Coley, Jack (Oral history)

British private trained with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1952; private and NCO served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Germany, GB, Korea and Egypt, 1952-1954

REEL 1 Background in County Durham and Banstead, GB, 1931-1951: family; reason for move to Banstead; education; destruction of house from bombing; explanation of air raid sirens at school; practice on outbreak of war; bombing of school; understanding of war; view of father's service in LDV; building of Anderson shelter; return to County Durham in Eldon Lane; memories of air raids; time living in employer's house and help given by neighbours; opinion that air raids were targeting a local ammunition dump; gas masks and white plate carried at night; games played as child; rationing of food and clothes; work of parents during war; return of soldiers from Dunkirk; date of move to Eldon Lane; accent and story of sharp drink; lessening in wartime activity witnessed; rifle issued to father in Home Guard; opinion of Home Guard; VJ Day celebrations; return of POWs including talk from POW at school; work as apprentice bricklayer including men apprenticed to; evening classes; end of apprenticeship and earlier deferral of National Service; reaction to situation; medical in Middlesbrough; choice of service arm; journey to Bishop Auckland and fellow recruits. Aspects of period as recruit at Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 2/1952-3/1952: reception on arrival at Brancepeth Camp; posted to Sergeamt Clapperton's squad; accommodation; issue of uniform and equipment; storage of items; teaching of how to fold and iron uniform; pay. REEL 2 Continues: description of barrack room including making of bed and bed inspections; heating of room including reason for inspection of drawers; early morning timetable; billet orderlies; cleaning of stove; method for polishing floor; cleaning of rest of room; inspection of room; punishments if not up to standard; kit inspections; smoothing of boot toes and method for polishing boots; boots issued with; cleaning of equipment; ironing crease into trousers; weights placed in trousers over gaiters; numbering of uniform and equipment; utensils for meals; payment for items lost; details of pay and marriage allowance; barrack room damages; issue and cleaning of rifle; rifle inspections; bayonet issued; cleaning of bayonet; army language; members of squad; dealing with bullying and pranks in barrack rooms; evening activities; morning procedures including latrines and washing facilities; breakfast; washing of utensils; billets inspections; location of drill; pay parade; learning of foot drill including Light Infantry pace. REEL 3 Continues: rifle drill; route marches; bayonet drill; assault courses; firing weapons at Whitburn including sleeping arrangements; opinion of NCOs; gas precaution training; opinion of bren and sten guns; anti-tank weapons trained with; morning break; lunch and weight gained in army; provision for making complaints; lectures and lessons in care of weapons; learning of regiment history; intelligence tests; lectures given by recruits; standards needed for extra pay; amendments made to uniform by tailor; fatigues and jankers; misdemeanours resulting in jankers; confinement to barracks; passing out parade and award given; ATS Barracks next to camp; contact with officers and NCOs; knowledge of posting; embarkation leave and marriage; events on journey to Hook of Holland; train journey through Russian Zone to Berlin; rations and equipment on train. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Germany, 4/1952-6/1952: arrival at Spandau Barracks; standard of turnout of battalion; description of barracks; impressions of Berlin; Russian War Memorial; Corner Café and NAAFI; out of bounds areas. REEL 4 Continues: contact with civilians; fitness training in Grunewald and morning procedures; foot inspections and medicals; shooting of Lieutenant Colonel Hamner's dog; static training; sport; church and memories of padre Dixon; standard of turnout required for leaving and returning to camp; curfew; drinking in Berlin; length of time in Berlin; presentation of guards; duties during May Day Parade; make-up of battalion; officers in battalion; opinion of what makes a good officer; memories of Regiment Sergeant Major Thomasson; NCOs in machine gun platoon; make-up of machine gun platoon; description and opinion of Vickers machine gun; changing of the barrel; water in gun; make-up of gun crew; weight and transport of Vickers gun; training with pistol; changes in gun since World War One and ranging of Vickers; enjoyment of Vickers gun; dismantling and re-assembly of gun; faults with gun; ammunition belts and rounds fired per minute; Vickers gun drill; number of guns in platoon; working in sections with companies; officers of machine gun platoon. REEL 5 Continues: training with Vickers gun; black market; night life in Berlin; contact with American and French troops; visit to Spandau Prison; sightseeing in Berlin; summary of time in Berlin; National Servicemen and regulars in battalion; turnover of National Servicemen; details of pay and blanco. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1952-8/1952: camp at Leyburn; training for Korea; embarkation leave; return to Brancepeth Camp; parade in Durham City and long march through towns; train journey to Southampton; story of annoying officer Lieutenant Littlefair on train and revenge taken against him; send-off from Lord Lieutenant Lawson; band playing and guards on docks; reactions to situation. Aspects of journey from Southampton, GB, to Pusan, Korea, aboard the Empire Trooper, 8/1952- 9/1952: accommodation and sleeping arrangements; inspections; latrines; morning procedures; rations and supply of meals; weapons training including problems firing bren; physical training and boxing competitions; gambling; canteen; mail; leisure activities including mileage competition; stories of seasickness in Indian Ocean and church services; journey through Mediterranean; stop at Malta; journey through Suez Canal; route march in Aden; uniform changes; shore leave in Colombo; stop in Singapore; shore leave in Hong Kong; problems getting troops back onboard at Hong Kong. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Korea, c9/1952-10/1952: band playing on arrival in Pusan; train journey to front; arrival in Britannia Camp; latrines; washing facilities; clothing issued; familiarisation activities; relief of positions on frontline; description of hootchies; sleeping arrangements and heating; supply of rations; K Rations; visits from company cooks; dangers of collecting meals; latrines; duties during day; activities of machine gun platoon; memories of Colonel Peter Jeffreys and Major Norman; other officers in battalion; stand down in morning; disposal of empty cases; problems with rats; precautions against lice; positions taken by machine guns within a company; description of trenches and machine gun positions; mortaring from Chinese; grenades used by Chinese; Chinese artillery; description of burp guns; swords carried by Chinese officers; minefields in front of positions; patrols; care needed in minefields; story of a message for attached to a body; proximity to Chinese positions; terrain of No Man's Land; story of being wounded by a mortar and discovery of wounds; initial treatment received in hootchie. Aspects of hospitalisation in Korea, c10/1952: evacuation to American MASH: treatment received; story of waking up following treatment; time in MASH; opinion of staff; help given to Private Robson in Seoul Hospital. REEL 7 Continues: description of hospital in Seoul; other patients in ward; staff of hospital; help given to Private Robson; help given around ward; more on staff in hospital; treatment received; move to convalescence camp in Inchon; description of camp; story of Australian forced to swim; length of time in Inchon; removal of stitches; later return to Inchon for rest and relaxation; padre at Inchon; mail and wife's notification of his being wounded; journey back to battalion in rest camp. Aspects of operations as private and NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Korea, 11/1952- 6/1953: issue of new uniform; activities in rest camp; entertainment; visit of press and ignorance of political aspects; visits from top brass including General Bradley; description of Point 210; return to machine gun platoon and spread of platoon; activities at Point 210; details of attachment to C Company; reply fire from Chinese; relationship with members of rifle company; firing of machine guns; tracer bullets; description of bullet proof vests; details of supporting fire given during a raid; ammunition; promotion to and role of Lance Corporal; rum ration. REEL 8 Continues: draw for leave; rest and relaxation leave in Inchon; Christmas 1952 including parcel received from Mayor of Durham; conditions during winter; dealing with cold during a listening patrol; story of an ambush patrol including honey bear shot; reactions on patrol; further details of patrol including rank; description of listening posts; code words; Chinese uses of propaganda; Korean porters; contact with civilians; patrols behind positions; Korean infiltrator found; South Koreans attached to section including reason for attachment; posting to and description of Camp Casey; burning down of officers mess; attitude towards officer and of Regiment Sergeant Major "Batter" Edwards; parade of Commonwealth Division; reinforcements; story of surprise from Private Rudd because he has been reported dead; discipline; opinion of Camp Casey; activities; rations; cookhouses; sergeant's mess; dining with sergeants. REEL 9 Continues: activity at Point 355; description of positions; proximity of Chinese; memories of Americans on position; casualties; noise made by Americans; casualties; duties; railway built for supplies; rest period; position on return to Point 355; celebrations for coronation; activities of section; support given to attack; firing on fixed lines; Chinese attack on D Company; story of second wounding from mortar; treatment received at Regiment Aid Post; evacuation. Aspects of hospitalisation in Korea, 6/1953: description of Indian MASH and treatment received; staff of MASH; rations; injections received; length of time in MASH. Aspects of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Korea, 6/1953-9/1953: return to line at Point 355; mortaring from Chinese; freedom of movement around positions; description of trenches; body of Mongolian in trench; interpreters; peace talks and effect on morale; ceasefire; flight to Japan in Douglas Globemaster; accommodation in Tokyo NAAFI; childhood friend met in Japan; visits into countryside; contact with civilians; sleeping arrangements; facilities in NAAFI; kit taken to Japan; journey on bullet train; attractions in Tokyo; taxi ride in Tokyo; visit to Hiroshima and museum. REEL 10 Continues: details of pay; return journey to unit; declaration of peace; duties receiving POWs; background and condition of POWs; memorial service in Pusan; memories of friends killed. Aspects of journey from Pusan, Korea, to Egypt aboard the Empire Orwell, 9/1953: boarding of ship; knowledge of destination; description of ship and accommodation; passengers on ship; duties as deck sergeant; problems with POWs; contact with Gloucesters commanding officers; arrival in Port Said. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Egypt, 9/1953-1/1954: train journey to Canal Zone; role and duties in Egypt; activities of civilians; promotion to and duties of acting Colour Quarter Master Sergeant; leisure activities and Greek workers in camp; relationship with Coldstream Guards; memories of "Crackers" May; orders to take demobilisation group home; flight to GB via Malta; arrival in GB; visit to Goodge Street transit camp; journey to Brancepeth Camp; return home; leave; process of demobilisation and bounty received; medals received; membership of Korean Veterans; worst and best moments in Korea.