Interview with Howard Anthony Woellwarth

British officer served with X Troop, 40 Commando, Royal Marines, 3rd Commando Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1950

REEL 1 Background in Burnham-on-Crouch and Long Ditton, GB, 1931-1939: family; family origins. Recollections of period as schoolboy in Long Ditton, GB, 1939-1945: father's employment during Second World War; sight of little ships assembling for Dunkirk Evacuation; fate of family's boat; reasons for family not being evacuated to Canada; area; father's job camouflaging aircraft factory; German Air Force attack in Long Ditton; receiving day's holiday from Wimbledon College on Commander Eugene Esmonde being awarded posthumous Victoria Cross, 1942; memories of victories celebrations, 1945. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Royal Marines in GB, 1949: story of enlistment in Royal Marine Forces Volunteer Reserve at Bunhill Fields, London, 1948. REEL 2 Continues: basic training at Royal Marines Depot, Deal; naval gunnery training at Eastney Barracks; applying for commission in Royal Marines; officer training at Officer Cadet Training Unit, Eaton Hall; reception on return to Eastney Barracks; duties as subaltern at Eastney Barracks; attending commando course at Commando School, Bickleigh; voyage aboard HMT Empire Halladale from GB to Singapore, Federation of Malaya. Recollections of operations as officer with X Troop, 40 Commando, Royal Marines, 3rd Commando Bde in Federation of Malaya, 1950: arrival in Singapore; train journey to Kuala Kangsar. REEL 3 Continues: acclimatisation at Kuala Kangsar; allocation to troop at Grik; colour coding of roads; reaction to travelling aboard vehicle carrying aircraft fuel; description of landing strip at Grik; accommodation and size of unit; memories of fellow officers; second hand story of death of Governor Sir Henry Gurney; character of jungle and diurnal weather pattern; use of Iban trackers; disposal of Malayan National Liberation Army food dumps; policy towards Sakai and their resettlement; defences around camp at Grik; Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent sabotage of Kuala Kangsar-Grik road; problems caused by identification of Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent dead; attempts to remove dogs from camp. REEL 4 Continues: method by which Ibans drew their pay; story of Bren Gun accident during visit from Major-General Robert Urquhart; loss of snake charmer's performers to Ibans pangas; incident when unit captured Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent cook; use of Federation of Malaya Police interpreter on patrol; rations taken on patrol by marines and Ibans; use of salt tablets and heat exhaustion; use of 'J' (Jungle) pack; use of jungle saws to clear landing areas for Royal Navy helicopters; air drops; precautions against scrub typhus; question of ability of Malayan National Liberation Army to win; prowess of Fiji Regiment at rugby; attitude towards civilian population and Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; rest period at Penang; Malayan National Liberation Army attack on train. REEL 5 Continues: including members of HMS Belfast crew in jungle patrols whilst ship was having repairs in Singapore; period spent on board HMS Belfast during sea trials; role of Royal Australian Air Force; request to Royal Air Force, Royal Artillery and armoured cars in attempt to herd Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents into box; near miss from Royal Air Force aircraft rocketing; return voyage aboard HMT Dunera from Federation of Malaya to GB including role of marine contingent during passage through Suez Canal, Egypt. Reflections of period as officer with Royal Marines, 1949-1950: traditional role of Royal Marines; coping with commando course; mess ceremony at Eastney Barracks.