Summerfield, Barrie (Oral history)

British NCO served with 8th King's Own Irish Hussars in GB and Korea, 1946-1957

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Lewes, Birmingham, Bournemouth and Brighton, 1929-1945: family background and social circumstances; education; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; gas masks; effects of war on education; question of food rationing; blackout; Morrison shelter and communal air raid shelter; story of German bombing raid while staying on father's farm in Sittingbourne; German strafing of Brighton; following progress of war; recreations; nature of training with Army Cadets, Preston Barracks, Brighton, 1943-1946; awareness of preparations for D Day and presence of 1st Canadian Div, D Day, 6/6/1944; work as warehouse boy, 1944; glider flight; work as cinema projectionist's assistant, 1944-1945. REEL 2 Continues: work as hotel page boy, 1945; VE Day celebrations at Clock Tower, Brighton, 8/5/1945; failed attempt to join army, 8/1945; background to recruitment underage and medical, 12/1945. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during basic training with General Army Corps, Retford, ca 12/1945-1/1946: train journey; reception and kitting out; barrack room accommodation; food rations; drill; PT and assault course; weapons training; preparing for kit and room inspections; lectures; guard duty. REEL 3 Continues: relationship with recruits, instructors and officers; assessment as unfit and remedial PT course at Oswestry; attack of pneumonia; status as 'old soldier' on return to Retford; selection for Royal Armoured Corps. Recollections of period at RAC Training Centre, Barnard Castle, ca 2/1946-5/1946: reception; conditions of service; relationship with instructor and competition between platoons; morning routine; gunnery training including 75mm gun simulator on .22 range, relationship with commander and Beza machine gun; wireless training on 19 set including lectures, exercises, voice procedures, codes and Morse code; driver training on lorries and turretless tanks; guard duties and 'stick man''; interest in wireless training; training in Comet V including nature of tank and crew roles. REEL 4 Continues: training in Comet V including rotating roles on driving, 75mm gun, co-axial Beza machine gun and on wireless; assessment; passing out parade; background to choice of 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars; recreational visits to Barnard Castle. Recollections of period as wireless operator with 3 Troop, B Sqdn, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars at School of Infantry Warminster, 1946-1947: reception and first impressions; relationship with NCOs and officers; nature of tank park; posting to Comet commanded by Sergeant Cook; relationship with crew; opinion of Lieutenant Chris Troughton and his relationship with senior NCOs; Battle Group demonstration exercises; infantry use of Comet telephone. REEL 5 Continues: introduction and training on 38 wireless set; frequency of exercises. Recollections of period at Lingan Barracks, Germany, 1947-1948: impact of joining unit; nature of barracks; ceremonial dress and acting as guard of honour for officers' guest nights; situation and question of beginning of Cold War; border patrols in jeeps; move to Hamburg airport during Berlin airlift, 1948; loading coal on Dakotas; canteen; question of non-fraternisation with Germans; use of British forces currency; promotion to lance corporal; recreations including shooting club, beagle hunt and acting as football referee; exercises with US Army; attending course and duties as cinema projectionist; return to GB. Recollections of period at Glen Parva Barracks, Oadby, 1948: running down of unit and shortage of personnel; duties as officer's servant; reception of new regular drafts. Period at Luneberg Heath, Germany, 1949-1950: officers' horses. REEL 6 Continues: increased PT; nature of Centurion tank including crew roles, armament, personal Sten gun, armour, weapons and engines; new phonetic alphabet and voice procedures; new wireless sets and comparison with 19 set; prior training with TA units in GB, 1948; warning of possible posting to Far East; preparing Centurions for transport. Period at Tidworth Camp, ca 8/1950: kitting out; vaccinations; embarkation leave; lectures on Korea. Voyage aboard Empire Fowey to Pusan, Korea, 9/1950-10/1950: messdeck conditions; route and visits ashore; reception from US band. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during operations in Korea, 10/1950-2/1951: situation within Pusan perimeter area; warehouse billets; exercises as infantry; unloading Centurions on arrival at Pusan docks; problems with flat batteries and preparing Centurions for action; breakout from Pusan to Seoul; train journey via Seoul to Pyong Yang. REEL 7 Continues: ignorance of situation; difficulty in unloading Centurions at Pyong Yang; travelling north by road; US depots; passing retreating US soldiers; story of crossing river bridge and awareness of deadline for demolition; view from hill across Yellow River; hull down positions; role of guard tank on wireless watch using generator; emergency food rations; tea making latrines; sleeping arrangements; Korean road system; cold conditions including use of bushes to prevent Centurion freezing to ground and special clothing; loss of wireless contact with unit; morning stand to; role as rearguard; question of Chinese advance; demolition of bridge and US depots during retreat south; situation on arrival at Pyong Yang; state of Korean refugees during retreat to Seoul; role disabling ferry craft to prevent Korean refugees crossing River Han in Seoul sector; role guarding aircraft on move to Seoul airfield. REEL 8 Continues: aircraft using Seoul airfield; leaving Centurions prior to voyage to Japan, 2/1951. Period with B Sqdn at Kure Camp, Japan, 2/1951-3/1951: absence of duties; visits to Kure and relationship with Japanese civilians. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during operations in Korea, 3/1951-12/1951: journey from Kure and collection of Centurion tanks from Seoul; move to Happy Valley, Kowang San area, situation and unit dispositions; lack of contact with squadrons; food rations; beer and rum rations; promotion to sergeant; relationship with ORs and NCOs; opinion of Company Sergeant Major Roy Vallance and Sergeant Roy Carnaby; relationship with Lieutenant Chris Troughton; sergeants' mess tent; bartering using whisky as currency; account of Operation Commando patrol with Royal Ulster Rifles including briefing, preparatory role as Centurion commander, operating in valleys, role as lead tank, problem of bogging down in paddy fields, mine danger, sighting Chinese troops, speed of opening fire with machine gun and reporting contact to unit. REEL 9 Continues: account of Operation Commando tank patrols with Royal Ulster Rifles including use of recognition panels on front of Centurion, fight between crew members, failure to contact US patrol, return to base and debriefing; background to B Sdqn visit to unload tanks at Kure, 11/1950-12/1950; patrols and reactions to Chinese shell fire; story of Belgian troops swimming in river; Korean porter casualties in minefield; bivouacs in Happy Valley; snakes; long distance shelling from hill positions; local leave in Tokyo, Japan including flight out, reception, kitting out, accommodation, recreations and relationship with Japanese civilians; secondment of 3 Troop to 1st Australian Regt to supply fire support from hill positions, 4/1951; use of sledge pulled by Centurion to collect water from river; digging Centurion into positions; relationship with Australian soldiers; Chinese attacks on neighbouring units, 22/4/1951-30/4/1951; move back carrying soldiers from RUR; move back to Seoul; effects of formation of Commonwealth Div; nature of local operations in support of RUF and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in hills, including carrying troops on tank, story of entering minefield during prior reconnaissance patrol of ford crossing across Imjin, fording Imjin and firing 20pdr as directed by infantry officer. REEL 10 Continues: nature of local operations in support of RUF and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in hills, including Chinese shell fire, ascending hills to assist infantry and withdrawal to base; forward re-supply arrangements; improvised baths; mobile shower units; squadron laager and tent accommodation; summer climate and monsoon; cleaning and maintenance of Centurion; ruptured Centurion water tank caused by freezing; letter and parcel contact with GB; concert parties; opinion of and relationship with US troops; dental treatment; concussion and possible loss of nerve of Centurion driver; personal morale; role as troop sergeant and Centurion commander; relationship with Belgian unit; hand over to 5th Inniskilin Dragoon Guards and move back to Pusan, 12/1951. REEL 11 Voyage aboard Empire Fowey to GB, 12/1951-1/1952. Reception during leave while based at Tidworth Camp, 1/1952. Recollections of period at Luneberg Heath, Germany, 1/1952-1/1957: re-equipment with new Centurion; question of acclimatisation to peacetime soldiering; nature of sergeants' mess and guest nights; visit to sergeants' mess of other units; sports activities; tactical exercises and question of compensation to German civilians for damage; background to leaving army and question of extension of service; leaving party in sergeants' mess. Return to GB and demobilisation, 1/1953. Post-service career: work as pub barman ad manager; problems in acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; decision to join Merchant Navy. REEL 12 Continues: work as steward in Merchant Navy, 1953-1957; nominal TA service, 1953-1957; career as sales representative, 1959-1994; question of joining KOIH Regimental Assoc; membership and role as secretary of British Korean War Veterans Assoc, 1993-2007; subsidised visits to South Korea, 1994, 1998 and 2006; effects of military service; attitudes to Korean War.