Interview with Reginald Frank Hulbert

British civilian schoolchild in Fulham, London, GB, 1939-1945; fusilier served with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) Berlin Infantry Bde in Berlin, Germany, 10/1953-5/1954; served as signaller with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea and Japan, 7/1954-1/1955; served with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 49th Infantry Bde in Kenya, 1/1955-8/1955

REEL 1 Background in Fulham, London, GB, 1935-1939: family; education. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Fulham, London, GB, 1939-1945: family use of Morrison Shelter; incident of London Underground train being blown through roof of father's factory; attitude to not being evacuated; aircraft which crashed in Gowan Avenue; effect of German V1 Flying Bomb noise; narrow escape from German V1 Flying Bomb which struck Bishop's Park; concrete air raid shelters built in roads; burning of air raid shelter bunks during VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; sight of armed British Army troops in streets; effect of war on education; German Air Force strafing attack on Kingswood Road School playground. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army in GB and Northern Ireland, 1953: call-up for National Service to Seaforth Barracks, Liverpool; basic training in Armagh, Northern Ireland, 1953. Recollections of period as fusilier with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) Berlin Infantry Bde in Berlin, Germany, 10/1953-5/1954: joining A Coy; degree of ceremonial needed for guard duties at Spandau Prison, 12/1953; transfer to Headquarters Coy as regimental signaller; relations between British Army troops and German civilians in Berlin. REEL 2 Continues: visits to East Berlin; nature of barrack accommodation; return to GB for embarkation leave. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empire Fowey from GB to South Korea, 6/1954-7/1954: compositing work; reception on arrival at Pusan, South Korea, 7/1954. Recollections of period as signaller with Signal Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea and Japan, 12/1954-3/1955: move of draft to Japan; advanced battle training at Battle School, Haramura, Japan; fatigue duties; nature of battle training and practical joke played by mortar demonstrator; signals course; joining unit in Korea, 12/1954; patrolling along De-Militarised Zone; living conditions, winter 12/1954-1/1955; capture of North Korean People's Army deserters; field shower facilities; patrolling regime. REEL 3 Continues: lack of contact with Koreans. Recollections of operations as signaller with Signal Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 49th Infantry Bde in Kenya, 1/1955-8/1955: voyage from South Korea to Kenya, 1/1955 including learning Morse Code; arrival in Mombasa, 1/1955; disposition of unit in Lake Naivasha area; attachment to D Coy as signaller in battalion camps in forest; capture of three Mau Mau insurgents; searching of villages; use of trackers; period on farm guard and how farmers treated troops; discovery of Mau Mau camp; vegetation and terrain in patrol area; organisation of patrols; weather conditions on patrol; working of wireless equipment on patrol; attitude of Africans towards British Army troops. REEL 4 Continues: soldier's use of recreational time; end of his National Service; attitude to having done National Service.