Guess, Bob (Oral history)

British NCO served with 1st Bn Middlesex Regt in Hong Kong, 1951-1952; served with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt in Korea and Hong Kong, 1952; POW in North Korea, 1952-1953

REEL 1 Recollections of background in London and Luton, 1931-1951: social circumstances and background to adoption by great uncle and aunt; education; effects of war, 1939-1945 including family military service, German air raids, food and clothing rationing; studying building trade at Luton Technical College, 1944-1946; apprenticeship as bricklayer, 1946-1951; deferred national service; medical, 3/1951; call up, 4/1951. Recollections of conditions of lifestyle, lifestyle and daily routine at Blenheim Camp, Bury St Edmunds, 4/1951-8/1951: reception; story of meeting Private Ivan Holland; kitting out; army number stamp; hair cut; hut accommodation; kit inspections; reaction to 'spit and polish'. REEL 2 Continues: story of winning 'stick' on guard duty; origins of recruits; absence of stealing; morning routine; food rations; drill and value of Church Lads Brigade experience; PT; rifle, bayonets, Bren and hand grenade training; tactical training including patrols, street fighting and live firing exercises; story of incompetent soldier; route marches; assault course; visit to Bury St Edmunds; NAAFI canteen; pay; vaccinations; relationship with recruits and story of fight between two soldiers. REEL 3 relationship with instructors including questions of swearing and discipline; tests and passing out parade at end of basic training; 5/1951; background to posting top 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in Korea; route marches; amusing story of visit to medical officer; continuation of training. Voyage with draft aboard Empire Pride to Hong Kong, 8/1951-9/1951: conditions and question of seasickness; visits ashore. Period attached to 1st Bn, Middlesex Regt at San Wei Camp, New Territories, Hong Kong, 9/1951-10/1951: first impressions; weapons training including Sten gun. Recollections of attending assault pioneer course at Saikung Camp, 10/1951-11/1951: methods of minelaying and clearance; instructors. REEL 4 Continues: explosives training including nesting beehive, ring main and camouflet charges; story of warning Chinese villagers of imminent detonation of charge; Bangalore torpedoes; trip wire flares and booby traps; training in use of collapsible boats and whalers; barbed and Dannet wire defences; digging and sandbagging defensive positions; promotion to lance corporal. Period attached to Assault Pioneer Platoon, Support Coy, 1st Bn, MR in New Territories, 11/1951-1/1952: building defensive positions in case of Chinese attacks; tent accommodation; food rations; visits to Kowloon and Victoria; success of Royal Norfolk Regiment draft in boxing competition; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1951; duties as corporal of guard. REEL 5 Continues: Period with draft as part of Japanese Reinforcement Holding Bn, Haramura, Japan, 1/1952-2/1952: storm during voyage aboard Devonshire; nature of training; night exercise; hut accommodation; relationship with Japanese civilians; view of Hiroshima; Japanese houses; kitting out for Korean service. Voyage on steamer to Pusan, Korea, 3/1952. Recollections of period with Assault Pioneer Platoon, Support Coy, 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt in Paekhok reservoir sector, 3/1953-4/1952: journey to join unit; reserve positions; opinion of Lieutenant Jonathon Wormold and Platoon Sergeant 'Dinger' Bell; petrol heating system in dugouts; story of Wormold's use of explosives to create firewood from tree; absence of trees in battle zone. REEL 6 Continues: nature of dugouts; bunk beds; road building; training; food and cigarette rations; cooking arrangements; relationship with Privates Robert Leonard 'Joe' Lindsay and John Byfield; swimming in Imjin River; patrols looking for infiltrators behind front line; story of using explosives on fire. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle during period attached with APP to 1st Bn, Welch Regt in Hill 355 sector, Kowang San area, 4/1952-5/1952: forward positions on Crete hill; listening patrols; collecting food rations from cookhouse and question of missing rations; organisation of purchases from canteen; detachment to blast communication trenches on Kowang San; Chinese mortar fire; corpses in minefield. REEL 7 Continues: close escapes from Chinese mortar fire; stand to; daily routine; testing and fusing hand grenades; visits to US mobile shower; water supply and washing clothes. Period in reserve positions on Kowang San, 5/1952. Account of night patrol on Little Italy, Hill 317, Kowang San area, 29/5/1952-30/5/1952: prior briefing and plan; personal morale; move into No Mans Land; formation; unoccupied Chinese listening post; orders to advance to contact; coming under heavy Chinese fire and effect of hand grenade blasts; attempt made to get help by Private Bill Chapman; multiple wounds; wireless call for assistance made by Signaller John Wells; assistance from Private John Hipperson; period of unconsciousness after receiving further grenade wounds; evacuation of wounded during lull in Chinese fire; state of wounds. Recollections of capture and initial period as POW, 5/1952-6/1952: treatment by Chinese soldiers; state of leg wounds. REEL 8 Continues: state of leg wounds; view of corpse of Wormold; falling asleep in dugout; evacuation on wheeled stretcher; anaesthetic arrangements and medical operation at forward first aid treatment; post-operative state of wounds; drip feed equipment; move on wheeled stretcher; reception from North Korean civilians and protection provided by Chinese guards; question of movements; assistance from Private George Empson; dressing of wounds; restricted mobility with hip spike plaster cast; assistance from Chinese soldier to alleviate pain during lorry journey. Recollections of period in makeshift Chinese hospital, 5/1952-10/1952: layout; medication; interrogation including questions on political beliefs. REEL 9 Continues: hospital staff; removal of hip spiker cast due to osteomylitis infection; operation to remove diseased bone; leg plaster cast; hospital room shared with Chinese patients; activities of North Korean farmers; sweat rash; rolling cigarettes using paper window; contacts with North Korean civilians; swallow's nest; opinion of treatment; problem with soldier wound; story of dispute with Chinese attendant; move into outbuilding; state of US POW patients; Chinese celebrations, 1/10/1952; food. Journey to Pyoktang sector, Yalu River area, 10/1952: memories of various POWs; accommodation. REEL 10 Continues: Period at mining work camp near Pyoktang, 10/1952-1/1953: arrival; further operation to remove diseased bone; food; reading; state of wounds; walking with crutches; accommodation in former temple; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1952; back ground to recording message for transmission to family by Radio Peking; cold conditions and winter uniform; story of slaughter of pig. Recollections of conditions, lifestyle and daily routine during period at Sonsadong POW Camp, 1/1953-4/1953: camp layout in North Korean village; lack of contact with NK civilians; story of American POW unjustly accused of rape of North Korean woman; meeting Private George Empson; sleeping arrangements. REEL 11 Continues: relationship with POWs; washing and question of lice problem; recreations including musical activities, square dancing, concert parties, sporting activities and practical jokes; interrogation and indoctrination sessions; opinion of Chinese Communist regime; Chinese camp commandant; muster parades; prior contact with North Korean officer; relationship with Chinese officers and guards; organisation of POWs and absence of officers. REEL 12 Continues: food and cookhouse arrangements; question of working parties; building oven; role assisting in cookhouse; tobacco rations and rolling cigarettes; raffle of saki ration; absence of contact with GB; concert parties; hospital hut; cases of marijuana use; rumours of repatriation and Red Cross visit; issue of summer uniform and mid-day meal. Recollections of repatriation process, 4/1953-5/1953: issue of new uniform; lorry journey to Panmunjon; DDT treatment for lice. REEL 13 Continues: issue of Chinese beer; helicopter flight to Seoul; flight to Japan; health assessment in hospital; flight in stages back to GB, 5/1953. Period prior to demobilisation, 5/1957-10/1957: leave; effects of POW experiences; period in hospital and prescription with built up shoes; question of demobilisation; physiotherapy; marriage, 9/1953; demobilisation, 10/1953. Post-service career: treatment for round worm infestation; operations to remove diseased bone from leg; disability pension; question of mental effects of service; reactions to discharge as medically unfit; membership of British Korean Veterans Assoc and story of meeting Lieutenant Tony Towell.