Pullen, Thomas Charles: my Navy recollections (March 22, and 23, 1985)
PublicRank: Captain.
An interview/narrative of Thomas Charles Pullen's experiences during World War II. Captain Pullen served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on March 22 and 23, 1985.
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
ABSTRACT: Capt. T.C. Pullen Royal Canadian Navy (Cassette 1, Side 1) In the beginning is a list (read by Lawrence) of the Pullen family naval service from 1780 -- a total of 425 years! Capt. Pullen has been a serious writer of letters and diaries, volumes of which have been kept. Capt. Pullen was born in Oakville. Met his future wife two weeks before leaving for the RN in 1936 and eventually married her in 1942! Civil service examinations in 1936, interview board, then to HMS Frobisher, met by Mr. Margot, the Gunner. Cruises -- Norway and around the UK. The second, the West Indies. As a Midshipman he served in HMS Shropshire (cruiser) of the First Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean. The ship sailed for the 1937 Naval Review at Spithead. Experience as part of a boat's crew and the help offered to young midshipmen by the lower deck. Patrols off Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Appointed next to the cruiser HMS Sussex. Some discussion about "navigation tables". HMS Sussex operated from Malta where his action station in daylight was in the high angle control position (4" guns) and a night at the port searchlight position. The fleet did considerable time exercising the guns. Based in Malta he was appointed to HMS Hotspur for his three months destroyer time. Seamanship exams (for Sub. Lieutenant) were approaching. Meantime, some discussion about a fortnight in an aircraft carrier. Mentions that Sussex carried the Grand Mufti from Palestine to Haifa and eventually exile in the Seychelles. Returned to the UK for Sub-Lieutenant courses. In 1939, joined HMCS Assiniboine (destroyer). (Cassette ends) [Lawrence transcript: pp. 24-26 are not on the current cassette] Repetition of some info. on cass. #1 Joins HMS Hotspur. Midshipman. "Showing the flag" in Oran and the Greek Islands. Joins HMS Hostile for a time. In Malta, destroyer anchored stern first in Sliema Creek which offered great ship-handling experience. (Cassette 2, Side 1) Subs course at Whale Island. Well know that war was fast approaching. Joined Assiniboine 23 Oct. 1939, with Rollo Mainguy as C.O. Several favourable comments on Mainguy and other officers including Hibbard, Budge, and Porteous, the engineer. Participated in the capture of the German ship Hanover in the West Indies. Convoy work out of Halifax with a new captain, G.C. Jones -- later Chief of the Naval Staff. Pullen comments on the attitude to ships company that had to be recognized by RN trained officers. The Canadian sailor had to be treated differently and some took a while to adjust. Various remembrances of Assiniboine which he left in Jan. 1941. Appointed to HMS Excellent for the Long Gunnery Course (6 mos.). Pullen became very ill during the course (epistaxis -- excessive bleeding from nose) and fell behind but later passed his exams. Back to Canada and then to HMCS Niobe, the base at Greenock which he opened under a difficult captain. Felt lucky that he was appointed to HMCS Ottawa as XO under a captain that he felt could have been more efficient. Replaced by Larry Rutherford (1942), a very capable and efficient officer who demanded a high standard. Ottawa was torpedoed on 13 Sept. 1942. Earlier assisted the ship's doctor in removing the appendix of a Leading Seaman -- a fair sea running. (Cassette 2, Side 2) Good account of the ship after the torpedo hit -- including going below deck to assess the serious damage (bow broken off) and was there when a second torpedo hit and was able to survive by walking up the hull as the ship turned over. Watched the stern sink with, luckily, all depth charges set to safe. Sixty-five officers and men were eventually picked up by the corvette HMS Celandine and landed in St. John's. After leave was appointed to the gunnery school at HMCS Cornwallis. Later appointed to HMCS Chaudière (destroyer) as the executive officer. They were involved in the destruction of U-744 which, after a long hunt, came to the surface. Describes the long hunt but in the end were unable to capture it. Picked up survivors. Worked up for the Invasion of Europe. After D-Day he returned to Canada to take command of the destroyer HMCS Saskatchewan (Aug. '44-Aug. '45). Refit in Liverpool. Work-up in Tobermory. Ordered to transport Vincent Massey from Belfast to Liverpool. Massey was asleep when a U-boat contact was made. A five depth charge attack spilled Massey to the deck! Rescued from the Irish Sea one of his crew who went a little crazy, attacked the Chief and P.O.'s mess, then jumped overboard. Returned to Halifax. Sent to gunnery school with the RN then was Staff Gunnery Officer in Halifax. Anecdotes. [Some material that comprises pp. 24-26 of the transcript appears here.]
Interviewee: Pullen, Thomas Charles
- In Collection:
- 3 sound recordings (MP3)
- 48.69096, 9.14062
- Original sound recordings on two audio cassettes also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- PTC_282
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- November 20, 2014
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2014. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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