Description
Object description
British NCO served with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, Malaya Command in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1953
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Norwich and North Creake, GB, 1930-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as schoolchild in North Creake, GB, 1939-1945: Royal Air Force De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito which crashed in village, 1943; presence of Land Army girls in area; question of scarcities after end of Second World War. Recollections of operations with 4 Platoon, B Coy, 1st Bn Suffolk Regt in Malaya, 1950-1953: enlistment in British Army, 9/1949; drafting to battalion, 1/1950; issue of Lee-Enfield No 1 Mk V Rifle; jungle training at Sungei Besi; construction of 'basha'; shortcomings of Sten Gun; living in jungle; warding of mosquitoes; rationing on patrol; air-supply drops of supplies; types of jungle operated in; character of 'stay a while' fern; coping with leeches and red ants; use of toggle rope to aid troops in crossing rivers; leadership of battalion; nicknames given to battalion companies.
REEL 2 Continues: techniques he developed for jungle living; dispositions of unit in Kajang area; character of contact with Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents in jungle; three day ambush organisation; unit casualties including accidents; volunteering for Motor Transport Section; driving Daimler Dingo Scout Car; prophylactic firing on well-known ambush positions; driving regime; effect of introduction of Briggs Plan; use of Iban trackers; reaction to service in Federation of Malaya; lack of danger in main towns; attitude of Malayan civilians towards British Army troops.
REEL 3 Continues: conditions for rubber tappers during Malayan Emergency; question of lack of prospects for success for Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; civilian smuggling of food to insurgents; contact with European civilians; General Sir Gerald Templer's gratitude towards battalion; collection by civilians of Selangor for battalion; memories of Queen's Coronation parade, 6/1953. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt in Free Territory of Trieste, 1953: role of battalion; rioting in city; role in military police section; attitude to having served in British Army, 1949-1954; question of re-adjusting to civilian life.