Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 11/1950-4/1951; prisoner of war in Camp 1 Choksong, North Korea, 5/1951-4/1953
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1931-1949: family; education; father's advice on military service; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with Wessex Bde at Bulford Camp, GB, 1950: reception on arrival; treatment by instructors and discipline; daily routine; weapons training; attitude to training; off duty activities; joining 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt in Colchester Garrison; relations with regimental sergeant-major; training at Colchester Garrison. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 11/1950-4/1951: decision to volunteer for service in Korean War; memories of Captain Anthony Farrar-Hockley; degree of knowledge of Korea; arrival at Pusan, South Korea; cold weather clothing worn; memories of Lieutenant-Colonel James Carne; duties with Headquarters Coy; train journey northwards from Pusan, South Korea.
REEL 2 Continues: descriptions of refugees; personal morale during first action; contrast in conditions for American and British military personnel; fire discipline during patrol; comradeship; withdrawing through 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles' lines at Happy Valley, South Korea; sleeping in pig sty; unit deployment on River Imjin, South Korea, 4/1945; nature of action against Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops during Battle of River Imjin, 22/4/1951-25/4/1951; rations issued during action; orders to withdraw; impressions of Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops; blowing of bugle; sight of Chaplain Sam Davies and medical officer with wounded; underfire from Chinese machine gun. Aspects of period as prisoner of war on march into North Korea, 4/1951-5/1951: capture by Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops; initial psychological state on capture and accidental discharge of machine gun by Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier.
REEL 3 Continues: march away from former positions; food and water supplies; march northwards; escape from prisoner of war column; reasons for giving themselves up; fate of comrades; second escape from column and recapture; third escape; rations. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Camp 1, Choksong, North Korea, 5/1951-4/1953: arrival in camp; removal of officers and NCOs from enlisted men; daily routine; Chinese People's Volunteer Army guards; death of prisoners of war in camp during winter, 1951-1952; wood collection work; rations; prisoner of war skills; searches; prior recollection of treatment by North Koreans on recapture after third escape; release from North Korean People's Army captivity by Chinese People's Volunteer Army personnel; interrogation by Chinese People's Volunteer Army personnel.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude to camp life; psychological effects of torture by North Koreans; medical examination for pension; wounds received during defence of Gloster Hill, 4/1951; effects of dysentery; problems with vision; Chinese captors' medical treatment of prisoners of war; selection for Little Switch prisoner of war exchange, 4/1953; move to Freedom Village. 4/1953; nature of Little Switch prisoner of war exchange, 4/1953; physical condition on release; description of Freedom Village; helicopter evacuation to Seoul, South Korea; hospitalisation and medical treatment in Japan; return journey from Japan to GB; reaction to being washed by female nurses; baiting of Chinese People's Volunteer Army guards in Camp 1 Choksong.
REEL 5 Continues: work of billet orderly. Aspects of return to GB, 1953: reception from family on return; hospitalisation in Chester and gradual return to health; nature of 'happy feet' condition; relations with medical officer and period under arrest; reporting to camp and receiving leave; status as National Service conscript; demobilisation; attitude to treatment received by British Army; return to civilian employment, 1953; attitude to military service in Korean War.