Forde, Kevin (Oral history)

New Zealand gunner served with Royal New Zealand Artillery in New Zealand, 1968-1971; served a tour with 161 Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery in Vietnam, 1968

REEL 1 Background in Hokitika, New Zealand, 1947-1967: family; father and mother's military service in Second World War; grandfather's military service in First World War; employment on railways; opinion of GB; early military interest; decision to join army on hearing of friend's death in Vietnam; government incentives to enlist for service overseas. Recruitment and training with Royal New Zealand Artillery: enlistment, 5/1968: question of New Zealand's involvement in Vietnam; parents reaction to his going to Vietnam; reasons for joining artillery; basic training; jungle training in Fiji; story of being sworn in on airfield at Nelson; move to Papakura; artillery training; signals training; equipment. Recollections of operations in Vietnam, 1968: question of being prepared for Vietnam; opinion of the M16 rifle; flight to Vietnam; position of Australian/New Zealand/United States force, 1968; North Vietnamese forces; terrain; composition of task force at Nua Dat; search and destroy missions with Whiskey Company; duties; contact with North Vietnamese regulars and Vietcong; story of shot through hat; reaction to arrival in Vietnam. REEL 2 Continues: story of killing Vietcong in firefight; question of usefulness of training; question of reaction to war; story of killing a tiger; story of American troops killing an elephant; story of monkeys urinating on troops; operational areas; composition of task force; role of forward observer; construction of fire bases; movement of guns; taking photographs; relations with civilians; North Vietnamese force's casualties; question of body counts and atrocities; aspects of role as forward observer; move to Australian Bravo Company, 3rd Bn Royal Australia Regiment; story of officer calling in an artillery strike to instruct troops; operations with American armoured units; South Vietnamese territorials. Background to return to civilian life, 5/1971: question of student protests; reaction of family to war; story of speaking to school children about war; reaction of civilians to returning veterans; story of fighting with anti-war protesters in Christchurch, 1971; aspects of post war problems related to service, including marriage breakdown and health problems; question of use of chemical weapons; question of New Zealand Government's attitude towards Vietnam veterans. REEL 3 Continues: post war career; question of not receiving General Service Medal; question of psychological effects of war.