Description
Object description
British marine served with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines in North Korea, 10/1950-12/1950; prisoner of war in Camp 10, Chonma and Camp 5, Pyuktong, North Korea, 1950-1953; defector living in People's Republic of China, 1953-1962, returned to GB, 1962
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bathgate, GB, 1928-1946: family; education; attempts to join Merchant Navy, 1946; reasons for enlisting in Royal Marines, 8/1946. Aspects of training as marine with Royal Marines in GB, 1946-1948: basic training at Royal Marines Depot Deal, 1946; infantry training at Royal Marines Depot Lympstone; discipline in Marines; methods of avoiding work; Royal Marine code of honour; question of treatment by officers and NCOs; promotion prospects.
REEL 2 Continues: marines' attitude towards civilians; period aboard HMS Liverpool; question of volunteering for service in Korea; reaction to posting to Korea, 1950; attitude to spread of Communism and war in Korea. Aspects of period of training as marine with 41 (Independent) Commando in Japan, 9/1950-10/1950: flight from GB to Japan; move to Camp McGill, Japan; issue of American equipment. Recollections of coastal raids as marine with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines, North Korea, 10/1950-11/1950: character of raids including naval support; unit casualties.
REEL 3 Continues: attitude to raiding; treatment of Korean civilians; degree of success of raids. Recollections of operations as marine with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines attached to 1st Marine Div, United States Marine Corps in North Korea, 11/1950-12/1950: ambush on truck convoy on route to Chosin Reservoir, 29/11/1950; duration of Chinese attacks; inability to communicate with United Nations' forces; attempt to break out of Chinese encirclement; crossing field under Chinese fire; American troops shooting of British NCO; night-time temperatures; treating wounded comrade; capture by Chinese People's Volunteer Army.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of prisoner of war march in North Korea, 1950-1951: speech by Chinese officer; misunderstanding with guard over use of water; return of United Nations' wounded; hiding Ronson lighter from captors; fate of personal property; march northwards; Chinese treatment of prisoners of war on march; contrast between American and British prisoners of war treatment of stragglers; contrast in treatment of prisoners of war by North Koreans and Chinese; opinion of equipment and weapons of Communist forces; Chinese treatment of prisoners of war. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Camp 10, Chonma, North Korea, 1951: restrictions on movement; conditions in camp huts; infestation by vermin.
REEL 5 Continues: usefulness of Royal Marine training received during captivity; rations; reaction to Chinese guards being issued with same rations as prisoners of war; Chinese-Korean relations; Korean attitude towards prisonrs of war; preference for Chinese guards. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Camp 5, Pyuktong, North Korea, 1951-1953: prisoner of war strike; formation of British company and prisoner of war organisation; role as spokesman for British company; improving conditions; American morale; question of how British company became the model.
REEL 6 Continues: prisoner of war attitude towards guards; Chinese attempts to indoctrinate prisoners of war; prisoners of war ignorance of revolutionary terms; Chinese ignorance of western societies; initial unsuccessful Chinese methods of indoctrination, 1951; Communist literature provided in camp; literary influences and Alan Winnington's aid in obtaining books.
REEL 7 Continues: initial impression of Communist journalist Alan Winnington, 1952; role of Alan Winnington in obtaining items and mail for prisoners of war; opinion of Alan Winnington; opinion of Communist journalist Wilfred Burchett; reaction to treatment of Alan Winnington and Wilfred Burchett after end of Korean War; reasons for decision to stay in North Korea and defect to People's Republic of China, 1953.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as defector living in People's Republic of China, 1953-1962: teaching role at University of Peking; Chinese bureaucracy; story illustrating Chinese xenophobia; decision to leave China; question of status as deserter; meeting wife on holiday; tactics employed in getting permission to leave. Aspects of return to GB, 1962: intelligence interrogation.
REEL 9 Continues: attitude of British authorities towards Condron. Impressions of Communist changes in People's Republic of China, 1953-1962 including participating in Great Leap Forward projects. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in North Korea, 1950-1953: prisoner of war health problems; opinion of germ warfare issue; United Nations' prisoner of war magazines; opinion of initial aggression issue.