Thompson, Donald Frederick (Oral history)

British civilian schoolchild in Birmingham, GB, 1940-1941; private served with Parachute Regt in GB, 1945; served with 2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters in Palestine, 1945-1946; NCO served with 1st Bn Royal Leicestershire Regt in Hong Kong, 1948-1951; served with Signal Platoon, 1st Bn Royal Leicestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in Korea, 1951-1952

REEL 1 Background in Hall Green, Birmingham, 1927-1939: family; education. Recollections of Birmingham Blitz, 1940-1941: bombing of city, 11/1941; incident of land mine tangled in tram wires; sight of German Air Force circling over Birmingham before attacking Coventry, 11/1940; father's record as soldier in Second World War; bombs which fell on Hall Green; period as ARP messenger at Sparkhill, 1942-1944; German Air Force attacks on 'shadow factories' in Shirley, Solihull and Castle Bromwich areas; destruction of city centre; public morale; co-operation with neighbours. Memories of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Question of effect of war on his schooling. Enlistment and period of army training in GB, 1944-1945: enlistment, 1944; role of young soldier battalions; barrack room 'bull'; nature of training at Blackdown, 1944; wish for active service in Second World War; benefits of training; emphasis on self-reliance. REEL 2 Period of training with Parachute Regt in GB, 1945: volunteering for unit; nature of training; plans for airborne attack on Japan, summer 1945; abortive voyage from GB to Far East aboard HMT Devonshire; reasons for return to Suez Canal Zone, Egypt. Recollections of period with 3 Coy, 2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters in Palestine, 1945-1946: joining unit at Beersheba c8/1945; opinion of regular army life in Palestine; attitude of local populations towards troops, 1945-1946; question of degree of danger; lecture on Zionist nationalism and threat to British troops; attitude to divisional exercises in desert; return to GB, 1946. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as training instructor with Midland Bde in GB, 1946-1948: orders to train Danish conscripts and impression Danish platoon made on him; composition of Midland Bde, 1947; promotion to sergeant and reaction to drill course at Guards Depot, Caterham; opinion of drill instructors Sergeant McQueen and RSM Brittain; period at Midland Bde Training Depot, Strensall, 1948; decision to send forces to Hong Kong. Recollections of period as NCO with 1st Bn Royal Leicestershire Regt in Hong Kong, 1948-1951: membership of advance party; move from Woodfield Barracks to the New Territories; arrival of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Norwegian Farm; dealing with riot in Nathan Road, early 1949; anti- refugee patrols in New Territories, 1949; sight of Chinese Communist aircraft attack on oil tanks over Chinese border; character of climate including coping with insects; news of outbreak of war in Korea, 7/1950. REEL 4 Continues: preparations of Signal Platoon to move from Hong Kong to Korea, 8/1951-9/1951. Recollections of operations as NCO with Signal Platoon, 1st Bn Leicestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in Korea, 1951-1952: reception on arrival in Pusan, 9/1951; nature of train journey to Britannia Camp; move into reserve positions behind lines, 10/1951; Chinese attacks on Hills 317 and 217; role of unit as counter-attack battalion; role as platoon sergeant with brigade headquarters; Chinese ground attack on Hill 217; attitude towards killing; tactics employed by Chinese on Hill 217; use of Bren gun fire on Hill 217; Chinese infantry tactics and use of artillery and mortars; relief of unit by US troops; question of performance of unit, autumn, 1951. REEL 5 Continues: performance of Sergeant Phillips during fighting for Hill 217; return of unit to defensive positions in front-line, 12/1951; plans for 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards to capture London Ridge; US Marine Corps aircraft napalm attack on London Ridge; witnessing helicopter rescue of pilot; work of medivac helicopters; question of unit's role in United Nations' last offensive operation of Korean War; handing over to Australian unit; memorial service at Pusan; effects of war on Korean civilians; use of Korean porters; rigid formulae used by Koreans in conversation about war; question of lack of long term effects of war on him; maintaining telephone line contact with platoons; provision of wireless spares to platoons; question of worthwhileness of war; question of regimental loyalty; living conditions in Korea; weather conditions. REEL 6 Continues: effects of winter weather; use of drip-feed jerrycans as heaters; incident when signal office set on fire and injuries to signaller; winter clothing issue; lack of army hygiene in field.