Whybro, Denis William (Oral history)

British NCO served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1940-1945; served with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 1950-1951

REEL 1 Background in Stock and Galleywood, GB, 1922-1937: family circumstances; education; employment. Aspects of period with Essex Fortress Regiment, Royal Engineers in GB, 1937-1939: background to joining Territorial Army, 1937; role of unit during Munich Crisis, 1938; character of training; role operating sound locator; training with aircraft, 1939; drill and weapons training; organisation of searchlight crew; visit to see prototype sound locator. Aspects of enlistment and training with 51st Training Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps at Catterick Camp in GB, 8/1939-6/1940: enlistment, 8/1940; reception at Catterick Camp; processing procedure; reaction to drilling; physical training. REEL 2 Continues: boxing training; relations between recruits and physical training instructors; training on Light Tank Mark 6 B's and Bren gun carriers; role digging trenches on outbreak of war, 9/1939; opinion of regimental officers; role as mess orderly, 1/1940-6/1940. Recollections of period with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB, 1940-1944: conditions in unit on return from Dunkirk; move to Keele Hall; anti-invasion duties, 1940; firing Boyes anti-tank rifle; attachment to 3rd Motor Machine-Gun Bde; living conditions at Keele Hall; character of rations, 1940; wireless watches; gas training. REEL 3 Continues move to Stone and then Wellingborough, 1941; arrival of Coventanter tanks at Wellingborough, late 1941; problems with Coventanter and Crusader tanks; formation of 9th Armoured Div; troop formation; use of flags for communication; role as wireless operator; hospitalisation for appendicitis; posting to Headquarters Sqdn; formation of anti- aircraft troop, 1943; training with anti-aircraft troop; unit movements; attending commando course, near Morpeth. REEL 4 Continues: attending schemes, 1942-1943; importance of tank commanders understanding nature of land; cooking rations and sleeping on schemes; memories of Captain Rennie; clothing worn; regional composition of unit; refusing to volunteer for service in Middle East; memories of General Brian Horrocks; accommodation used; increase in professionalism of officers, 1940-1944; move of unit to Bury St Edmunds, c1944; issue of Churchill Crocodile to unit; introduction to flame throwing capabilities of Churchill Crocodile. REEL 5 Continues: technique of flame throwing; crew of Churchill Crocodile; joining 79th Armoured Div; role with Headquarters Sqdn; unit NCOs who landed on D-Day to gain experiences; embarkation at Southampton, 10/1944. Recollections of operations with C Sqdn, 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in North West Europe, 1944- 1945: arrival in Ostend, Belgium; sight of US aircraft ditching in sea off Ostend, Belgium; move into Antwerp area; amount of supplies needed for unit; move to St Leonards, Belgium; illuminating of unit by artificial moonlight on start line and wounding of comrade; loss of padre and medical officer; preparations for attack; techniques for attacking German strongpoints; character of attack at St Leonards; role as wireless operator for second in command. REEL 6 Continues: advance northwards; German attitude towards flame throwers; sight of destruction of German tank by Typhoon; reaction to being in action; confidence in officers; question of not being able to understand Scottish members of unit; distribution of unit squadron; reconnaissance in forest; leaguering at night; move to Breda, Netherlands; opinion of Polish troops; threats to tanks including mines; encounter with frozen food at Breda, 11/1944. REEL 7 Continues: billeting in Eindhoven area winter 1944-1945; training infantry for crossing River Rhine; Allied troops' reaction to flame throwers; move towards River Rhine on tank transporters, 3/1945; wounding of crewman during attack on tank transporter 3/1945; observation platforms in Reichswald Forest; rations in Reichswald Forest; crossing River Rhine at Rees; treatment of property in Germany; increase in speed of advance after crossing of River Rhine; opinion of Canadian troops; loss of tank at Emmerich; transfer to British 2nd Army. REEL 8 Continues: amusing story of blowing German safe in hotel; reaction to end of war, 5/1945. Recollections of period with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry during Occupation of Germany, 1945-1946: reasons for reluctance of US troops to enter Bremerhaven; loss of unit's tanks; lack of contact with German civilians, 5/1944-8/1944; character of policing duties; reduction of British Army rations, winter 1945-1946; second hand story relating to war crime against RAF personnel; nickname of unit and treatment of German civilians; conditions in Germany; changing relations with German civilians; use of cigarettes as currency; German salvaging of building materials. REEL 9 Continues: sight of bombed Dortmund Ems Canal; demobilisation process, 5/1946; story of entraining Russian ex-POWs; nature of Displaced Persons; story of murder of town major of Hanover by Polish Displaced Person. Period as civilian working in GB, 1946-1950: living conditions; problems of returning to civilian employment; financial situation; weather conditions, winter 1947; rationing problems, late 1940s; use of British Restaurants. REEL 10 Continues: background to call-up to army reserve, 8/1950. Period of training with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1950: attitude of reservists; training at Thetford; handling of Centurion tanks; role escorting Centurions to Barry Docks; problems loading Centurions onto ship; embarkation leave, 10/1950. Voyage aboard HMT Empire Fowey from GB to Korea, 1950: opinion of lectures by inexperienced officers; stop-over in Singapore; sight of typhoon off Japan, 11/1950. Recollections of operations as NCO with C Sqdn, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 1950-1951: reception at Pusan. REEL 11 Continues: arrival in Pusan; conditions at Jap Camp; arrival of Centurions; character of train journey to Seoul including acquiring US clothing and turkeys; move to positions at Yong Dong Po; hearing of loss of Cooperforce; sight of refugees on frozen River Han; unit's acting as rearguard, winter, 1950-1951; daily routine until 2/1951; contact with US troops; reputation of Turkish troops; reaction to being sent to support US forces and visit of US general. REEL 12 Continues: firing on Chinese positions; sight of Fleet Air Arm aircraft attacking Chinese; move to River Imjin, 3/1951. Recollections of operations as NCO with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde during Battle of River Imjin, 4/1951: start of Chinese attack; loss of unit's carriers; Chinese tactics; stand-to during first night; shooting at Chinese troops with carbine; sight of Korean porters; firing on Chinese troops on second day of action; withdrawal of British infantry units from hills; orders to withdraw; decision of his tank to use road; personal weapons carried; infantry climbing on back of tank; crashing through Chinese roadblock; helping wounded infantry off back of tank; condition of dead soldier. REEL 13 Continues: effect of firing Centurion twenty pounder at Chinese troops; sight of British POWs at roadblock; unit casualties; withdrawal along Main Supply Route to Yong Dong Po area after action. Recollections of operations with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars in Korea, 1951: problems with phosphorus bombs; effect of climate on Centurions; crossing weight restricted tressle bridge on route to Inchon; period in rest camp on Inchon Peninsula; question of lack of official recognition for Royal Ulster Rifles and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers during Battle of River Imjin; return to River Imjin area and role burying casualties; reaction to officer's remarks about identity of dead infantryman; unit casualties; condition of British vehicles in area; fate of Bill Holden's tank and crew. REEL 14 Continues: question of US tactics in not taking main features; role driving squadron leader's personal caravan; order to return to GB, 11/1950; character of fighting, summer 1951; issue of new uniforms before leaving Pusan. Voyage from Korea to GB, late 1951: voyage from Korea to Singapore aboard HMT Empire Fowey; treatment of Gloucestershire Regt soldiers in Singapore; transfer to HMS Warrior in Singapore; role on board HMS Warrior; stoning by Adenese; docking in Portsmouth, 12/1951; reception at Bovington Camp. Attitude to having served in Korean War. REEL 15 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 8th King's Irish Hussars in Korea, 1950-1951: story of acquiring petrol bowsers; question of inadequacy of British equipment; method Chinese used to carry rations; effect of diet of tinned rations; self sufficient nature of tank crews; opinion of Korean porters; technique for getting Centurion tanks to top of hills; story of acquiring jeep to obtain supplies; sight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress crash landing near Seoul; opinion of 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles and 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers role during withdrawal from River Imjin; lack of sightings of Chinese troops before Battle of Imjin River; opinion of Australian and New Zealand troops; generosity of US troops.