Interview with Joseph Frederick Roberts

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Object description

British evacuee from Bethnal Green, London to Bury St Edmunds and Foxton in GB, 1939-1942; schoolchild in Bethnal Green London, GB, 1942-1945; private served with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 12/1952-7/1953; served with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 39th Infantry Bde in Kenya, 8/1953-10/1953

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Bethnal Green, London, GB, 1933-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as evacuee from Bethnal Green, London to Bury St Edmunds and Foxton, GB, 1939-1942: initial evacuation to Bury St Edmunds, 1939; return to Bethnal Green, 1939; reasons for second evacuation to Foxton, late 1940; reaction to billeting in signalman's house at Foxton, 1940-1942; relations between evacuees and Foxton children; German Air Force bombing of mother's home in Hackney, 1941; return to Bethnal Green, 1942. Recollections of period as schoolboy in Bethnal Green, London, GB, 1942-1945: use of Liverpool Street Underground Railway Station for shelter. REEL 2 Continues: use of toilets in underground stations; German V1 Flying Bomb hit on Vallance Road, 1944; effect of German Air Force campaign on education; effect of German V2 Rocket on public morale; personal morale; prior recollection of German Air Force bomb hit on Columbia Road Market, late 1940; food supply in rural areas; victory celebrations, 1945; degree of bomb damage in Bethnal Green-Hackney areas. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army in GB, 1951-1952: call-up for National Service, 12/1951; father's military service during First World War and in India, 1920s. REEL 3 Continues: reporting Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) at Stirling Castle, Stirling, 12/1951; choice of regiment; attempt of battalion to make him box; coping with basic training; influence of basic training on character; continuation training at Highland Bde Depot at Fort George, early 1952. Aspects of training period with 1st Bn Black Watch in Hong Kong and Japan, 1952: voyage from GB to Hong Kong including re-badging to Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment); reaction to role laying barbed wire on border of Hong Kong and People's Republic of China, summer 1952; move to Japan; weapons training at Haramura Battle School, Japan. Recollections of operations as private with B Coy, 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 11/1952-7/1953: joining battalion day after first night of the Battle of The Hook, 11/1952; role as Bren Gun operator; reaction to lack of mail. REEL 4 Continues: reasons for lack of mail; British Army attitude to soldiers who fail to write home; reaction to appearance before company commander for failure to write home; unit positions on The Hook; rotation of companies in the front line; Chinese People's Volunteer Army's use of bird whistle signals; hand-to-hand fighting in trench with Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops on The Hook, 11/1952. REEL 5 Continues: nature of Chinese People's Volunteer Army attack on battalion's positions; role during attack; effects of combat stress experienced after Korean War; benefits of battle training; experiences of patrolling; question of both British and Chinese anxiety to avoid contact; Christmas in reserve, 25/12/1952; living conditions in front line; climatic conditions and their effect on the scattering of shell splinters; reaction to role of Centurion Tanks. REEL 6 Continues: leaving South Korea, 7/1953; reaction of battalion having to return to The Hook just prior to leaving. Recollection of operations as private with B Coy, 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 39th Infantry Bde in Kenya, 8/1953-10/1953: arrival in Mombasa, 1/8/1953; move to Nairobi; company posting to Gilgil; issue of Lee-Enfield SMLE Mk III Rifle; use of African instructors and trackers; political background to Mau Mau conflict; call out to Kikuyu villages which had been raided by Mau Mau insurgents; garrison duties in Nairobi; prior recollection of turning down opportunity to return to GB for Coronation duties, 6/1953; obtaining mess role due to night blindness 10/1953; defence of children on school runs. REEL 7 Continues: incident of brawl between battalion personnel and civilians at hotel in Nairobi; capture of Mau Mau insurgents; attitude to having done National Service.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), 1945-1989 (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Roberts, Joseph Frederick (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1999-05-08
Dimensions: whole: Duration 195, Number Of Items 7
Catalogue number: 18825

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Interview with Joseph Frederick Roberts

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