Description
Object description
British civilian in Liverpool, GB, 1940; mess boy and seaman served with Merchant Navy in North Atlantic, 5/1940-12/1943; marine served with Royal Marines Police during Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in Bombay, India, 18/2/1946-25/2/1946; NCO served with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines in Korea, 10/1950-11/1951; served with 2nd Special Boat Section, Rhine Sqdn, Special Boat Service in West Germany, 1952-1956
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as civilian in Liverpool, GB, 1940: destruction in docks area; reaction of civilian population to German bombing; employment on docks; use of Anderson Shelter. Recollections of period as mess boy and coal trimmer with Merchant Navy in North Atlantic, 5/1940-12/1943: signing as mess boy aboard SS Southern Empress and SS Southern Princess in Liverpool, GB, 5/1940; role as coal trimmer aboard SS Colyto; German Air Force attacks off Gibraltar; hard work of coal trimmers when ship was flat out; joining SS Daldorch, 12/1942; abortive Arctic convoy; living conditions aboard ship; story of panic caused when he thought his ship was sinking; relations between Merchant Navy officers and men; question of personal morale; differences of pay aboard ship; spending pay on real milk in United States of America; use of slicers to break clinkers up in fires; reaction to shovelling dry coal. Recollections of period as marine and NCO with Royal Marines in GB and India, 1944-1949: enlistment in Royal Marines and drafting to HMS Sheffield, 1/1944.
REEL 2 Continues: duties with Royal Marines Police during Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in Bombay, India, 18/2/1946-25/2/1946 including incident when his motorcycle broke down during shore patrol, dealing with mutinous Royal Indian Navy medical orderlies, escorting female naval personnel, riot in which mob set fire to Indian Imperial Police constable tied to tree and use of Royal Marine snatch squads; period with Small Raid Wing, Royal Marines Amphibious School in GB, 1948. Aspects of operations as NCO with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines in Japan and North Korea, 9/1950-11/1950: unit formation; journey to Japan; raid from United States Navy submarine USS Perch (SS-313); burial of comrade at sea; joining 1st Marine Div, United States Marine Corps. Recollections of operations as NCO with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines attached to 1st Marine Div, United States Marine Corps in North Korea, 11/1950-12/1950: perimeter defence at Koto-ri; taking of hill against light resistance by Dog Troop; sight of Chinese corpse burnt by napalm; Chinese People's Volunteer Army mass attack on vehicle convoy, 29/11/1950; use of carbine against Chinese People's Volunteer Army.
REEL 3 Continues: attempt to rescue group cut off by Chinese People's Volunteer Army; reaching American positions at Hagaru-ri; perimeter defence of Hagaru-ri; role as section leader; techniques employed against Chinese People's Volunteer Army mass attacks; mass Chinese People's Volunteer Army night attacks with bugles; riding on tank; withdrawal from Hagaru-ri and sight of dead on route; Chinese People's Volunteer Army harassment of withdrawing forces; withdrawal from North Korean coast to Japan; use of Communist prisoners of war for manual work at Hagaru-ri; Chinese People's Volunteer Army tactics; American advice on use of firepower; personal morale; attitude towards Chinese People's Volunteer Army. Aspects of period as NCO with 41 (Independent) Commando, Royal Marines garrisoning islands in Wonsan Harbour, North Korea, 1951: menace of Communist torpedo tubes on island.
REEL 4 Continues: clearing of lepers' island when he was coxswain of landing craft; condition of lepers; occupation of leper colony; canoe reconnaissance inside Wonsan Harbour; daylight raid on railway line and tunnel using Amtraks, 1951; civilian casualties ashore; award of Military Medal. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Special Boat Section, Rhine Sqdn, Special Boat Service in West Germany, 1952-1956: proposed demolition role in case of Soviet attack; opinion of Germans.
