Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt, Area Troops Berlin in West Berlin, Germany, 1951-1952; NCO served with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 9/1952-10/1953
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training with East Yorkshire Regiment in GB, 1951: reaction to call-up for National Service, 1951; nature of basic training, 1951. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt, Area Troops Berlin in West Berlin, Germany, 1951-1952: move to West Berlin, Germany, 1951; duties; relations with German civilians; question of British troops' behaviour; lack of contact with Soviet Army personnel. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding) British Army of the Rhine at Minden, Germany, 1952: reaction to joining battalion; contrast between battalion and 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Bn Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 9/1952-10/1953: lack of prior knowledge of Korea; winter clothing issue; aspects of voyage aboard HMT Devonshire from GB to Pusan, South Korea; initial impressions of Pusan; throwing food to children in Pusan shanty town; move to Britannia Camp; move up to front line; sleeping conditions in front line; relief of Australian Army troops at Yong Dong in Samichon Valley; opinion of Australian Army troops.
REEL 2 Continues: technique for making fires in front line; making beds out of machine guns belts; building 'hutchies'; information about Communist troops received from Australians; problems of changing over units in front line; lack of knowledge of surrounding United Nations' units; pioneer type duties; weather conditions; care of feet in trenches; dangers of fires in trenches; proportion of national servicemen in unit; contrast between national servicemen and regulars; vermin in trenches.
REEL 3 Continues: precautions against mosquitoes; adequacy of clothing; reasons for quietness of Yong Dong Po position. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div on The Hook, Korea, 5/1953: reasons for Chinese activity on The Hook; character of Chinese People's Volunteer Army attack on The Hook; Chinese People's Volunteer Army human wave tactics; personal contact with Chinese; Chinese People's Volunteer Army equipment and weapons; results of attack; casualties after attack; reaction to having to stay behind in rear party; personal morale and battalion casualties.
REEL 4 Continues: unit's field of fire. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in Korea, 9/1952-10/1953: raid on Chinese positions across Samichon Valley to take prisoner, 3/1953; memories of ceasefire, 7/1953; contact with Republic of South Korea troops including Korean Augmentation Troops Commonwealth (KATCOMS); attitude to leaving South Korea; duties between ceasefire and leaving.