Description
Object description
British private trained with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment at Gibraltar Barracks, Colchester Garrison, GB, 1/1950-5/1950; private and NCO served with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, 2nd Infantry Bde, Malaya Command in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1951
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Baldock, GB, 1931-1949: family; character of town; family circumstances; education; sporting activities; sight of glow in sky after bombing of London during Second World War; presence of American troops in town including Clark Gable and Lana Turner; rationing; father's duties as Air Raid Precautions warden; making 'Zorro' cloaks from old blackout curtains; victory celebrations, 1945; employment in hosiery factory; cycling activities; lack of awareness that he would have to do National Service; amusing story of discovering that Father Christmas didn't exist. Aspects of call-up for National Service in GB, 1949: medical examination; amusing story of attending selection board; reporting to Colchester Garrison.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period of training as private with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment at Gibraltar Barracks, Colchester Garrison, GB, 1/1950-5/1950: reception; issue of berets; drilling; character of instructors; introduction to weapons training; aiming rifles and automatic weapons; cleaning Lee-Enfield No 4 Mk I Rifle; opinion of Bren Gun; danger of using Sten Gun; bayonet training; attaching bayonets to rifle; question of potential use of bayonet; repelling opponent with bayonet; use of hand grenade in close combat; hand grenade training; physical condition of some recruits; technique for throwing hand grenade; training with Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT).
REEL 3 Continues: route marches; barrack room life; cleaning barrack room for inspections; nature of inspections; adjusting to unit life; instruction in laying out kit; rations; character of recruits; allocation to unit; patrol training; amusing story of carrying out jungle patrol training in GB; training to capture held position.
REEL 4 Continues: exercise to capture tunnels below Dover Castle; opinion of jungle training in GB; taking pride in Suffolk Regiment; methods of improving appearance of uniform; attitude towards National Service. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Orduna from GB to Federation of Malaya, 5/1950-6/1950: embarkation; state of latrines; dealing with seasickness; visit to Gibraltar; lectures; attitude of British Army troops; fight on quayside at Malta; impressions of Egypt, Aden Protectorate and Bombay, India.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as private and NCO with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt, 2nd Infantry Bde, Malaya Command in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1951: arrival in Federation of Malaya, 7/1950; jungle training; atmosphere in jungle at night; visibility in jungle; formation of patrols; distribution of weapons amongst patrols; use of hand signs; silence in jungle; terrain and flora encountered; contrast in smell of Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents and British forces; how noise and smoke travelled in jungle; visibility in jungle; initial patrolling duties with A Coy in Johore; problems lying in ambush overnight; technique for removing leeches; incident when officer showed light in ambush position; character of ambushes including incident of not adjusting sights to compensate for gradient.
REEL 6 Continues: effects of frequent ambushes; training to jump from lorries; successful 'immediate' ambush of insurgents where he shot insurgent who escaped; percentage of contacts; problems with initial large patrols in Johore; reasons why battalion was successful against Malayan National Liberation Army in Federation of Malaya; opinion of his officer Lieutenant James Kelly; unit pride in successes; character of officer The Right Honourable Ponsonby; success of tactics employed by battalion in Federation of Malaya; role and responsibilities as corporal; question of rubber companies paying Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents to leave rubber plantations alone; month long period of jungle training in reserve, 11/1950-12/1950; clothing worn in jungle; removal of identifying badges.
REEL 7 Continues: question of some unit members ability to stand up to active service; performance of weapons; attack on Malayan National Liberation Army insurgent camp when he was knocked out after running into tree; method of proving identification of dead Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; size of Malayan National Liberation Army camps; behaviour of officer Lieutenant James Kelly during action; smoking on patrol; incident of losing his patrol; behaviour of some regular soldiers; items looked for on insurgents or in their camps; character of Iban trackers; bumping into civilians on tiger hunt in jungle; stopping pregnant women on bicycle later found to be carrying message; content of letters to parents; recreational period in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore; attachment to Special Air Service as air despatcher, 1/1951-3/1951; amusing story of shooting down air-supply dropped crate from tree; long distance flight to South Korea.
REEL 8 Continues: appearance in court; unit casualties; questioning of British presence in Federation of Malaya; method of drawing up rota prior to leaving Federation of Malaya; insurgent threat to trains; loss of personal weapons on return to GB; background to doing guard duties with Welsh Guards prior to demobilisation; attitude to having served with 1st Bn Suffolk Regt in Federation of Malaya.