Mercer, Sebastian Andrew (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 10/11/1950-25/4/1951; prisoner of war in Camp 5, Pyoktong and Branch Camp 2, Camp 3, Sonsadong, North Korea, 4/1951-4/1953

REEL 1 Aspects of period as schoolchild in Finchley and London, GB, 1940-1947: memories of German Air Force attacks; question of fear as child; watching V weapons and aerial combat; shallow craters created by German V1 Flying Bombs; reasons for enlistment in British Army, 1947. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt in GB and Jamaica, 1947-1950: pattern of postings including Jamaica, 1947-1949; duties during strikes in London Docks and Smithfield Market, London; story of losing butter shipment in dock, 1950; news of posting to Far East; clandestine move from barracks in Colchester Garrison. Recollection of operations with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 11/1950-4/1951: voyage aboard HMT Empire Windrush from GB to South Korea, 2/10/1950-10/11/1950; arrival at Pusan, South Korea, 10/11/1950; attitude towards Korean War; initial impressions of Pusan, South Korea; reception in Pusan, South Korea; conditions on train journey north from Pusan, South Korea, 11/1950. REEL 2 Continues: apprehension about North Korean guerillas; stay at Suwon, South Korea; opinion of army issue bicycles; night-time delivery of bicycles to Suwon; duties with Intelligence Section, Headquarters Coy; nature of frontier along 38th Parallel; effect of Chinese assault, 12/1950; digging in ten miles north of Pyongyang, North Korea; flight of American tank; withdrawal of unit southwards; destruction of American equipment in Pyongyang, North Korea, 12/1950; collection of abandoned American equipment; reaction to American retreat; halt of unit at Sariwon, 12/1950; story of finding classical 78rpm records at Sariwon, North Korea; halt in Pyeongtaek-si, south of Seoul, South Korea, 1/1951. REEL 3 Continues: problem of digging in in frozen earth; advance northwards to Suwon, South Korea; relieving American unit on hill; transfer from Headquarters Coy to A Coy; Christmas rations issued to troops, 12/1950; daylight attack on Chinese held Hill 327; casualties to retreating Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops caused by Centurion Tanks of 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars; crossing paddy field under Chinese machine gunfire, 2/1951; construction of Korean houses; accidentally setting fire to Korean house with flare; taking over positions from unit of Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) at Solma-ri, south of River Imjin. REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of the Battle of the Imjin River, Korea, 22/4/1951-25/4/1951: leadership of A Coy; patrolling north of river prior to battle; Chinese People's Volunteer Army attack, 22/4/1951; Chinese People's Volunteer Army attack on unoccupied bunker, 22/4/1951-23/4/1951; role in attempt to capture bunker, 23/4/1951; narrow escape fom Chinese counter-fire; move onto Hill 235, 23/4/1951; Chinese People's Volunteer Army encirclement of Hill 235; personal morale during action. REEL 5 Continues: machine gunning of Chinese People's Volunteer Army bicycle platoon; wounding and capture, 25/4/1951. Recollections as period as prisoner of war in North Korea, 4/1951-4/1953: Chinese execution of badly wounded prisoners of war, 25/4/1951; incident of being shot in leg by Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier, 25/4/1951; amusing story of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier's experience with Colman's Mustard Powder, 25/4/1951; Chinese handling of prisoners of war in first week of captivity; Chinese method of carrying stretchers; use of magnesium flares by United States Air Force; death of prisoners of war on journey north; contrast between North Korean and Chinese treatment of prisoners of war; Chinese wish to indoctrinate prisoners of war. REEL 6 Continues: attitude of North Koreans towards prisoners of war; British and American prisoners of war he associated with, 4/1951-5/1951; United States Air Force attacks and prisoner of war casualty caused in one attack; period in No 5 Camp, Pyoktong and No2 Branch Camp, No 3 Camp, Sonsadong; exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war, 4/1953; story of Chinese official inflicting psychological torture on prisoners of war during repatriation process.