Interview with William John Hiscox

British driver served with 170th Independent Mortar Battery, Royal Artillery and 120th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1951-1952

REEL 1 Aspects of training as gunner with Royal Horse Artillery in GB, 1950-1951: posting to 5th Regt, Royal Horse Artillery; training on Sexton Self-Propelled gun; duties on command tank; driving Sexton Self-Propelled Gun; attending signal course; background to posting to South Korea. Recollections of operations as driver with 170th Independent Mortar Battery, Royal Artillery and 120 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1951-1952: voyage from GB to Japan aboard HMT Empire Halladale; ashore in Japan; voyage from Japan to Pusan, South Korea aboard HMT Empire Longford; train journey from Pusan to Seoul; arrival with unit; recovering mortar bombs from 1st Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers positions; arrival of 120th Independent Mortar Battery, Royal Artillery; character of mortars and their firing; dealing with misfires; firing on Chinese People's Volunteer Army; inspections; building cookhouse and rations; need to start vehicles every ten minutes in cold weather; method of heating accommodation; armoured support. REEL 2 Continues: bartering with American and Canadian military personnel using fresh bread; examining Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; firing Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun on Chinese People's Volunteer Army positions; threat of mosquitoes; incident of driver who drove 15cwt truck in neutral with Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun in tow; dealing with rain; moving into positions on Hill 355; behaviour of American forces on Hill 355; searches of Korean villages; leave entitlement in Japan; pay; amusing story of attempt to sell beer to Americans; use of trenches; American heavy artillery; story of parade disturbed by United States Army heavy artillery; under Chinese People's Volunteer Army artillery fire; use of jerry cans and salt tablets. REEL 3 Continues: threat of malaria, bubonic plague and rabies; problems with rats; accommodation; making lights from cigarette tins; winter conditions and reasons for not cleaning boots; tormenting of South Korean civilians by Australian Army troops; story of South Korean civilian unaware of nature of petrol; threat from loose bullets; degree of contact with South Koreans; opinion of officers; amusing story of receiving tea in icy conditions; story of contact with 'bum boats' in Egypt on voyage to South Korea; disc system for entertainment; troop entertainments; character of Canadian Army troops; attitude towards United States Army troops; sight of United States Air Force napalming of Chinese People's Volunteer Army positions; conditions for Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops; visit to Canadian Army bathhouse; washing and haircutting; opinion of Turkish and Greek forces; gambling amongst United States Army troops; wounding of sergeant-major. REEL 4 Continues: leaving unit; South Korean porters and cooks; suggestion to Herbie MacFadden to go sick; capture of North Korean communist woman; military brothel in Inchon; leave in Japan; reputation of British forces; attitude towards Chinese People's Volunteer Army; prevalence of dead bodies in South Korea; Chinese and American propaganda; damage to 15cwt truck and pulling it out of paddy field using Centurion ARV; prior recollection of driving M4 Sherman Tank; attitude to participation in Korean War and facing Chinese forces. REEL 5 Continues: gunner who rescued comrade under fire; shooting pistols and rifles; comrade who fell into human waste contrainer; officer who trod on mine; lack of distinction between regulars and National Service conscripts; discovery of dead Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier's diary; contact with home; gunner who suffered from claustrophobia; personal morale; question of bringing souvenirs back to GB; water supplies; lack of contact with Korean cuisine; Korean method of storing rice; complaint by head of South Korean porters about not having chicken; frozen eggs and method of drinking tea; degree of bullying in British Army. REEL 6 Continues: attitude to potential of staying on in British Army; posting to Greenwich on return to GB; stories illustrating attitude to Territorial Army service after Korean War; prior recollection of initial choice of service and National Service training; post-war contact with comrades; discovery of dead Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops in trench. Aspects of period as schoolchild in GB, 1939-1945: shrapnel hit on house; German Air Force and V Weapon attacks; memories of head master. Attitude to having served in Korean War.