Peet, Richard (Oral history)

British private served with 2nd Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt) in India, 1946-1947; private and NCO served with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), 8th Infantry Bde, 3rd Infantry Div in Palestine, Egypt and GB, 1947-1949; NCO served with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), 27th Infantry Bde in Hong Kong, 1949-1950; served with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), 27th Commonwealth Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 8/1950-4/1951

REEL 1 Background in Up Holland, GB, 1927-1944: family circumstances; reasons for volunteering for British Army, 1944. Aspects of training with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in GB, 1944-1945: basic training in Glasgow, 1944; infantry training with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) Regimental Depot, Perth. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt) in India and GB, 1946-1947: internal security duties at Karachi, 1947; sight of train full of slaughtered civilians, 1947; nature of demonstrations in Karachi,1947; Pathan looting of canteen at Robertson's Barracks, Peshawar, 1946; refusal of 2nd Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt) to transfer to 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland (Princess Louise's) and threat of charge of mutiny against them at Edinburgh, GB, 1947. Aspects of period as private and NCO with B Coy, 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), 8th Infantry Bde, 3rd Infantry Div in Palestine and Egypt, 1947-1948: duties in Jaffa, Palestine; truck journey from Palestine to Egypt when Mandate ended, 5/1948; soldiers' living conditions in Palestine; opinion of living conditions in tents at El Tahag Camp, Egypt; plight of soldiers including medical problems, boredom and guard duties. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period of as NCO with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) at Sobraon Barracks, Colchester Garrison, GB, 6/1948-6/1949: role and duties. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), 27th Infantry Bde in Hong Kong, 71949-8/1950: role of unit digging defensive positions in New Territories during presumed threat from People's Republic of China; nature of facilities; British Army attitude towards soldiers marrying Hong Kong girls; why battalion was sent from Hong Kong to South Korea. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 27th Commonwealth Infantry Bde in Korea on River Naktong, South Korea, 9/1950: voyage aboard HMS Ceylon from Hong Kong to South Korea, 8/1950; arrival in Pusan, South Korea, 8/1950; move to Naktong Perimeter; patrols across River Naktong, South Korea; breakout across River Naktong, South Korea, 8/1950; attack on Hill 282, South Korea, 23/9/1950; platoon casualties; surprising North Korean troops eating breakfast; helping lay out recognition panels; United States Air Force napalming of Nos 4 and 5 Platoons of B Coy; withdrawal from hill and strafing of unit by United States Air Force aircraft; reaction to sight of casualties; attempt of Major Kenneth Muir to rally troops to hold Hill 282, South Korea; loss of Major Kenneth Muir; Captain John Slim's shooting of North Korean troops following unit stragglers; reaction to action. REEL 3 Continues: question of luck in avoiding being napalmed, attitude of unit to napalm attack when recognition panels were laid out. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), 27th Commonweatlh Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 10/1950-4/1951: push north towards Seoul, South Korea, 10/1950; attack on Sariwon, North Korea; house-to-house fighting in Sariwon, North Korea and how North Koreans mistook battalion for Soviets; United States Air Force napalming of town in North Korea; leapfrogging advance of brigade; push through Pyongyang, North Korea on American tanks; wounding of Major A I Gordon-Ingram on An Ju Bridge, Pyongyang, North Korea; stopping of advance short of Yalu River, North Korea, 11/1950; extrication of unit from Chinese encirclement in blizzard, 12/1950; retreat to 38th Parallel, 1951; nature of retreat southwards; danger of being trapped by Chinese People's Volunteer Army when staying in Korean houses, 1951; intense cold weather and how soldiers coped with it, winter 1950-1951; use of American K rations; plight of Korean civilians; friction between unit and New Zealand artillery over barrage at Yong Dong Po; relations between unit and Australian Army troops; lack of fear of Chinese People's Volunteer Army in attack.