Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt in GB, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore during Indonesian Confrontation, 1964-1967
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Reading and Plymouth, GB, 1941-1964: family; education. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt in GB, 1964-1965: background to enlistment in unit; story of how unit had adopted tiger cubs during Malayan Emergency; character of married quarters at Montgomery Lines, Aldershot Garrison, 1965; refusal of unit to use parachute assault course; friction between unit and Parachute Regiment based at Aldershot Garrison. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt in Hong Kong, 1/1966-3/1966: arrival in Hong Kong, 1/1966; barrack service provided by Chinese servants; how he was deceived by Chinese 'death money'; regimental loyalty of infantrymen; troops' use of brothels and Royal Military Police patrols; fate of Private Libby at hands of Chinese mob; riot drill and use of internal security box; amusing story of making tea on departure from RAF Kai Tak, 3/1966.
REEL 2 Continues: flight from Hong Kong to Singapore, Malaysia. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt in Malaysia, 1/1966-5/1966: course at Jungle Warfare School at Johor Bahru; encounters with snakes; use of Iban trackers; coping with climate; reasons why quartermaster received Member of British Empire medal; method of controlling civilian labour gang; relations with Provost Sergeant Brian 'King Rat' Allard; contact with American troops at school; his production of unit magazines; skills of barrack room servants; contrast in attitudes to hygiene between Malays and British; showering in rain; snake story; question of water conservation and dehydration death on Pantai Ridge; reasons for unit medical officers banning use of 37 Pattern Belt.
REEL 3 Continues: hearing of Indonesian attempts to invade Malaysia; question of capabilities of Indonesian National Armed Forces; Australian Army snake bite equipment; amusing story of Private 'Mad Jock' Hunter's attempts to get out of soldiering. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn Royal Hampshire Regt during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 6/1966-10/1966: arrival and disposition of unit, 6/1966; reprimand for shooting at marines of Indonesian Marine Corps; amusing story about camp hygiene; lack of security at tactical base; relations with local monkeys; equipment of Royal Greenjackets; soldier who went native; hearing news of birth of his second son; effect of World Cup film on patrols; soldier who made money from showing pornographic films.
REEL 4 Continues: how Special Air Service warned unit about snap inspections; method of removing leech from penis; dealing with unit fatality; Operation Timbertop against Malaysian People's Liberation Army insurgents; handling of surrender of Malaysian People's Liberation Army insurgents; equipment that Malaysian People's Liberation Army insurgents had; character of rations; celebration of Minden Day, 1/8/1966; attempts to catch jungle pigs; question of respecting border with Indonesia; amusing story of accidental sinking of patrol boat; killing of monitor lizards to aid villagers; an ambush sprung by monitor lizard; patrolling in jungle; method of carrying out sentry duty at night in jungle; end of Indonesian Confrontation and disposal of ammunition; demilitarisation of Ulu Camp.
REEL 5 Continues: case of refusal to stand to; Royal Malaysian Police officers' method of dealing with Malaysia Communist Party opponents; intention of troops to buy themselves out of British Army after tour of duty; conditions in Singapore at end of tour in Borneo; return to GB, 10/1966; opinion of Indonesian National Armed Forces troops.