Snell, Alf (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in Korea and Hong Kong, 1952-1953

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Haybridge, Wickham Brook and Great Finborough, 1933-1951: social circumstances; education; effects of Second World War, 1939-1945; work as farm labourer, 1948-1951; various jobs, 1951; call up for national service, 7/1951. Period of basic training with Royal Norfolk Regt Depot, Britannia Barracks, Norwich, ca 7/1951-9/1951: reception; barrack room and cleaning; remedial PT course at Guards Depot, Pirbright; weapons training; relationship with recruits and instructors; haircut. Voyage with draft aboard Empire Windrush to Hong Kong, 1951. Period in Hong Kong, 1951-1952: training; tactical exercises; hut accommodation. Period at Battle School, Haramira, Japan, ca 1/1952: live ammunition exercises; eccentric colonel. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in Kowang San sector, Korea, ca 2/1952-9/1952: prior arrival at Pusan; terrain; dugouts; stand to; US food rations; cigarettes. REEL 2 Continues: improvements to trenches; bathing in Imjinn River; letter contact with GB; canteen truck; laundry; Chinese shellfire in reserve positions in Paekhak Hills sector; personal morale; relationship with Ors, NCOs and officers; night patrols in No Man's Land including weapons carried, question of dumping phosphorous grenades, special boots, prior briefing; moving out, personal morale, clash with Chinese patrol, ca 8/1952, identifiable smell of Chinese troops, method of laying ambush and return to lines; climate and flooded trenches; periods in reserve in Paekhak Hills sector; rum ration; Korean porters. REEL 3 Continues: period at Imchin Rest Camp. Period at Sei Wei Camp, New Territory, Hong Kong, 8/1952: transfer to MT section; duties driving officers; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Gilchrist; vehicle maintenance; attitude of English civilians living in Hong Kong to soldiers; relationship with Chinese civilians. Lack of reception on arrival of Astoria in GB, 1953. Demobilisation, 7/1953. Post-service career: attitude to compulsory reserve service with Territorial Army; various jobs and difficulty in acclimatising to civilian lifestyle; question of rejoining as regular; pride in RNR; membership of British Korean Veterans Assoc; question of justification of Korean War.