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A veteran interview with

Pat Jarvis

When war broke out there was only ever going to be one service for Pat Jarvis.

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About Pat Jarvis

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Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker

Transcripts:
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Home | Veterans | Pat Jarvis

A veteran interview with

Pat Jarvis

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When war broke out there was only ever going to be one service for Pat Jarvis.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Jarvis, Pat. A Veteran Interview with Pat Jarvis. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 2 Jul. 2014 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/pat-jarvis/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
APA Style:
Jarvis, P. (2014, July 2). A Veteran Interview with Pat Jarvis [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved March 8, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/pat-jarvis/
Chicago Style:
Jarvis, Pat. 2014. A Veteran Interview with Pat Jarvis. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, July 2. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/pat-jarvis/
Harvard Style:
Jarvis, P. (2014). A Veteran Interview with Pat Jarvis. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 2 July. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/pat-jarvis/ (Accessed: 8 March 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Jarvis, P. A Veteran Interview with Pat Jarvis [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2014 Jul 2 [cited 2026 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/pat-jarvis/
An interview with

Colin ‘Sam’ Smee

Falklands submariner recalls life onboard HMS Spartan as a Sonar Operator

Colin Smee, better known as Sam, joined the Navy in 1960 and became a Submariner. He joined HMS Spartan (S-90), a Swiftsure-class nuclear-powered submarine and served in the Falklands War.
In his amusing interview, he praises Captain James ‘Buck’ Taylor for fostering a positive atmosphere on the Spartan, which was put through rigorous training. In early April 1982 Sam learns of a new operation via the onboard 'telephone'. He details life on the Spartan, including the concern over the indefinite Falklands deployment and the impact of the sinking of the Argentinian Cruiser Belgrano. As a Sonar Operator, Sam explains his duties and the equipment used, operating under London rather than Task Force commander Admiral Sandy Woodward. He humorously recalls the lack of celebration post-war until they reached Plymouth and the impact of a fresh food delivery of strawberries.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Christian Lamb

Christian Lamb was a Third Officer in the WRNS, employed in plotting the position of ships and planes involved in the Western Approaches and Atlantic.

Christian Lamb returned from a year in France just before war broke out and quickly joined the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service). She was initially employed as a Coder but switched to plotting, which involved plotting the locations of all the ships and planes on a huge board. She served in this role initially in London, then Plymouth and Belfast before returning to southern England in the run-up to D-Day. She relates many light-hearted anecdotes: enjoying lunchtime concerts in the National Gallery when she was working at the Wren Headquarters in Trafalgar Square; experiencing several close encounters with bombings during the blitz; shopping in the Republic of Ireland where there were less restrictions. Throughout the war, she and her colleagues maintained a strong sense of patriotism and determination, inspired by Churchill's speeches. Despite the dangers, they never considered the possibility of losing the war.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker