Interview with Harold Charles Hill Baker

British marine served with 44 Commando, Royal Marines, 3rd Special Service Bde and 3rd Commando Bde in India and Arakan, Burma, 12/1943-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Willenhall and Tettenhall, GB, 1922-1941: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; German Air Forces attacks on Tettenhall; joining Local Defence Volunteers, 6/1940. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1941-1942: background to enlistment in Wolverhampton, 1941; reporting to Royal Marines Depot, Exton, 11/11/1941; character of training at Lympstone; memories of Colour Sergeant Budd; selection procedure for signallers; signal training at Royal Marine Signals School, Saundersfoot. Aspects of period as marine with 3rd Bn Royal Marines, 101st Royal Marine Bde in GB, 1942-1943: posting to unit; move to Shirley, Southampton. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as marine with 44 Commando, Royal Marines, 3rd Special Service Bde in GB and India, 12/1943-12/1944: transformation of unit to commando role; commando training at Achnacarry; character of voyage aboard HMT Reina Del Pacifico from GB to India, 1943; arrival in Bombay, 12/1943; stationing at Kedgaon; address by Lord Louis Mountbatten; problems with using LCVP Higgins Boat. Recollections of operations with 44 Commando, 3rd Special Service Bde and 3rd Commando Bde in Arakan, Burma, 1944-1945: under Imperial Japanese Army fire during landing at Alethangyaw; unit casualties; move to Silchar, India, 4/1944; second operation in Alethangyaw, 1944; re-occupation of Akyab Island, 1/1/1945; unopposed landing in mangrove swamp on Myebon Peninsula; digging in on Pinner Valley, 1/1945; character of Imperial Japanese Army attacks on Pinner Valley during Battle of Kangaw, 1/1945; problems trying to maintain signals communications at Kangaw; opinion of Imperial Japanese Army troops; opinion of Lord Louis Mountbatten. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period with 44 Commando, Royal Marines, 3rd Commando Bde in Hong Kong and GB, 1945-1946: state of disrepair in Hong Kong; allocation of telephones; precautions against piracy in Hong Kong; return to GB, 1946; sight of GI Brides at Southampton, GB, 1946; demobilisation at Aberystwyth, GB, 1946; bout of malaria; procedure for leaving Royal Marines at Portsmouth, GB; problems of recurring malaria after demobilisation; state of post-war GB and decision to work in Trinidad. Aspects of period working for Iraq Petroleum Company in Middle East, 1952-1961: posting to K2 station in Syrian Desert; posting to Homs, Syria. REEL 4 Continues: posting to Kirkuk, Iraq; effect of Suez Crisis, 1956; effect of 1958 Iraq Coup; reasons why he had to quit job and return to GB, 1961. Reflections on service with Royal Marines, 1942-1946: attitude to being marine; 'Me and my Pal' system; opinion of fish rations; training in wet conditions in Black Mountains, Wales, 1942.