Duce, Brian (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn, Middlesex Regt in Hong Kong, 1952, attached with Royal Norfolk Regt attached to Royal Signal Corps, Headquarters, 1st Commonwealth Division in Korea, 1953-1954; served with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in Hong Kong and GB, 1954; served with Depot, RNR Britannia Barracks, Norwich in GB, 1956-1959; served with Families Hostel, Blackpool, GB, 1960

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Devonport, Aldershot, and Whittlesford, 1933-1951: father's military career; social circumstances; education; German air attacks; father's military service, 1939-1945; food and clothes rationing; VE and VJ Day celebrations, 1945; work in school gardens; work as farm labourer, 1948-1949; work I leather factory, 1949-1951; background to call up for national service and decision to sign on as regular, 1/1952. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyles and daily routine during basic training with Bates Platoon, Royal Norfolk Regt Depot, Britannia Barracks, Norwich, 1/1952-2/1952: reception; food rations; barrack room and cleaning routine; relationship with NS recruits; kitting out. REEL 2 Continues: morning routine; preparing for kit inspections; fieldcraft and tactical training on Mousehold Heath; drill; weapons training including rifle, Bren, Sten gun and hand grenades; PT; route marches and cross country runs; relationship with instructors; preparing for kit and room inspections; canteen; visits to Norwich; passing out parade. REEL 3 Recollections of continuation training at Blenheim Camp, Bury St Edmunds, 2/1952-6/1952: night exercises; course at Fingrin training ground including cooking breakfast, slit trenches, hand grenade training and live firing; punishments; question of adequacy of training; relationship with recruits; visits to Bury St Edmunds; question of posting. Recollections of voyage with draft aboard Empire Pride to Kowloon, Hong Kong, 6/1952-7/1952: hammocks; conditions; gambling for cigarettes; effects of hot climate. Recollections of period with draft attached to 1st Bn, Middlesex Regt at Fanling, New Territories, Hong Kong, 7/1952-11/1952: erecting barbed wire defences and guard duties on Bird Hill; food rations; mortar training and casualties from premature detonation of shell. REEL 4 Continues: dispersal of draft. Voyage aboard Chinese ship to Kure, Japan, 11/1952. Period at Kure Transit Camp, 11/1952-12/1952: voyage; weapons training; presence of Japanese workers in camp. Voyage to Pusan, Korea, 12/1952. Initial movements, 1/1953: train journey to Seoul; journey by lorry to Headquarters, Commonwealth Div in Pintail Bridge sector; cold conditions and winter uniform; guard duty; dug in tents. Recollections of period as medical orderly attached to aid post of Royal Corps of Signals at Headquarters, Commonwealth Div near Pintail Bridge, 1/1953-7/1954: interview; duties; treatment of tonsillitis; use of penicillin; burn cases; prevalence of VD cases; injuries from fights amongst troops; lack of formal medical training; sterilising syringes; method of giving vaccinations. REEL 5 Continues case of back injury evacuated by helicopter; fatal accident; daily routine and duties; NAAFI canteen; food rations; accommodation in Medical Inspection tent; role of Korean servant/interpreter; effects of ceasefire, 7/1953; MI hut; accompanying exercises in ambulances; local leave in Elisor Camp, Japan and Hinchon Camp, Korea; promotion to lance corporal; leaving unit, 7/1954. Voyage to Hong Kong, 7/1954. Recollections of period with 1st Bn, RNR at Bear Stables, New Territories, Hong Kong, 7/1954-8/1954: reception and question of posting to regimental aid post; 3rd class education classes. REEL 6 Continues: confined to barracks punishment; fire picket duty; period in holding camp during monsoon. Voyage aboard Devonshire to GB, 9/1954-10/1954. Period at Roman Way Camp, Colchester, 10/1954-1/1955: leave periods; question of rejoining as regular; demobilisation, 1/1955. Period as civilian in Whittlesford, 1/1955-8/1955: return to work for leather factory; failure to acclimatise to civilian lifestyle; various jobs; re-enlistment, 8/1956. Recollections of period at RNR Depot, Britannia Barracks, Norwich, 8/1956-12/1959: question of eligibility for overseas posting and prior marriage; story of being arrested as AWOL and subsequent punishment; diagnosis of wife's TB; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Bert Fitt; cancellation of overseas posting due to wife's hospitalisation with TB; duties with regimental police and division of roles with Royal Military Police. REEL 7 married quarters; role preparing .22 rifle ranges for use; story of 'teddy boy' new recruit and enforcement of hair cut; opinion of NS recruits; reaction to changes in cap badge; story of preparing RSM Bert Fitt's kit prior to key ceremony on closing of depot, 11/7/1959; reaction to regimental amalgamations; duties with party clearing barracks prior to tak over by 4th Bn, RNR. Period at Gibraltar Barracks, Bury St Edmunds, 12/1959-1/1960. Period with Families Hostel, Blackpool, 1/1960-5/1960: storage for families of military personnel serving overseas; provision of temporary family accommodation in hotels; daughter's ill health; decision to leave army. Post-service career in Norwich: various jobs; service with 4th Bn, RNR at Britannia Barracks, 1960-1962.