Interview with Harold Neil Desmond Pullen

British civilian served with 4th (Laxfield) Bn Suffolk Home Guard in Bungay, GB, 1940-1944; officer served with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1951-1952; served as pilot with 1911 Flight, Royal Artillery in Federation of Malaya, 1955-1956; served with West India Regiment during Rastafarian Insurrection in Jamaica, 1957

REEL 1 Background in Bungay, GB, 1928-1939: family; education. Recollection of period with 4th (Laxfield) Bn Suffolk Home Guard in Bungay, GB, 1940-1944: father's organisational role; duties including attending United States Army Air Force air crashes and manning coastal defences; shotgun accident; shooting at German Air Force aircraft; German Air Force attack on Women's Royal Naval Service personnel at HMS Europa, Lowestoft, 12/5/1943; organisation of unit; story of near hits on Hawker Hurricanes during live firing exercise; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945. Recollection of recruitment and selection for officer training with British Army in GB, 1948: failed attempt to join British Indian Army; selection for Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley; commissioning into Royal Norfolk Regiment, 12/1948. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt, 31st and 4th Infantry Bdes in Berlin and Düsseldorf, Germany, 1949-1950: flight out from GB to Germany; situation; question of effects of Soviet blockade on British Army troops; relations with German civilians. Aspects of period with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment, 4th Infantry Bde in GB, 1950-1951: arrival at Dover Castle; unit strength; conditions of service in Dover Castle; move to Crowborough for training; opinion of orderly. REEL 2 Continues: story of protection received from orderly during Korean War. Recollection of operations as officer with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1951-1952: arrival by air of advanced party; role as intelligence officer; relieving 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles; climate and terrain; Korean civilians houses; opinion of American space heaters and construction of heaters; obtaining hot water for bathing; front line furniture; bedding and camp beds; identification panels for United Nations' aircraft; sheeting protection against napalm drops; story of American aircraft attacking positions despite correct identification panels; story of interrogating Chinese People's Volunteer Army defector. REEL 3 Continues: difficulties in clearing Korean village; Chinese propaganda and gifts, Christmas, 25/12/1951; taking command of mortar platoon; opening of pub; American C7 Ration Packs; recreational activities including pub and cinema; American use of 155mm Guns and Chinese counter-fire; unit members purloining of American brigadier's jeep; story of recovering jeep from flash flood; failure of bridge built by United States Engineers over River Imjin; recreational activities on beaches on River Imjin; Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) show; pay; leave period in Tokyo, Japan including staying at Marinuchi Hotel, use of hotel car, night-time entertainment and visit to 'The Showboat'. REEL 4 Continues: leave period in Tokyo, Japan including visit to geisha house run by Australian Army and poker winnings from Canadians; story of being deafened by Australian field guns; opinion of medical officer Captain Trevor Hart; fatal wounding of soldier by mortar shell; Captain Trevor Hart's medical work on behalf of Korean porters; taking command Britannia Camp; discovery of soldiers engaged in homosexual act. REEL 5 Continues: reaction to discovery of soldiers engaged in homosexual act; move to Pusan; stocking up HMT Empire Orwell with luxury goods; story of removing cold buffet after Carole Carr show at Pusan, 9/1952. Recollection of operations as pilot with 1911 Flight, Army Air Corps in Federation of Malaya, 1955-1956: impressions of Federation of Malaya; flying Taylorcraft Auster from Benta Airfield in Kuala Lipis area; security precautions on roads; operations in Kluang area; operation to mark and bomb insurgent meeting in jungle; story of being put under close arrest for countermanding squadron leader's order to cancel operation; flying Taylorcrarft Auster in Malayan climatic conditions; survival kit in Taylorcraft Auster; throwing grenades from aircraft at insurgents; question of suitability of Taylorcraft Auster for operations in Federation of Malaya. REEL 6 Continues: story of searching jungle for missing mortar platoon of 1st Bn South Wales Borderers; prior recollection of Chinese artillery bombardment on 1st Bn King Own Scottish Borderers in South Korea, 1951. Recollection of period as officer with West India Regiment in Jamaica, 1957: role as adjutant and promotion to major; attempted Rastafarian Insurrection and joint jungle operation by army and police; opinion of West Indian troops; hanging of Rastafarian insurgents; disbandment of unit; question of recruitment and promotion problem in West India Regiiment; composition of unit.