Maxell Shean was an Australian Officer serving with the Royal Navy. In his account, he describes German U-boat tactics and the Royal Navy’s intelligence gathering and techniques for escorting Convoys through the Straits, along with the use of radar to detect enemy submarines. He relates his impressions of life ashore in Gibraltar: swimming, shopping, drinking and visits into Spain and the bullring. He talks of wine, sherry and port obtained from Spain and the smuggling and bartering with British beer. Finally, he relates a tale of sighting a submarine in Gibraltar harbour.

Copyright Imperial War Museum: Ser 219 / IWM 028642R05

AUDIO

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IWM Reel 5 Part 1 (15 mins 43 secs)

IWM Reel 5 Part 2 (15 mins 26 secs)

Shean, Maxwell Henry – transcript

Lt Maxwell Shean with King George VI

HMS Bonaventure