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A veteran interview with

Rodney Newnham

Rodney Newham lives in the RNBT’s Pembroke House in Gillingham. In the war he worked as a boiler maker in the Chatham dockyard. He describes in detail the work and dangers of work at the time.

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About Rodney Newnham

Rodney was working as an apprentice at the Chatham dockyard when the war broke out. He offers an incredibly vivid and detailed account of the intense and dangerous labour and of the hardship faced by many at the time.

Rodney was up close during an air raid on the dockyard and recalls the minute details of the HMS Arethusa returning fire and deterring the enemy. Another particular danger was exposure to asbestos. With so many men dying young because of it, Rodney counts himself as very fortunate to have survived in good health. Rodney and the men were also responsible for manning the anti-aircraft Z Batteries. At night they had to set up, load and fire the incredibly heavy rockets without ever really knowing if they hit the enemy as it was so dark.

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Reviewed by:
Lizzie Gray

Transcripts:
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Home | Veterans | Rodney Newnham

A veteran interview with

Rodney Newnham

Screenshot

Rodney Newham lives in the RNBT’s Pembroke House in Gillingham. In the war he worked as a boiler maker in the Chatham dockyard. He describes in detail the work and dangers of work at the time.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Newnham, Rodney. A Veteran Interview with Rodney Newnham. Interview by Unknown. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/rodney-newnham/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
APA Style:
Newnham, R. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Rodney Newnham [Interview by Unknown]. Legasee. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/rodney-newnham/
Chicago Style:
Newnham, Rodney. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Rodney Newnham. Interview by Unknown. Legasee. Accessed January 23, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/rodney-newnham/
Harvard Style:
Newnham, R. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Rodney Newnham. [Interviewed by Unknown]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/rodney-newnham/ (Accessed: 23 January 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Newnham, R. A Veteran Interview with Rodney Newnham [Internet]. Interview by Unknown. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Jan 23]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/rodney-newnham/
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