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Frank-Garbutt

A veteran interview with

Frank Garbutt

Frank Garbutt was the Quartermaster on the aircraft carrier HMS Activity and provides some fascinating detail about life onboard. The Activity saw action in the Arctic, the Atlantic and the Far East. He has some interesting phtotos too.

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About Frank Garbutt

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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Home | Veterans | Frank Garbutt

A veteran interview with

Frank Garbutt

Frank-Garbutt

Frank Garbutt was the Quartermaster on the aircraft carrier HMS Activity and provides some fascinating detail about life onboard. The Activity saw action in the Arctic, the Atlantic and the Far East. He has some interesting phtotos too.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Garbutt, Frank. A Veteran Interview with Frank Garbutt. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 9 Feb. 2014 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/frank-garbutt/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
APA Style:
Garbutt, F. (2014, February 9). A Veteran Interview with Frank Garbutt [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved November 17, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/frank-garbutt/
Chicago Style:
Garbutt, Frank. 2014. A Veteran Interview with Frank Garbutt. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, February 9. Accessed November 17, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/frank-garbutt/
Harvard Style:
Garbutt, F. (2014). A Veteran Interview with Frank Garbutt. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 9 February. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/frank-garbutt/ (Accessed: 17 November 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Garbutt, F. A Veteran Interview with Frank Garbutt [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2014 Feb 9 [cited 2025 Nov 17]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/frank-garbutt/
An interview with

Frank Bewley

Frank Bewley was a Naval aircraft engineer who volunteered to serve in Korea aboard HMS Glory, a light fleet carrier operating for ground support.

Frank Bewley, born in London in 1931, joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in 1948 and was initially posted to RNAS Culdrose, where he recalls early trials of jets landing without undercarriage. He volunteered for Korea and joined 821 Squadron, which trained at RAF Makrihanish before heading to Korea in 1952. He served on HMS Glory, which flew old World War II Firefly 5s for ground support. He was responsible for maintaining his assigned aircraft and had a close relationship with his pilot, Lieutenant Barrett. Initially unfamiliar with Korea, he learned about its history through old World War II books. He found HMS Glory more friendly than other ships, but prone to rolling. He describes the challenges of working on the flight deck, where a lot of maintenance and arming work was completed, in inclement weather and the camaraderie among the crew. They still operated on messdecks containing up to 14 men, sleeping in hammocks and collecting food form the galley, rather than having a central canteen.
Photo Gallery icon 3 Photos
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Admiral William O’Brien

Career Naval Officer recalls his wartime experiences which include the Fall of France, Arctic convoys, D Day and the Far East

William O’Brien joined the navy as a 13-year-old cadet in 1930 and qualified as a Sub Lieutenant in 1937. He served on HMS Garland in the Mediterranean and, after World War II broke out, transferred to the destroyer HMS Wolsey patrolling the UK’s East coast. In May 1940, O’Brien was involved in a land-based operation ‘Royal Marine’ laying mines on the Rhine, but had to retreat when German forces advanced. Returning to sea, he became First Lieutenant of HMS Witherington, which patrolled the English Channel but was damaged during a bombing raid whilst docked at Portsmouth. At the end of  1941, O’Brien transferred to HMS Offa, participating in a raid on Norway and escorting Arctic convoys, including the ill-fated PQ17.  In February 1943, O’Brien took command of the destroyer HMS Cottesmore, conducting patrols and participating in D-Day operations at Gold Beach, where they supported the beach landings. Promoted in late 1944, O’Brien was sent to the Asian theatre as a planner for amphibious assaults in Burma. He witnessed the surrender of Singapore and became the Allied Forces Naval Liaison Officer in Jakarta. O’Brien continued his naval career after the war, retiring as an Admiral in 1971
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Megan Moir

Megan Moir was one of the few WRENS to go to sea, serving in 1945 on HMS Philante, a former luxury yacht which was used to train warships involved in anti-submarine work.

Megan Moir joined the WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service) aged 18 in December 1944. After brief training she went to Larne in Northern Ireland, but soon had the rare opportunity to join HMS Philante, a former luxury yacht which was used to train warships involved in anti-submarine work, with submarines acting as U-boats. They sailed to the naval base at the Kyle of Lochalsh opposite Skye, where she spent the rest of the war typing training instructions and training results. After the war she typed up reports in German following the surrender of U-boats there. She recalls her excitement when offered the chance to go to sea at 10 minutes notice, because very few WRENS went to sea; she vividly recalls being on the bridge, where she could see what was happening. She only stayed onboard one night; the rest of the time she slept in the “Wrenery”, where she enjoyed socialising in the common room with fellow WRENS and visitors. She narrates many fascinating anecdotes, including the celebrations for VE- and VJ-Day.
Photo Gallery icon 8 Photos
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker