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A veteran interview with

Ted Baker

The war was pretty grim for Ted Baker and he saw some difficult things during his time as a telegraphist and cypher officer in the Royal Navy.

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About Ted Baker

Ted Baker joined the navy in January 1942. After basic training at Skegness and qualifying as a telegraphist, he deployed on patrol craft to Halifax, Nova Scotia. There, he joined a T-Class trawler for local defence, engaging in anti-submarine patrols and mine sweeping. He returned to Europe in time to take part in the D-Day landings, escorting convoys from Wales and Plymouth. After commissioning, he was on the way to the Far East when the war ended, so was subsequently involved in the repatriation of POWs from Hong Kong.

Reflecting on his naval service, Ted valued comradeship, especially on smaller ships, and recalled vivid memories of working with Canadian and Newfoundland seamen, especially one for whom he had to correspond with his girlfriend because he could not write. Post D-Day, Ted’s ship collected bodies from Omaha beachhead, a grim task that left lasting impressions. The noise from naval barrages was overwhelming. While a positive experience, like most veterans, he wishes it had never happened.

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Reviewed by:
Andy Voase

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Home | Veterans | Ted Baker

A veteran interview with

Ted Baker

Ted-Baker1

The war was pretty grim for Ted Baker and he saw some difficult things during his time as a telegraphist and cypher officer in the Royal Navy.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Baker, Ted. A Veteran Interview with Ted Baker. Interview by Unknown. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ted-baker/. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
APA Style:
Baker, T. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Ted Baker [Interview by Unknown]. Legasee. Retrieved May 18, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ted-baker/
Chicago Style:
Baker, Ted. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Ted Baker. Interview by Unknown. Legasee. Accessed May 18, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ted-baker/
Harvard Style:
Baker, T. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Ted Baker. [Interviewed by Unknown]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ted-baker/ (Accessed: 18 May 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Baker, T. A Veteran Interview with Ted Baker [Internet]. Interview by Unknown. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2025 May 18]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ted-baker/
An interview with

Mervyn Salter

A Navy seaman gives an engaging account of his military service on board S-class destroyer HMS Saumarez during WWII.

Mervyn Salter, an able seaman and anti-aircraft gunner, joined the Royal Navy in 1942 at the age of 18. He trained at HMS Raleigh and HMS Drake before being assigned to his first ship, HMS Saumarez, an S-class destroyer. Mervyn recalls his life and duties aboard the ship, including his first voyage during which the Saumarez escorted the Queen Mary with Winston Churchill on board. He goes on to vividly describe the challenges of the Arctic convoys, sharing detailed memories of the harsh conditions, and later provides an engaging account of the Saumarez’s battle with the German battleship Scharnhorst. Mervyn also recounts the ship’s role in providing artillery support on D-Day, which remains a particularly difficult experience for him to talk about. In 1944 the Saumarez gained a new skipper and was promoted to flotilla leader, setting sail for the Pacific where a new ocean provided a new enemy. Mervyn’s reflections on his military service are testament to the courage, resilience and camaraderie that defined his time in the Royal Navy, and his closing words remind us that the events of the war and the sacrifices made by so many must never be forgotten.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Nick Tobin

Nick recalls in incredible detail his immense pride in commanding HMS Antelope but also the heartbreak of its sinking during the Falklands War.

Nick was always keen on a career in the Navy and enlisted in 1962. By 1981 he was in command of  HMS Antelope which was a privilege to command as Nick says he was blessed with an excellent ship’s company and modern equipment. It comes as no surprise to Nick when they are instructed to return from training operations to prepare to travel to the South Atlantic. On the way down they practice military operations intensely. Nick is also put in tactical command of six support vessels, a supply ship, a tanker and four landing ships which increases his responsibilities significantly. They arrive at Ascension Island on 21st April where the Antelope acts as guardship. Nick is then instructed to shepherd the support groups to the total exclusion zone and return with the tanker the RFA Tidespring which is carrying Argentinians to be repatriated. Nick was doubly worried that the conditions onboard for the prisoners did not meet the terms of the Geneva Convention but also that incredibly dangerous members of the Argentinian special forces were in the group and had to be held safely. On 23rd May the Antelope comes under attack. Nick recalls events in incredible detail how two bombs hit them but did not explode. They are able to manoeuvre the ship to the San Carlos waters to enable bomb disposal but, tragically, the attempts fail and one of the bombs detonates, killing one, injuring more and causing significant damage to the ship. With the ship both lurching and in flames, and communication out, Nick gives the command to abandon ship. They are picked up by the QE2 where Nick is able to decompress with fellow commanding officers of  HMS Ardent and HMS Coventry, both also sunken. It was a relief to return home to family and the grand reception at Southampton. It was heartbreaking for Nick to leave the Antelope and a frustrating Board of Inquiry followed where Nick and two fellow officers were found negligent. Thankfully, the Commander-in-Chief dismissed the findings so the men did not face court martial but Nick says he didn’t feel completely vindicated until after he retired when the surviving bomb disposal expert was interviewed and said the correct decision had been made.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Vic Ould

A WWII radar operator gives a fascinating account of his life and work aboard destroyer HMS Carron.

After joining the Navy in 1943 and completing his training at stone frigates HMS Royal Arthur, HMS Scotia and HMS Ganges, able seaman Vic Ould was sent to Chatham Barracks to wait for his first draft. This came in the form of HMS Carron, a brand-new ship in Greenock, Scotland, who first set sail in the dead of night to evade any U-boats lurking nearby hoping for an easy catch. Vic shares details of the many escort missions the Carron undertook in the Arctic and Atlantic Convoys, and talks about the job of a destroyer and how its crew enables it to operate effectively. He also recalls details about his role as a radar operator, and reflects on the end of his military service in Indonesia. Vic – who became a prolific writer who penned several fascinating ‘first-person accounts’ from sailors aboard other destroyers – shares his story with humour, humility and an eye for detail that brings his memories vividly to life.
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker