Interview with John Napier Cormack

British officer served with 55th Independent Field Sqdn and 12th Field Sqdn, 28th Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers, 1st Commonwealth in South Korea, 1951-1952; commanded Boys Training Squadron, Royal Engineers and served as instructor at Mons Officer Cadet School in GB, 1953-1958; served with 37 Field Regt, Royal Engineers and as staff officer with Headquarters Near East Command in Cyprus, 1958-1961; served with 24th Engineer Group, Royal Engineers, Territorial Army in Liverpool, GB, 1961-1962; student attended Army School of Languages, Beaconsfield in GB, 1961-1964; served as touring officer with Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany (BRIXMIS) in West Berlin, Germany, 1964-1966; served as staff officer with Royal School of Military Engineers and School of Infantry in GB, 1966-1969; served as second in command of 21st Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers in West Germany, 1970-1972 including tour of Northern Ireland, 3/1971-8/1971; served as staff officer with Operational Requirements Branch, Royal Engineers in GB and Headquarters, Northern Army Group, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Netherlands, 1972-1976; served as staff officer with Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham in GB, 1976-1979

REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany (BRIXMIS) in Berlin, Germany, 1964-1966: story of encounter with East German Border Guards in East German Army's Eisenach Training Area in East Germany; contrast in attitude of Soviet and East German personnel; role of mission. [Short Reel]. REEL 2 Continues: Background in Edinburgh, GB, 1927-1947: family military service; personal interest in the military; reaction to use of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; attitude towards Germans, 1945; political situation, 1945; Army Cadet Force training at Stewart's Melville College; character of training as cadet and instructors; tactics employed during exercises with cadet force. Recollections of period as sapper and officer cadet with Royal Engineers in GB, 1945-1947: Officer Training Corps training at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge; call-up as National Service at Bury St Edmunds, 1945; on Class Y Reserve at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge; training as sapper with Royal Engineers at Farnborough; officer selection process; period at Dalkeith Camp, 1947. Recollections of period as officer cadet at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley, GB, 1947-1948: arrival at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; character of instructors; duration of course; importance of sport; syllabus and opinion of course. REEL 3 Continues: changes in course; opinion of bicycle drill; living conditions in Old College; food; social life; emphasis on sport; visits to officers' mess; passing out parade. Aspects of training as officer with Royal Engineers in GB, 1948-1950: move to School of Military Engineering at Chatham and Ripon; pattern of training; role as party officer with a 3rd Training Regt, Royal Engineers; pattern of training; his interest in field engineering; reasons for wanting oversea postings to South Korea. Recollections of period as officer with 55th Independent Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers in South Korea, 5/1951-7/1951: flight from GB to South Korea; initial impressions of South Korea. REEL 4 Continues: Royal Engineer units serving in South Korea, 1951; nature of United States Army troop trains; contact with French Canadian troops; arrival in Pusan; medical prophylactic measures; nature of train journey in South Korea; opinion of United States Army rations; impressions of terrain and war damage; exploits of 55th Independent Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers during Battle of River Imjin, 4/1951; joining squadron south of River Imjin; meeting with war correspondents; communications system; organisation and deployment of squadron; unit equipment; method of crossing River Imjin; constructing aerial walkway across River Imjin; loss of Oxford Carrier on raft in River Imjin; setting up of Royal Engineers headquarters; duties as assistant intelligence officer and organisation of headquarters; character of office truck; quality of maps. REEL 5 Continues: relations with United States Army troops and use of United States Army equipment; equipment used for road building; degree of intelligence available; use of patrols to locate mines; character of course at Battle School in Japan; use of mines; character of Commonwealth engineer units. Recollections of operations as officer with 12th Field Sqdn, 28th Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1951-1952: initial role as intelligence officer including dealing with Korean labourers and porters; winter clothing; construction of stoves and use of petrol space heaters; strength of field troop; relations with troop members. REEL 6 Continues: importance of good NCOs; opinion of Corporal Bert Weaver; repair and maintenance of tracks and roads; method of constructing roads and trackways; maintenance of brigade water point; purification system; laying minefields; casualties caused by mines; Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops attempts to lift mines; character of minefields and mines used; plotting of minefields; uses of fougasse; method of improvising mines; laying mines in front of Chinese People's Volunteer Army lines; surface mining in winter; Chinese People's Volunteer Army mining techniques; character of wooden box mines; field defence work. REEL 7 Continues: development of field defences and importance of overhead cover; wiring techniques; improvised obstacles; nature of Chinese People's Volunteer Army field defences; use of Centurion Tanks against Chinese People's Volunteer Army positions; character of British field defences; American positions; patrols to destroy Chinese People's Volunteer Army bunkers; daily routine; unit weapons and equipment. Recollections of operations with 12th Field Sqdn, 28th Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers 1st Commonwealth Div during Operation Commando in South Korea, 3/10/1951-12/10/1951: role of unit attached to 1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry and 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars; Chinese People's Volunteer Army artillery shelling of forming up point; use of tanks to move forward; artillery support; character of air support; terrain and vegetation for operation; deployment of Centurion Tanks; role of engineers; capture of Chinese People's Volunteer Army. REEL 8 Continues: advance northwards from River Imjin; concentration on mine work after Operation Commando; role of unit; searching for booby traps; infantry tactics employed; role of tanks; liaison between infantry and tanks; range of infantry's final assault on Chinese People's Volunteer Army positions; degree of air support; briefing prior to Operation Commando; nightly routine; defensive perimeter and digging in; adapting of former Chinese People's Volunteer Army positions; character of Chinese People's Volunteer Army defensive positions; Chinese People's Volunteer Army improvisation of booby-traps; opinion of Chinese People's Volunteer Army stick grenades; degree of effectiveness of Chinese People's Volunteer Army propaganda; end of Operation Commando. REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 12th Field Sqdn, 28th Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1951-1952: incident at Mistake Hill; consequences of navigational error during minelaying at night; incident of unit carrying party being made prisoner of war by Chinese People's Volunteer Army; fate of captured sappers; protection of timber bridge 'Teal' over River Imjin; fate of 'Teal'; weather conditions; character of bridge 'Pintail'; character of 'Teal'; method of constructing bridges; role of his Korean batman; role of unit in constructing Main Supply Route; nature of Korean roads; traffic controlled by military police. REEL 10 Continues: opinion of role of Corps of Military Police; use of concrete beams for bunkers; manufacturing techniques; method of keeping gravel from freezing; resupply of fuel; use of beehive charges and their uses; use of plastic explosives; lack of accidents with explosives; length of tour of duty in South Korea; leave in Tokyo, Japan; winter conditions on Korean Peninsula; use petrol heaters; cold weather clothing and footwear; rations and beverages. REEL 11 Continues: evening routine; issuing orders to troop; conduct of troop orders 'O' group; use of maps and code names at squadron headquarters; radio procedure; opinion of radio equipment; telephone system; slight wounding when Centurion Tank blown up; injury to ankle when taking cover from artillery fire; treatment at No 60 Indian Field Ambulance, Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital and Canadian Field Army Dressing Station; opinion of medical treatment; role with Royal Australian Engineers in Kure, Japan; sources of stores; mail in South Korea; return voyage aboard HMT Lancashire from South Korea to GB; Aspects of period as officer with Boys Training Squadron, Royal Engineers in GB, 1953-1954: formation of unit; organisation of unit. REEL 12 Continues: expansion of squadron; age of recruits; emphasis on physical training and education; selection system; discipline; uniform worn by recruits and introduction of civilian clothes; causes for recruit failure; annual camp of Isle of Wight; posting to Driver Training Squadron, Royal Engineers, 1954-1955. Aspects of period as officer with Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, GB, 1955-1958: role as instructor training National Service officers; basic training and leadership training; method of instruction; strength of intakes; failure rate; emphasis on leadership; motivation of National Service officers; no significant changes to syllabus; use of cadets as demonstration troops in Scotland; quality of cadets; impressions of National Service officers in Korean War; extra work generated by Suez Crisis, 1956. REEL 13 Continues: Recollections of period as operations as officer with 37th Field Regt, Royal Engineers, Cyprus Command in Cyprus, 1958-1960: posting to 37th Field Regt, Royal Engineers at Limassol; role of unit; restrictions on social life; security measures in camp; married accommodation; reaction to murder of British Army wife in Famagusta; character of cordon and search operations; role of Greek Cypriot clergy in hiding weapons; character of National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) ambushes and attacks; attempt to minimise damage during searches of property; attitude of Greek Cypriot civilians towards British forces; difficulty in achieving surprise; use of handbook of wanted National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) suspects; use of Kyrenia Castle; types of weapons found in searches; targets chosen by National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA); attacks on Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) and role taken over by Indian civilian contractors; sources of intelligence; response of Greek Cypriot civilians to searches; relations with Cyprus Police Force; intelligence passed on from Cyprus Police Force; friction and violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots; degree of knowledge of political developments. REEL 14 Continues: political situation after return of Archbishop Makarios III from exile, 3/1959; reversion to peacetime routines; character of exercises in Libya; recreational activities in Libya, Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Near East Command, Cyprus, 1960-1961: posting as GS03 Intelligence to headquarters; role and duties; situation in Cyprus after Independence, 1960; intelligence sources; no contact with Cypriot Police Force; training exercises conducted in western Cyprus; aid given to support tourism; role of Headquarters, Near East Command; movement role during British intervention in Kuwait, 1961; arrangements to aid navigation of Royal Air Force pilots in Kuwait, 1961; attitude to involvement in staff work. REEL 15 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 24th Engineer Group, Royal Engineers in Liverpool, GB, 1961-1962: role with Territorial Army; overseeing change in proposed role of unit; backgrounds of Territorial Army personnel; studying effects of nuclear warfare; nature of training; social life in unit; command structure of Royal Engineer units in Territorial Army; mobilisation role of unit in Europe; war role as port operators. Recollections of period as student with Army School of Languages at Beaconsfield, GB, 1962-1964: instructing staff at school; form of instruction. REEL 16 Continues: attending Soviet films of Friday afternoons; private study in evenings; textbooks used; six months period living in Paris living with Russian ex-patriots; informal study of Soviet life and culture; emphasis in teaching on Soviet military affairs; character of other students; preferences for future posting. Recollections of period as touring officer with Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany (BRIXMIS) in West Berlin, Germany, 1964-1966: background to posting to unit; question of lack of formal training for role; compositions of tours; emphasis on knowledge of Warsaw Pact equipment and formation organisation; difficulty of identifying units and formations; target listings; division of East Germany; rotations of British, French and American teams; shadowing by East German Ministry of Security (Stasi) personnel and informers reporting teams movement; meetings with Soviet equivalents; dealing with East German Army and insisting on dealing with Soviet commandant. REEL 17 Continues: incident that occurred to tour officer in Elefant Hotel, Weimar, East Germany; question of being declared person non grata; mission house in Potsdam, East Germany; role of staff at mission house; use of traffic regulations to detain tours; procedures if detained; question of wives being unaware of tour officer activities; incident when he was shot at on tour; obtaining first photographs of operational Soviet Frog and Scud surface-to-surface missiles in East Germany; reasons for Soviet sentries not always being alert to tour's activities; detention after taking photographs of Halle gun on military train; dealing with Soviet commandant during detention; writing tour report; assumption that mission house was under surveillance; arrival of American military deserter at mission house; areas of division in East Germany. REEL 18 Continues: evasion from detention on Sassnitz Island, East Germany; equipment for overnight stay; duration of tours; nature of permanently restricted areas; Soviet Army traffic regulators; method of following Soviet Army traffic columns; degree of contact with East German civilians and Soviet Army troops; how relations with Soviets were dependant on political situation; comparison of Soviet and East Germany forces; problems of observing Soviet and East German Army troops on exercise; question of role of East German Army in any future war and after Berlin Wall came down in 1989; propaganda of Soviet Army troops returning to Soviet Union; physical character and appearance of East German and Soviet Army troops; impression of Soviet Army troops whilst attending BRIXMIS Association function in Berlin during 1980s. REEL 19 Continues: changes in impressions of Soviet Army, 1960s-1980s; role of Royal Air Force Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany (BRIXMIS) tours; mutual assistance between British Army and Royal Air Force teams; liaison with American and French missions; question of clandestine operations; East German agent caught through fiddling expenses; character of French and American touring teams; annual intelligence conferences; effect espionage cases on relations with Soviets; lack of contact with West German Army; attitude of civilians in Berlin towards Allied forces; effect of work on general state of health; potential postings using Russian language skills. Aspects of period as major at Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham, GB, 1966-1967: background to posting; role at Royal School of Military Engineering. REEL 20 Continues: selection for clerk of works courses; nature of clerk of works courses; importance of recreational training; incentives for NCOs attending courses; importance of having qualified personnel to supervise civilian contractors; reasons for failure of NCOs to complete courses; difference between Royal Engineers and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Aspects of period as instructor at School of Infantry at Warminster, GB, 1967-1969: instructional duties; emphasis on use of helicopters; types of helicopters available. REEL 21 Continues: personal interest in mobility of bridging equipment; question of which armed service should operate helicopters; vulnerability of helicopters to small arms fire; reception and content of his pamphlet written on helicopter use; use of helicopters as air command posts; reversion to company commander and platoon commanders courses; anti-tank techniques taught; emphasis on combat teams; field exercises on Salisbury Plain; use of artificial moonlight; character of exercises; introduction of armoured personnel carriers. REEL 22 Continues: question of use of armoured personnel carriers and self-propelled guns; amphibious armour capabilities and developments; developments in bridging vehicles and devices; working out line of march and crossing units; attending British Army of the Rhine exercise prior to posting to Warminster; experimental organisation of Royal Engineers; use of armoured personnel carriers during exercise; tactics determined by equipment; types of vehicles available to armoured engineers; developments in mine lifting technology; background to posting as second in command of 21st Field Engineer Regt at Nienberg, West Germany, 1970. REEL 23 Continues: Recollections of operations as second in command of 21st Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers during tour of Northern Ireland, 3/1971-8/1971: organisation of unit for tour of Northern Ireland; attitude of sappers to posting to Northern Ireland; requirement for riot control training; question of tactics employed in riot control; need to development tactics; differences experienced by unit squadrons deployed in different areas; control of movement; use of helicopter; intelligence liaison with police; use of road blocks; use of calthorps at road blocks; rules of engagement; most attacks against police; anti-ambush drills and cleaning of routes; initial degree of protection of base at Long Kesh; accommodation at Long Kesh; method of road blocking motorway; quality of police intelligence; need to develop search techniques; co-operation with Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons); character of search operations in Belfast; importance of weapons safety; patrolling. REEL 24 Continues: character of patrols; role during parading season; relations with civilians in Portadown, Newry and Gosford; accidental death of unit member; confining to barracks; visit from Acker Bilk; rest and recreation available in Isle of Man; controls on alcohol; state on return to Hanover, West Germany, 8/1971; briefing he gave advanced party; degree of knowledge of situation held by other ranks; attitude of customs officials on arrival in Northern Ireland. Recollections of period as second in command of 21st Field Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers in West Germany, 1970-1972: role supporting 11th Armoured Bde; character of general deployment plan; arrangements for atomic demolition munitions; lack of invasion scares; time taken to get to emergency deployment locations; commanders and staff of 11th Armoured Bde. REEL 25 Continues: practical application of knowledge of Soviet Army equipment and tactics; battle simulations; troops' attitude towards Soviet threat; sources of information about Soviet forces; growing threat from Soviet special forces; observation on characteristics of Soviet Army in action and personnel; limitations of Soviet engineers and estimation of their obstacle crossing equipment; attending regimental bridging camp at Hamelin; use of heavy ferry and Medium Girder Bridge; comparison between Medium Girder Bridge and Heavy Girder Bridge; reasons for end of regimental bridging camps. REEL 26 Continues: relations with German civilians at Nienburg; degree of contact with West German forces; question of role of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and European Community. Aspects of period as staff officer with Operational Requirements Branch, Royal Engineers in GB, 1972-1973: project to develop FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor including characteristics and capabilities of vehicle; organisation of operational trials of FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor; projected role of FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor; relations with Royal Ordnance Factory; question of armament and voltage of power tools; vehicle's mobility; work on new bridging system; development and testing of equipment for Northern Ireland; studying Soviet Army equipment and failed British experimental engineer vehicles projects from Second World War; development of mine ploughs and flail tanks. REEL 27 Continues: effectiveness of Spigot Mortar; question of use of flame-throwing tanks; development of trackway to replace hardcore on approaches to river crossings; use of Class 60 Trackway; plastic tubing for fascines; attitude to working with branch. Recollections of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Northern Army Group, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Netherlands, 1973-1976: role and duties; relations with Dutch officers; visits to Dutch units; reasons for Royal Netherlands Army troops not being based in West Germany; organisation of Dutch Headquarters and staffs; characteristics of Dutch society and armed forces; strong trade union influence in Dutch armed forces; influence of American and West German equipment and tactics; presence of West German liaison officer; attitude of Dutch towards Germans; impact of democratic politics and free speech in Royal Netherlands Army. REEL 28 Continues: efficiency an attitude of Dutch conscripts; Dutch lack of involvement in weapons development; attempts to improve North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) standardization of weapons; assessment of compatibility for British reinforcements; question of British insistence on multi-fuel engines; Dutch bridging equipment; conditions for Dutch officers; life at headquarters at Apeldoorn; relations with Dutch officers and civilians; degree of knowledge of Dutch language; degree of contact with Royal Netherlands Navy and Royal Netherlands Air Force; flights in Dutch helicopters; Dutch use of armoured personnel carriers; co-operation between engineers in Northern Army Group. REEL 29 Continues: Recollections of period as staff officer with Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham in GB, 1976-1979: invitation to write a pamphlet on search operations in Northern Ireland; visits to Northern Ireland; character of the Braithwate Tank; problems of closing border; basis of pamphlet including appreciation from insurgent point of view; degree of knowledge of searching held by police and customs and excise personnel; common general principles of searching; methodical procedures necessary; method of searching occupied buildings; instituted computer register of car numbers; question of closing Northern Ireland border; role concerning coordination of administration; requirements changed with needs of training; joining Training Development Team and use of 'Mellor Loop'; basis of syllabus; critical analysis of all training courses; standardised testing system; staff on the Training Development Team; background to leaving British Army to become Editor of Publications at Royal School of Engineering, 1979. REEL 30 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian Editor of Publications at Royal School of Engineering at Chatham, from 1979: work of drawing office; transition to use of computers and word processors; publication process in use prior to introduction of computers; selection of authors for publications; type of publications issued; use of civilian publications; other sources of service publications; advantages of having a military career.