Smith, Ronald Harold (Oral history)

British schoolchild in Weston-super-Mare, GB, 1939-1945; marine served with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines in Korea, 10/1950-12/1951

REEL 1 Background in Weston-super-Mare, GB, 1932-1939: family; education. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Weston-super-Mare, GB, 1939-1945: German Air Force attacks; barrage balloon sites around town; digging up bits of unexploded bombs; reaction to arrival of American troops; VE Day, 8/5/1945; story of father contracting tuberculosis (TB) during military service in France, 1940. Aspects of enlistment and training as marine with Royal Marines in GB, 1949: nature of training at Royal Marine Depots Deal and Lympstone. Aspects of journey to Kure, Japan via Changi, Singapore, Malaya and Philippines, 8/1950: diversion of draft from Malaya to Korea; swimming off beach at Changi, Singapore, Malaya; American hospitality at Clark Field, Philippines; opinion of United States of America; sight of sunken United States Navy landing craft at Okinawa Island, Japan. Aspects of training with Royal Marines at Camp McGill, Yokoska, Japan: nature of training; canoe training. Recollections of operations as marine with 41 Independent Commando, Royal Marines in Korea, 10/1950-12/1951: embarkation aboard United States Navy high speed transports; opinion of Marine Andrew Condron; first raid on North Korean coast to block east coast railway line. REEL 2 Continues: second raid on east coast railway; accidental death of NCO; celebrating Thanksgiving at Hungnam, 1950; contracting pneumonia and missing Task Force Drysdale's push towards River Yalu, evacuation of Hungnam; move to Pusan, South Korea; attachment to 1st Marine Div, United States Marine Corps at Maesan, South Korea; rest period in Tokyo, Japan and experiencing earthquake; period under canvas at Sasebo, Japan; operations from Yo Do Island, near Wonsan, North Korea; reconnaissance raid on beach near Wonsan, North Korea; Chinese shelling of Yo Do Island; attitude to having served in Korean War.