Beven, William Sylvanus (Oral history)

2039087457
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Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British officer served with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, 2nd Infantry Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1951-1953; commanded 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, 6th Infantry Bde on Cyprus, 1956-1958

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, 2nd Infantry Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1951-1953: family background; posting to command A Coy at Bukit Darah; background of commanding officer; arrival in tented camp at Bukit Darah, 7/1951; company officers; presence of insurgent group led by Lu Kong Kim in area; problems securing intelligence on insurgents; difficulties of operating in jungle; opinion of National Servicemen; rivalry between companies over number of insurgents killed; move to Klang area as battalion second in command; use of Iban trackers; operation in which Lu Kong Kim was killed by Second Lieutenant Raymond Hands in Kuala Langat Forest Reserve. REEL 2 Continues: ineffectiveness of Royal Air Force bombing of jungle camps; role of Min Yuen in supporting insurgents of Malayan National Liberation Army; tactics employed on making contact with insurgents; unit casualties; incident when corporal was killed on operations; aid given to ambushed group of 1st Bn Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regt) at Kuala Kubu Bahru; patrolling; reasons for success of battalion and Gurkha battalions; visits by Sir Gerald Templer; attitude towards insurgents; sense of security in Kuala Lumpar. REEL 3 Continues: news of assassination of Governor Sir Henry Gurney and attempts to block insurgent's escape routes. Recollections of operations commanding 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, 6th Infantry Bde in Cyprus, 1956-1958: move to camp in Xeros area; ambush and killing of insurgent Markos Drakos, 18/1/1957; attempts by National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) to blow up British troops bathing in sea; move to Kykko Camp in Nicosia for security duties; tensions during Turkish mass funeral; sources of tensions in Nicosia area; need for constant patrolling in Nicosia.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Beven, William Sylvanus (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1997-02-28
Dimensions: whole: Duration 90, Number Of Items 3
Catalogue number: 17306

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