Dunphy, Jim (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn, Gloucestershire Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 1951

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Wandsworth, London, 1932-1950: family background and social circumstances; German air raids; rationing; air raid shelters; gas masks; billets and recreations during evacuation to Reading, 1940-1941; return to Wandsworth, 1941; evacuation to Bocastle, 1941-1942, including farm billets, reaction to countryside and education. Period living with father in Cumbria, 1942: wearing clogs; cold weather. Period living with mother in Waterford, Eire, 1942-1944: walking barefoot; education in Gaelic; Irish relatives; 'penny dinners'. Period living in Barrow in Furness, 1944-1949: education; work as barrow boy in brickworks, 1946-1947; work in steelworks, 1947-1949. REEL 2 Continues: death of father and visits to family in Eire, 1949. Period living in Romford, 1949-1950: work as scaffolder; call up, 6/1950. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with Inniskillin Fusiliers, Ballykinlar, Northern Ireland, 6/1950-10/1950: journey out; reception and kitting out; preparing for kit and room inspections; extension of national service period to 2 years; pay; morning routine; food rations; drill; weapons training including bayonet, rifle, PIAT, Bren gun and hand grenades; PT; barrack damages; relationship with recruits and instructors; question of swearing; canteen. REEL 3 Continues: recreational visits to Downpatrick; question of weight; passing out parade; leave. Period with 1st Bn, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Gottingham Camp, Germany, 12/1950-3/1951: journey out; reactions to posting; barrack accommodation; recreational visits to Gotthinghem, relationship with German civilians and fights; continuation training and exercises; background to volunteering for Korean service for extra pay. Recollections of voyage our with draft aboard Empire Fowey to Singapore, 3/1951: joining draft intended for 1st Bn, Royal Ulster Rifles at underground barracks on Tottenham Court Road, London; conditions; story of drinking, playing Crown and Anchor with sailors and dispute with Scottish troops; question of seasickness; drinking habits. US hospitality during stop at Manila, Philippines during flight in Dakota to Kure, Japan, ca 4/1951. Period at Kure Camp, Japan, ca 4/1951-5/1951: reception; volunteering for posting to Gloucestershire Regt; training on Vickers machine gun. REEL 4 Continues: training on Vickers machine gun; memories of colonel; visit to Hiroshima; cross-country runs; voyage to Korea. Recollections of period with1st Bn, Gloucestershire Regt in Korea, ca 6/1951-11/1951: posting to Support Coy on joining unit at Scrambled Egg Hill, Kowang San area; food rations and wasp problem; canteen truck; wiring party; case of foot rot; digging trenches and machine gun post; question of napalm attacks; command post; reserve nature of position; pay; state of unit; absence of reservists; relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers; move to Double Egg Hill; anti-personal mines; corpses; flying ant; attending ENSA show; effect of monsoon storm washing mines down hill; patrols in No Man's Land; situation on move to Gloucester Hill; improving defences; stories of reconnaissance patrols across Imjin River including close escape from attack by US aircraft, story of false alarm of Chinese patrol and Korean porters. REEL 5 Continues: background to posting to B Coy; visit to battlefields; move to occupy hill; story of NCO wounded by phosphorous grenade accident; scavenging from dugouts; stories of reconnaissance patrols over Imjin including encounter with Brigadier Brody hunting in No Man's Land, Chinese mortar fire and retirement, personal morale, clash with Chinese patrol and withdrawal on Bren Carriers; visit from Geneva Commission to collect corpses; latrines; climate; question of washing; beer ration and stories of soldiers drinking beer/petrol mix; mud problem; lack of contact with family; story of throwing bayonets; Chinese shell fire and US napalm shells; question of local leave; role as runner; opinion of officers; move to 'A' Echelon positions; relationship with US soldiers; receiving US citation from General Ridgeway. Voyage aboard Empire Fowey to GB, 11/1951-12/1951. Period at Netheravon Camp, 12/1951-6/1951: leave. REEL 6 Continues: role as demonstration battalion during exercises on Salisbury Plain; training on WASP flame throwing tank; bayonet throwing demonstration; issue of string vests in Korea; case of soldier going AWOL. Demobilisation, 6/1951. Post-service career: staying with army friend in Euston, London; work for pain manufacturers; marriage, 1956; career as hospital electrician; 'Z' Reserve service with Royal Artillery, 1952-1956; membership of Korean War Veteran Assoc; effects of war service.