Joseph 'John' Cheal's Navy Letters - general narrative of service 12th June - 13th September 1944

• Main Author: Their Finest Hour Project Team
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: British history; European history (excl. British; classical Greek and Roman); International history; Their Finest Hour; World War Two; Africa; African; America; American; Armed Forces; Atlantic; Britain; British; D-Day; D-Day Landings; Eastern Front; Employment; Europe; European; German; Germany; Health; Healthcare; Hospital; Invasion; Medic; Medical; Medical Services; Medicine; Military; Naval; Navy; North Africa; North African Campaign; North America; North American; RN; Red Army; Royal; Royal Navy; Russia; Russian; Russians; Sea; Sea Battle; Soviet; Soviet Union; Soviets; Training; Cheal; Westminster; Spitzbergen
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.25446/oxford.25914280.v1; https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/Joseph_John_Cheal_s_Navy_Letters_-_general_narrative_of_service_12th_June_-_13th_September_1944/25914280

Joseph 'John' Cheal joined the Royal Navy 3rd march 1942. 3 months training in Glouchestershire and Portsmouth. 14th July became Leading Coder on HMS Argonaut - to Spitzbergen, N. Russia. 3rd November with invasion of North Africa. 2nd December torpedoed in the Atlantic and badly damaged to the US via Algiers, Gibraltar, Azores, Bermuda. 1943 - was in Philadelphia in April for repairs, went to Seattle in September with HMS Cato, a minesweeper. John came home in December to Edinburgh from Panama 1944 - HMS Attack at Portland Bill, April LCH317 D-day landings. 4th September John was wounded during the liberation of Antwerp and spent 3 months in hospital with multiple mortar shrapnel wounds in left arm, left leg and back of head. 1945 - John was at Naval Shore Stations - Communications Centres Wilhelmshaven, Buxtehude in Germany. 1946 - March, John was demobbed from the Royal Navy and returned to work at the National Westminster Bank.