Interview with Brian Trevor Burt

British signaller served with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, South Korea and Egypt, 7/1951-7/1953

REEL 1 Background in Southampton, GB, 1930-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as evacuee from from Southampton to Woolton Hill, GB, 1939-1944: question of being burden on host family, 1939-1940; work he had to do as evacuee child; conditions in Woolton Hill School; education in Newbury; German Air Force attack on Newbury, 2/1943; changes to host families, 1940-1944; end of evacuation, 10/1944; return to Southampton. Aspects of period as apprentice electrician in Southampton, GB, 1945-1951: low wages. Aspects of enlistment and training as signaller with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1951: call-up for National Service, 7/1951; reasons for wanting to go into Royal Corps of Signals; nature of basic training at Catterick Camp; effect of injections. REEL 2 Continues: allocation as wireless and line operator during trade training at Gallowgate Camp, Richmond; fatigues which preceded trade training; trade training; living conditions at Richmond Barracks, Richmond, winter 1951-1952; problems of keeping warm; nature of morning roll-call. Aspects of period as signaller with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1952: reaction to posting to Southern Command; arrival in Winterbourne Dauntsey Camp; cookhouse and guard duties; stories of looking after prisoners as regimental policeman; reaction to posting to South Korea, 5/1952. Aspects of voyage from GB to South Korea aboard HMT Empire Halladale, 7/1952: duties on board ship; subsidised tobacco; experiencing seasickness crossing Indian Ocean. REEL 3 Continues: impression of female building labourers, Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 7/1952. Recollections of operations as signaller with Royal Corps of Signals in South Korea, 8/1952: arrival in Pusan; train journey to front line; sight of devastated Seoul; request to go out on detachment; work regime for Korean labourers building road for British forces, 8/1952; dangers of swimming in River Imjin, 8/1952; period with No 23 Canadian Transport Coy; posting to South Ammunition Point; 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt casualties caused by artillery fire; entertainers who visited South Korea; posting to 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards; reaction to having to leave South Korea, 12/1952. Aspects of period as signaller with Royal Corps of Signals in Egypt and Libya, 1/1953-6/1943: hostile attitude of Arab at Ismailia Railway Station, Egypt; arrival at Chandor Camp, Canal Zone, Egypt; work repairing telephones; story relating to colour of webbing; nature of guard duties in Canal Zone, Egypt. REEL 4 Continues: circumstances of last minute posting to Benghazi, Libya, 1953; duties in Benghazi, Libya, 1953; visit to Malta prior to return to GB, 6/1953; demobilisation in GB, 7/1953; attitude to having done National Service; story of return to South Korea under revisit scheme, 1993.