Ince, Richard Henry (Oral history)

British officer served with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's in France, 1940; served with 1st Bn Parachute Regt in GB and Tunisia, 1940-1943; served as recruitment officer for Parachute Regt in GB, 1943-1944; served with 1st Bn Parachute Regt in Palestine, 1947-1948, served with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in Korea, 1952-1953 including period as British liaison officer with Headquarters, 1st Corps at Panmunjom for first release of British POWs, 4/1953; served as company commander with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt in Cyprus, 1956-1957; served as Brigade Major with Nigerian Army Bde, United Nations at Luluaburg, Congo, 1961

REEL 1: Reasons for enlistment in British Army, 1936. Recollections of period with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt in France 1940: patrols in Saar in front of Maginot Line; opinion of French Army after visit to Maginot Line; relations with French civilians; how he missed action with appendicitus, 5/1940. Period with South Staffordshire Regt in GB, 1940: public morale under German Air Force attacks; question of national unity during Second World War; anticipation of German invasion; defence of Sandringham area and preparations against German parachute and glider attacks. Period of training with Parachute Regt in GB, 1940-1943: volunteering, autumn 1940; nature of training; calling off of projected operations. Recollections of operations with 1st Bn Parachute Regt in Tunisia, 1942-1943: arrival by sea in Algiers, 11/1942; move to Maison Blanche; parachuting into Tunisia as commanding officer of S Coy; attack on Jebel Mansur, 2/1943; relations between Paras and German POWs; opinion of German troops; German counter attack on Jebel Mansur and wounding in legs. REEL 2 Continues: evacuation by mule from front-line; medical treatment recieved for wounds. Period as recruitment officer for Parachute Regt in GB, 7/1943-11/1944. Story of meeting wife on VE Day, Albany Barracks, Isle of Wight. Reaction to result of 1945 election. Recollections of operations as company commander of C Coy, 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in Korea, 1952-1953 including period as British liaison officer to 1st Corps: relieving Australian troops, autumn 1952; trench warfare conditions; near impossiblity of keeping Chinese POWs alive; witnessing first POW exchanges at Panmunjom, 4/1953; opinion that POWs had been successfully brainwashed by Chinese; condition of returned British POWs; living conditions of British troops including coping with cold, ration supplies, Korean camp followers and low level of casualties; difference of opinion with US Corps commander over The Hook battle whilst on liaison duties; question of lack of decisiveness of senior US officers; opinion of Turkish troops; leaving Korea, 1953; leave period in Japan. REEL 3 Continues: Period as company commander of D Coy, 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt in Cyprus, 1956-1957: basing of unit near Kermia; chasing Grivas in Troodos Mountains; discovery of EOKA underground hides; attempts to ambush guerillas; accident in which National Service officer was shot dead; vehicle accidents; relations with Greek and Turkish Cypriots; village searches and question of damage to property; security measures for troops in towns. Period with 1st Bn Parachute Regt in Palestine, 1947-1948: attack on restaurant in which his companions were killed and wounded, 1947; attending hanging of sentenced Zionist in Acre Gaol. Period as brigade major with Nigerian Army, United Nations' peacekeeping forces in Luluaburg area, Congo, 1961: question of reasons for crisis; pursuit of cannibal who had human joints in refrigerator; lack of discipline of United Nations' Liberian troops; peacekeeping achievements of unit.