“Harold joined the Royal Navy on 06/02/1940, aged 15. He gained an apprenticeship with the Royal Navy but trained with the RAF prior to going into the Fleet Air Arm. He worked in electrical and ordnance duties on the aircraft.”
“At Vancouver, he joined the HMS Arbiter and sailed down from Vancouver to the Panama Canal. There was an accident at sea. On the boat, a plane crashed off the deck on a training flight, and the pilot was killed. He escorted a convoy back to England after the Panama Canal. He was then at the Orkneys with his ship until 13/09/1944. Then, the squadron picked up HMS Tracker. This was a convoy bound for the USSR. The boat went to Murmansk, where it was very cold. There were very rough weather conditions on the way. There was lots of US Lend-Lease equipment there, including American Jeeps. His experience with Soviet troops and people was positive. He got back to the Orkneys and was there from 05/12/1944 to 25/01/1945. He then joined HMS Queen."
Shared by Harold Daniels at National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, Hampshire on 16 September 2023.
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