Buller, William Victor (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn Norfolk Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commowealth Div in South Korea, 2/1952-9/1952

REEL 1 Background in Erpingham, GB, 1933-1945: family; education; evacuee children from London; German Air Force raids; German V2 Rocket which fell near Ingworth; lack of effect of rationing; Allied soldiers based in area; story illustrating attitude towards German prisoners of war; state of brother's health on release from German prisoner of war camp. Aspects of training with British Army in GB, 4/1951-8/1951: call-up for National Service, 4/1951; reaction to call-up; basic training at Bury St Edmunds; treatment of national servicemen; incident of national serviceman who tried to get out of military; paternalistic advice on drinking from NCO; desire to get into Royal Norfolk Regiment. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt in Hong Kong, 1951: voyage from GB to Hong Kong, 9/1951; training with 1st Bn Middlesex Regt (Duke of Cambridge's Own) veterans who had returned from service in Korean War; petrol smuggling from Hong Kong to People's Republic of China; voyage aboard HMS Unicorn from Hong Kong to Sasebo, Japan 2/1952. REEL 2 Aspects of period of training at reinforcement depot, Kure, Japan, 2/1952. Recollections of operations as private with 1 Platoon, A Coy, 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 2/1952-9/1952: initial role guarding ammunition dumps at Pusan; volunteering as reinforcement to unit in front line, 6/1952; train journey and lack of tarmacked roads; negotiating 'Mad Mile' in truck under Chinese People's Volunteer Army fire; introduction to NCO; first listening patrol; smell of Chinese corpse; Chinese artillery fire Hill 355 and American retaliation; deception aimed to make Chinese People's Volunteer Army think position 'King's Lynn Hill' had been taken; luring of Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops onto 'King's Lynn Hill' and heavy casualties inflicted on attacking force; mission with stretcher party on 'King's Lynn Hill' looking for casualties; near accident with grenade on patrol; Chinese artillery fire of unit's camp on Kansas Line; nature of work on Kansas Line, 9/1952; opinion of transit camp at Pusan, 9/1952; story of NCO dismembered by Chinese People's Volunteer Army; story of how Chinese People's Volunteer Army patrol let section pass unharmed; living in front line including sleeping in wet blankets. REEL 3 Continues: friendly fire from American forces; opinion of rations; alcohol and tobacco supplies in front line; rats; Chinese People's Volunteer Army farewell note on barbed wire, 9/1952; opinion of United Nations' role in Korean War; comrade's intensive use of Bren Gun; personal morale before patrols; contacting malaria during military service; fatigue; attitude towards National Service.