Description
Object description
NCO served with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt in British Honduras, 1947-1949; served with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-4/1951; prisoner of war in No 1 Camp, Choksong, North Korea, 1951-1953
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bristol, GB, 1927-1946: family; education; reaction to declaration of war, 3/9/1939; employment as signalman; bombs landing on Bristol area; sheltering in railway signal box; degree of disruption to railways during German bombing; priority given to 'government specials' trains; enlistment in Gloucestershire Regt, 10/9/1946. Recollections of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt in British Honduras, 1947-1949: move of regiment to counter Guatemalan invasion. 1947; role guarding airfield; physical conditions of service; jungle patrols along border; attitude of Belizeans towards British troops; reaction to news of 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt being sent to Korea. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Windrush from GB to Korea, 10/1950-11/1950: physical exercises to keep fit; lectures on what to expect of North Koreans. Recollections of operations as NCO with D Coy, 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-4/1951: arrival in Pusan; move into front line, 11/1950; action on Hill 327, 2/1951; failure of American troops to take hill.
REEL 2 Continues: action on Hill 327 including reconnaissance patrol, phosphorus grenade attack on Chinese machine gun post and final capture of hill; appearance of troops of Chinese People's Volunteer Army opinion of troops of Chinese People's Volunteer Army; personal weapons; move to positions on River Imjin. Recollections of the Battle of the Imjin River, Korea, 22/4/1951-25/4/1951: start of battle, 22/4/1951; Chinese 63rd Army attack across river; fight for 11 Platoon outpost; reaction to fighting; orders to withdraw to D Coy Headquarters; move back to Gloster Hill; Royal Artillery support for Gloster Hill; patrol from Gloster Hill into valley to obtain rations; providing urine to cool Vickers Machine Gun; United States Air Force napalming of Chinese forces build up; failure of tanks to break through to Gloster Hill.
REEL 3 Continues: Drum Major Philip Buss's rallying bugle calls; attempt of his group to break out from Gloster Hill; disobeying orders not to help British wounded. Aspects of march as prisoner of war into North Korea, 4/1951-6/1951: capture by Chinese; initial treatment by captors; need for water and drinking from paddy fields; route northwards; eating dog provided by captors. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in No 1 Camp, Choksong, North Korea, 1951-1953: arrival in camp; nature of camp; state of American prisoners of war; condition of British prisoners of war; question of boiled water being only the form of medicine available; improvement in diet after first year; Chinese indoctrination sessions; punishments received including kennel punishment; attitude of Turkish prisoners of war towards Chinese; treatment he received on trek north; lack of effect on him of Chinese propaganda.
REEL 4 Continues: Chinese fear of germ warfare; problems of making contact with relatives in GB; degree of collaboration by British prisoners of war; release from captivity; improvements in conditions during last six months of captivity; symptoms of beri-beri; unusual prisoner of war rations; handing over procedure for prisoners of war at Panmunjom, summer 1953; story of how his mother had claimed insurance on him because she had received a telegram from the British Army that he was dead.