Thomas, Peter Roome (Oral history)

British officer served with 44 Commando, Royal Marines in Hong Kong, 1946-1947; served with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Palestine, 3/1948-5/1948; served with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines in North Korea, 11/1950-12/1951; served with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Cyprus, 1956-1958 and Aden, Federation of South Arabia, 1963

REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1926-1940: family; education; evacuation to Lancing College and Bromyard; experience of German parachute land mine in Grove Park, London, 1940. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Herefordshire (Bromyard) Bn, Home Guard in Bromyard, GB, 1941-1943: opinion of Home Guard; attitude to using Blacker Bombard; training with Spigot Mortar. Aspects of period as officer with 44 Commando, Royal Marines in Hong Kong, 1946-1947: enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1944-1945; shooting incidents with Chinese Kuomintang troops on border; escort and guard duties including guarding Japanese war criminals; dealing with deserters from General Joseph Stilwell's Chinese Expeditionary Force in Shanghai, China; sight of effects of atomic bomb on visit to Hiroshima, Japan; renumbering of 44 Commando, Royal Marines to 40 Commando, Royal Marines. Aspects of period as officer with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Palestine, 3/1947-5/1948: reaction to role reducing flow of Jewish immigrants; work of unit protecting evacuation of military supplies through port of Haifa; pro-Arab feelings in British forces; attempts by Jewish groups to buy arms from British troops. REEL 2 Continues: Haganah attack on Arab souk and how British let Arab refugees into Haifa port; responsibility for indirectly breaking second-in-command of Haganah's leg; British-Zionist clashes; collision of USS Marquette with dock wall; final British withdrawal from Haifa, 15/5/1948; attitude to British withdrawal; leaving 40 Commando, Royal Marines, 8/1948. Recollections of operations as officer with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines in North Korea, 10/1950-12/1951: volunteering for service in Korea, 8/1950; training with American equipment in Japan. 9/1951-11/1951; opinion of tactics employed during landings at Inchon; commando raids on east coast railway line, 10/1950; Chinese attack on Chosin Reservoir, 11/1950. REEL 3 Continues: formation of Task Force Drysdale, Chosin Reservoir, 11/1950; failure of picketing tactic; attempt to extract United Nations troops from Hagaru-ri and Koto-ri, 6/12/1950-7/12/1950; return to American perimeter; daylight raid using Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT)s on Songjin, 7/4/1951; occupying islands in Wonsan Harbour; administration problems facing Colonel Douglas Drysdale; withdrawal of 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines, 12/1951; opinion of troops of Chinese People's Volunteer Army. Recollections of operations with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Cyprus, 1956 and 1958: garrisoning Kykkos Monastery in Troodos Mountains; relations with Father Gerasimo; second tour in 'Naughty Valley' above Lefka; Operation Kingfisher and how Georgios Grivas got away, 5/1958. REEL 4 Continues: search of limestone caves during Operation Kingfisher; amusing side of search for Georgios Grivas and National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA); operation in Milikouri village; support given to British forces by Turkish population. Recollection of operations with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden, Federation of South Arabia, 1963: tours in Dhala area; support in aid of Federal National Guard (FNG) manning forts in Dhala area; incident of Federal Regular Army officer on leave caught firing on British troops; effect of narcotic khat on local population; patrols along Yemani border; Operation Mixed Grill; heat test conducted on troops to test speed of acclimatisation in GB and Aden; patrols in Crater.