Interview with Peter Johns

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Description

Object description

British NCO served as signaller with 2nd Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 14th Airlanding Bde in India, 1946-1948; served with Demonstration Battalion at School of Infantry at Warminster, GB, 1949-1950; served with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 31st Lorried Infantry Bde in Germany, 1950-1952; served with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 6/1952-7/1953; served with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 39th Infantry Bde in Kenya, 1953-1955

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Bristol, GB, 1927-1944: family; education; employment; evacuation to Wales during Second World War; religious outlook; employment with meat and game supplier during Second World War; German Air Force bombing of Bristol; volunteering for Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Aspects of enlistment and training with General Service Corps in Northern Ireland, 1944: background to enlistment, 1944; attitude to military life; reasons for his discharge; death of brother in Normandy. Aspects of enlistment and training with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in GB, 1945: background to second enlistment; presence of Danish troops in unit; exercises. REEL 2 Continues: pattern of training; breaking ankles during training; question of outlook of combat troops; recuperation from injuries; escorting German prisoners of war. Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 14th Airlanding Bde in India, 1946-1948: volunteering for service in India; voyage from GB to India; arrival in India; Lord Archibald Wavell's connection with regiment; degree of awareness of Partition; barrack accommodation in Karachi; duties in aid of civil power; barrack servants; conditions in Peshawar on North West Frontier; opinion of Gurkhas; need for troops on North West Frontier during Second World War. REEL 3 Continues: terrain around Khyber Pass; signals work; carved regimental badges in rock on North West Frontier; need to drink salt water; wearing of kilt; relations with officers; regimental discipline; cigarette rations; question of relations with civilian women; cure for foot rot; treatment of venereal disease and sunburn cases; rules of engagement; problems of travelling to port. REEL 4 Continues: story of acquiring nickname 'Striker'; reception at Queen's Barracks in Perth; disbandment of battalion, 13/7/1948. Aspects of period as NCO with Demonstration Battalion at School of Infantry in Warminster, GB, 1949-1950: posting to battalion; meeting future wife Pearl; cycling prowess; accommodation. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 31st Lorried Infantry Bde in Germany, 1950-1952: posting to unit; crossing over border in Berlin; battalion duties; promotion; move to Spey Barracks, Buxtehude, 10/1951; taking wife Pearl illegally to Germany; training for posting to South Korea in Crail, GB; provision of National Service conscripts. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 6/1952-7/1953: reasons for volunteering for service in Korean War; battalion officers; degree of awareness of situation in South Korea; opinion of equipment and clothing. REEL 5 Continues: arrival at Pusan; move to positions on Hill 210; cold weather conditions; Chinese People's Volunteer Army use of speakers; United States Air Force accidental attack on own bridge; preparations made on The Hook for Chinese People's Volunteer Army attack; use of artillery barrage to break up Chinese People's Volunteer Army attack on The Hook; Chinese People's Volunteer Army bazooka attack on British Centurion Tank; opinion of Royal Artillery; elements of fighting on The Hook; opinion of Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops; British troops' hygiene; accuracy of Royal Artillery; opinion of medical personnel; character of NCOs. REEL 6 Continues: bartering with American military personnel; opinion of weapons; sense of pride in regiment; leave in Japan; regimental chaplain; treatment of British dead; treatment of veterans during post-war visits to South Korea; Chinese People's Volunteer Army's use of propaganda; lack of awareness of atrocities; shooting on North Korean aircraft; role of British Army; lessons learnt from military service. REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Black Watch, 39th Infantry Bde in Kenya, 8/1953-4/1955: background to posting to Kenya; arrangements for wife to join him in Kenya; opinion of Mau Mau insurgent activities; character of Masai people; return to GB. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), Berlin Infantry Bde in Berlin, Germany, 1/1956-12/1957: posting to Berlin; guard duties at Spandau Prison. Aspects of period as staff instructor in GB, 1958-1960: duties; story of breaking back. Various aspects of period as NCO with British Army in GB, West Germany and Aden, Federation of South Arabia, 1960-1975: promotion to company sergeant-major; outline of duties with 1st Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 1960-1964; placing on long service list. REEL 8 Continues: duties in Aden, Federation of South Arabia; duties at Hounslow Barracks, GB; memories of Turkish forces' invasion of Republic of Cyprus; resettlement course and move into civilian life; lessons learnt from military service.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Baker, Lindsay (Recorder)
Johns, Peter (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2003-01-31
Dimensions: whole: Duration 240, Number Of Items 8
Catalogue number: 24590

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Interview with Peter Johns

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