Description
Object description
British officer served with Y Troop, 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1951; commanded Royal Marines aboard HMS Albion's during Operation Musketeer at Suez, Egypt, 10/1956-11/1956; served with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden Protectorate, 1960; served with 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Borneo, Malaysia, 1965-1966
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Richmond, GB, 1927-1945: family; education; employment; enlistment in Royal Marines, 1945. Recollections of operations as officer with Y Troop, 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1951: arrival in Federation of Malaya; basing of Y Troop in Tanjong Rambutan Camp; first patrol to retrieve cache of cigarettes left behind in jungle by Special Air Service Regiment; reaction to first night in jungle; use of Iban trackers; types of vegetation encountered on patrol; nature of Malayan National Liberation Army's objectives; encounter with Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent who fired and disappeared into secondary jungle; conditions operating in lalang grass; discovery of abandoned Malayan National Liberation Army camp in lalang grass; complaint by planter after marines burnt lalang grass area; operation in area of limestone pinnacles in which he shot at and missed Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent; 'hearts and minds' patrol in which unit bumped into Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents holding meeting with local people; deep penetration patrols; shooting of Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent carrying mortar.
REEL 2 Continues: frustration of marine who fired on Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent; amount of equipment carried by marines on patrol; reaction to excessive force used by marine in killing Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent; attitude to going on operational patrols; role of junior Chinese liaison officers attached to Y Troop; difference between Iban and Dyak trackers; role of jungle squads of Chinese recruits led by police officers of Police Field Force, Federation of Malaya Police and his criticism of their tough attitude; attitude towards civilians; pressure put on civilians by presence of Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; level of intelligence held on Malayan National Liberation Army; unsuitability of Bren Gun for jungle warfare; opinion of American M1 Carbine; large abandoned Malayan National Liberation Army camps discovered by marines.
REEL 3 Continues: fitness and state of morale of marines; evening leave in Ipoh; attitude of marines going out on jungle patrols; Marine Gibson who enjoyed jungle patrols; sight of jungle fauna; medical casualties including incidence of venereal disease; air supply drops which included sheep's tongue; rations eaten in jungle; quality of maps and navigation in jungle; incident where mortar fire was misdirected onto Y Troop. Aspects of period commanding Royal Marines aboard HMS Albion during Operation Musketeer at Suez, Egypt, 10/1956-11/1956: role and duties. Aspects of operations as officer with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Aden Protectorate, 1960: role in Da'ala on border with Yemen; patrols on border and occasional shots fired at them; opinion that local civilians were firing shots in order to keep the commando based there. Aspects of operations as officer with 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Borneo, Malaysia, 1965-1966: patrolling Kalimantan-North Borneo border; lack of contact with Indonesian forces; nature of jungle.