
William's reminiscences have been shared with us by his daughter, Megan Reynolds.
Do you have information to add to this item? Please leave a comment
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to leave a comment