Beschreibung:

24 pp. 14x6.5 cm (5½x2¾"), blue cloth. One page medical notice laid in. Daily diary of R.S. Hirons, a Scottish national who served aboard the HMS Keats, an American frigate used by the Royal Navy between 1943 and 1946. The diary commences on July 18, 1944 when he is assigned to the ship and closes on December 31, 1944. An original account of his life aboard a ship dedicated to chasing, sinking, and destroying German submarines during World War II. Hand written entries include: "July 18, 1944, Drafted to H.M.S. Keats Sub Chaser (U.S. Frigate) First night - o.k. July 19, Put to sea. 11 A.M. July 20, Morning watch 4 to 8. Tired. Bad fog. Sighted suspicious object on port side. Action stations. Proved to be Yanks adrift. Everything o.k. July 21, Action stations - twice. Man the Hedgehogs and depth charges dropped. Sub suspected. July 22, Wet & windy. Sea choppy. Feel very sick. Visibility bad. July 23, Morning watch. Sighted convoy in channel. Mine sighted. Guns fired to explode it. July 25, Action stations at night. Hedgehogs dropped. Suspected sub. July 27, Action stations. Depth charges dropped. 30 degree roll. July 28, Refueled at Portland. Stayed 4 hours. Divers inspected ship. Screws damaged. Dry dock. Hope to get leave. July 29, Heading to Belfast. Scilly Isles in sight. Hope to arrive tomorrow. I was writing all night." "August 3, Ship in dry dock. Damage is slight. All hopes of leave gone. August 8, Test trials in Bangor Bay. Anchored for the night. Aug. 11, Heading for Scapa Flow. Stormy Sea. North Channel. Joined up with big convoy. In the Minch. Aug. 12, Arrived in Scapa. Lousey dump. Desolate. Aug. 16, Trial runs. Practice with Aircraft Carriers. Big events expected. Good afternoon. Boat race. Aug. 18, Left Scapa Flow. Escorting 5 Aircraft Carriers. Heading towards Iceland. Rough seas in the North Atlantic. Hatches closed port side. Big breakers. Aug. 19, 600 miles from Scapa in the Arctic Ocean. Heading to North - Norway. Rough seas. Feeling very bad. Received winter clothes. No action yet. Aug. 20, No action yet. Sickness nearly gone. Actions Stations. In danger zone. To remain fully clothed. Aug. 21, Big events expected today. Fleet together and a grand sight. 28 ships. All planes ready on A.C. Carriers. Very cold; snow at times; Arctic Ocean. We are after Tirpitz-German battleship. I think. Fueled at sea. Zero hour." "Aug. 22, Going in to attack. Aircraft taking off in formation - Attack over for this one day. Enemy installation bombed. Aug. 23, One carrier & one frigit torpedoed. Frigit sunk. Carrier towed back to Scapa. Proceeding to Faroe Isles for fuel. Foggy & cold. Aug. 24, Escorting carrier back to harbor. Bad list to stern. Ran into terrible storm. Number 3 main engine broke down. Expect to work all night. At 1:30 A.M. still escorting carrier back to harbor and still working on No. 3 M.E. Fed up. Aug. 26, Arrived Faroes & awaiting fleet. Very wet & foggy. Feeling fed up. Worked till 1:30 A.M. Aug. 27, Fleet is in harbor. We are patrolling around. No room. Fueled at 10 P.M. Out at 4 A.M. escorting carrier to Scapa. Leave expected. Aug. 28, Escorting convoy to Belfast. Aug. 30, Arrived Belfast 7 A.M. Awaiting orders. My leave in balance. Again disappointed. Mail on board. Still in harbor. Plenty of work. Still working on M.E. All trouble. Going out tomorrow at 6:45 A.M. Destination unknown." "Sept. 2, Gun exercises at Larne, Ireland. Busy day north coast of Ireland. Anchored at Larne. We are out again. Terrible wet day. 3 more watches. Very tired. Sept. 4, Very rough seas & wet. Heading north again. Atlantic patrol 3 more watches. Sept. 12. Terrible rough night. Man badly hurt. Steaming for Londonderry. We are back in the Atlantic. Only stayed in Londonderry 2 hrs & refuled. Sighted big mine on port bow. Hurricanes opened fire and sank it."" "Sept. 7, Hectic night. Depth charges dropped & Hedgehogs. Possible sub sunk. Sighted massive convoy. Over 100 ships. We are still sweeping. Sept. 8, At