Interview with Roy Martin

British NCO served with in Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB and South Korea, 9/1950-2/1953

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Southgate, GB, 1932-1950: family background and social circumstances; education; evacuation to Stalham, 1939, including reaction, billets in shop, question of homesickness and return to London area, 1940; German Air Force raids; Anderson shelter and use of Southgate Underground Station as air raid shelter; coincidence of pigeon owners bombed; personal morale; food and clothes rationing; education; recreational and sporting activities; family's military service; street parties on end of Second World War, 1945; employment, including working in sweet factory, 1946-1950. Recollections of enlistment and training with Command Ordnance Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Aldershot Garrison, GB, 9/1950-1/1951: call-up for service with Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 9/1950; reception at Command Ordnance Depot, Aldershot Garrison; kitting out hair cut; barrack room accommodation; morning routine; rations; drill. REEL 2 Continues: physical training; degree of rifle training on range; learning to drive Bedford QL lorry; relations with fellow recruits, instructors and officers; preparing for kit and room inspections; canteen; passing out as driver. Recollections of period as driver at Central Ammunition Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps at Kineton, 1/1951-1/1952: conditions of service; role distributing rations around camp area; transport of guard dogs; role driving officers; driving ammunition lorries in convoy; boxing activities; relations with Other Ranks and NCOs; acting as beater for fox hunts; embarkation leave and reaction to draft to South Korea. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empire Fowey from GB to Pusan, Korea, 1/1952-2/1952: conditions and state of morale; rough seas. REEL 3 route and visits ashore; rifle shooting; reception at Pusan; opinion of Salvation Army. Recollections of period with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in Seoul, Korea, 2/1952-1/1953: contacts with United States Army troops during train journey to Seoul; venereal disease inspections and prior warning films; conditions of service and lack of duties on move into transit camp; move into mobile laundry in former college buildings; duties as driver; opinion of using Willys Jeep to carry personnel on visits to River Imjin; driving AEC Matador lorry to collect food supplies; driving Bedford QL lorry in bombed out area; classroom accommodation; Australian rations and parcels; perimeter defences and treatment of North Korean infiltrator caught in camp; South Korean boy killed in accident; South Korean camp servants; relations with NCOs; promotion to corporal in charge of transport section; local leave in Tokyo, Japan; relationship with South Korean civilians; story of accidental shooting of South Korean camp servant. REEL 4 Continues: restriction on National Service conscripts length of service in South Korea; cold conditions and special uniform issued; role driving food supplies for nearby units; voyage from South Korea to GB, 1/1953-2/1953; demobilisation, 2/1953. Post-service life and employment: employment as lorry driver; attending annual camps with Army Reserve, 1953-1955; attempts to find old comrades and membership of British Korean Veterans Association.