Nutter, Keith (Oral history)

British signaller served with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in GB and Korea, 1951-1952

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Rushden, 1932-1950: social circumstances; education; US airfields and aircraft crashes; rationing; German air raids and concrete air raid shelter; impact of death of grandfather prior to D Day, 6//6/1944; VE and VJ Day celebrations, 1945; engineering course at technical school, 1945-1947; work in engineering factory, 1947-1948; work for father's milk round business, 1948-1950; church youth club and football activities; call up procedure, 1950. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with Northamptonshire Regt under East Anglian Bde Training Group at Meanee Barracks, Colchester, 9/1950-11/1950: reception and kitting out; barrack room; reveille; food rations. REEL 2 Continues: food rations; preparing for barrack room and kit inspection; drill; lectures; question of homesickness; weapons training including rifle, bayonet, Bren gun, hand grenades and 2" mortar; tactical training; route marches; PT; canteen; call up of reservists. REEL 3 Continues: relationship with recruits, instructors and officers; inspections prior to guard duty and fire pickets; recreational visits to Colchester; leave; passing out parade; background to volunteering for Parachute Regt. Attending pre-selection course for Parachute Regt at Aldershot, 11/1950-12/1950: reception; competitive atmosphere; forced marches and runs; trimnasium; assault course tunnels; log race; boxing 'milling'. Attending course at Parachute Training Centre, RAF Abingdon, 12/1950-1/1951: familiarisation flights in Dakota; fan descent; landing method; procedure on parachute jumps from balloon and Hastings aircraft. REEL 4 Continues: parachute descent; background to delays in completing course and decision to return to unit. Period with Holding Coy, NR at Colchester, ca 1/1951. Posting to Royal Norfolk Regt and continuation training at Colchester, ca 2/1951-3/1951. Recollections of period with Signal Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn, RNR at Dover Castle and Crowborough Camp, ca 4/1951-8/1951: reception and selection for signals training; opinion of Signal Officer Captain Emsden; Morse code; 62 wireless sets; wireless procedure and operation of wireless net; course at Signal School, Hythe including laying field telephone lines, 88 and 31 wireless sets; opinion of NCOs; importance of communications; relationship with ORs; Dover tunnels; move to Crowborough Camp; arrival of drafts of national servicemen from other units; reactions to posting to Korea; preparations; embarkation leave. REEL 5 Voyage aboard Empire Orwell to Pusan, Korea, 8/1951-9/1951: leaving Crowborough; age of NS; embarkation at Southampton, 30/8/1951; messdecks; seasickness; impressions of 'bumboats' and visit ashore at Port Said, Egypt; training; posting as signaller to C Coy; impressions of visits ashore at Aden Columbo, Ceylon, Singapore and Hong Kong; disembarkation at Pusan, 30/9/1951; removal of steel helmets. Train journey to Britannia Camp, 1/10/1951-2/10/1951: Korean refugees; US food rations. Recollections of period in Kowang San sector, 10/1951-11/1951: truck journey; digging headquarter dugout and Korean grave; relieving Royal Ulster Rifles; situation on taking up positions on Hill 355; setting up 62 wireless set and checking telephone lines; night patrol led by Lieutenant Fitzgerald to occupy Chinese trenches on 'Fit'z Pimple' overnight; Bren gun post and signallers' dugout; use of 62 wireless set to pick up music stations. REEL 6 Continues: operational use of 31 wireless set on battalion net; telephone system; portable 88 wireless set; weapons and contents of small pack; sleeping bags; Chinese attack on King's Own Scottish Borderers on Hills 317 and 217, 4/11/1951-6/11/1951, including Chinese shell fire, importance of barbed wire defences and counter-attack by Leicestershire Regt; story of being attacked by US Sabre aircraft despite aircraft recognition panels whilst repairing of telephone line; shell shocked NCO; attachment to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on Hill 210, 16/11/1951-22/11/1951, including French speaking Canadians on wireless net, digging defensive positions and air burst shell fire in trees; situation. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during period in Smai Chon Valley, 11/1954-4/1952: terrain; Korean porters; signallers dugout at Headquarters, C Coy; petrol heating system; winter uniform; lice problem; beds; food rations. REEL 7 Continues: latrines; question of washing; head injury and refusal to go sick; shaving; opinion of Major H R Holden; story of digging Kansas Line reserve positions, ca 1/1952; story of sympathetic response of Major Holden after accidental shooting incident; stories illustrating relationship with Company Sergeant Major H Bell including being forced to carry wireless set on patrol despite severe sunburn; stand to; work improving defensive positions; mobile showers; laundry; recreations; parcels and letter contact with GB; story of reconnaissance patrol with Major Holden and Colonel John Orlebar, ca 3/1952, including weapons carried and helpless position of signallers wearing headphones; leave in Tokyo, Japan. REEL 8 Continues: story of buying wrong whisky for friend during leave in Tokyo, 3/1952. Rest period at Paekhak Reservoir, 3/1952-4/1952: football matches; anti-guerrilla patrols. Recollections of period in Kowang San sector, 4/1952-8/1952: circumstances Major Holden breaking his leg; stories illustrating opinion of Private O'Neill servant of Major Holden; wet conditions and digging of defensive positions as reserve company. 19/4/1952; signallers dugout; opinion of Major Ashton and story of his birthday celebrations on verandah at rear of C Coy positions; rubbish disposal; importance of barbed wire defences. Account of fighting patrol onto Tombstone Spur of Hill 217, 29/5/1952-30/5/1952: terrain and situation; prior patrol with Lieutenant Tom Hanson, ca 28/5/1952; absence of other signaller giving evidence at court martial of Private O'Neill over case of self inflicted wound; 'O' group and briefing. REEL 9 Continues: 'O' group briefing; wireless arrangements using 31 wireless set as control set linking to support units and 88 sets of dispersed sections of patrol; plan; preparations; equipment carried including 31 set and Sten gun; establishing wireless net and wireless silence; composition of Assault Pioneer and 8 Platoons; moving out; dropping off Firm Base 1 on Italy feature; single file formation; forming FB2 and taking up defensive positions at foot of Tombstone; vulnerable position as signaller wearing headphones; opening of fire by Chinese troops on forward patrol led by Lieutenant John Wormold of Assault Pioneer Platoon; failed attempt by signaller to transmit on 88 set; orders from Lieutenant Tony Towell to move forward; role bringing down artillery support fire from 5th Dragoon Guards; move up hill; walking wounded; establishing defensive positions and evacuation of wounded; search for survivors; personal morale; question of support from Machine gun Section; retreat to FB2 at dawn; remaining in No Man's Land with Bren gun team and Towell. REEL 10 Continues: taking up positions in trench on Italy feature; question of missing soldiers; establishing wireless contact on 31 set using long aerial; retirement under smoke screen generated by 45th Field Regt, Royal Artillery; closure of wireless net; rum ration; second attempt led by Towell to locate survivors; death of Stretcher Bearer Roy McDonald and subsequent contacts with his family. Recollections of period in Kowang San sector, 6/1952-7/1952: burial of McDonald at Pusan; routine patrols; role as wireless operator in assisting B Coy patrol led by CSM F G W Wilson caught in minefield and their subsequent rescue by A Coy patrol led by Major Ben Chapman, 26/6/1952-27/6/1952; soldier's stomach wound; story of taking unarmed Chinese prisoner in Sami Chon sector; demob parties in line; journey back to Pusan. Voyage via Hong Kong to GB, ca 8/1952: seasickness; evading duties under direction of Corporal Harry Minards. REEL 11 Story of temporary promotion to corporal and escorting prisoner from 8 Platoon to battalion headquarters in Kowang San sector, ca 7/1952. Period in GB prior to demobilisation, 8/1952-9/1952: reactions to being mentioned in despatched; period at Britannia Barracks, Norwich. Post-service career: work on milk round and in shoe factory; marriage; question of mental effects of army service; service as sergeant with 5th BN, Northamptonshire Regt at Rushden Drill Hall, 1952-1957; membership of Korean Veterans Association; review of subsidised visit to South Korea, 2000; membership of Royal Norfolk Regiment Assoc; visit to Pusan cemetery, 2000.