Ritz, Nathan (Oral history)

British NCO signaller served with 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regt in Korea and Hong Kong, 1951-1952

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Bethnal Green, London, 1932-1951: family background and social circumstances; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; gas mask; evacuation to Kings Lyn, 1939-1940; return to London, 1940; view of Battle of Britain; brewery basement shelter; Anderson shelter; blackout; effects of German bombing and anti-aircraft defences; evacuation to vicarage at Arderley, 1941-1942; move to farm at Hurst, 1942-1943; return so that mother could avoid conscription to London, 1943; education; reactions to accident at Bethnal Green Tube Station rape and murder of schoolgirl by tramp; V1 and V2 raids; casualties; reactions to person with paraplegia from 1914-1918; father's military service and effects of wounds, 1939-1940; playing on bomb sites; view of early television. REEL 2 Continues: sweet rationing; food and clothes rationing; recreations including singing, visits to variety shows at Hackney Empire, cinema, wireless shows and activities with Hackney Boys' Club; celebrations at end of war, 1945; various jobs, 1947-1951; call up, medical and choice of army service, 1951. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with Royal Inniskillin Fusiliers Depot, Ballykinlar Barracks, Co Down, Northern Ireland, 1/1951-7/1951: journey out and reception; nature of barracks; kitting out; relationship with instructors; morning routine; food rations; pay; food parcels from mother; PT including route marches, running and assault course; drill and effect of new instructor. REEL 3 Continues: weapons training including rifle, bayonet, Bren gun, Sten gun, grenades, anti-tank rocket launcher, Inerga rife grenade and 2" mortar; tactical exercises; question of anti-Semitism amongst recruits and instructors; relationship with recruits and instructors; preparations for kit and room inspections; forced scrubbing of dirty soldier; canteen; football activities; recreational visits to Downpatrick and Belfast including story illustrating reception from Roman Catholics, visits to dance halls and drinking habits; passing out parade. REEL 4 Continues: nature of continuation training including PT, exercises and assault course with live ammunition; rumour of Korean posting; question of promotion to lance corporal; period at sports competition. Period with 1st Bn, Royal Inniskillin Fusiliers, Dover Castle, 7/1951-10/1951: training; story of being picked out during inspection by Duke of Gloucester; question of signing as regular; story of malingering soldier posted to Royal Pioneer Corps; training exercise; reaction to transfer to Royal Norfolk Regt. Period at Bury St Edmonds, 10/1951-11/1951: RNR insignia; leave. Voyage aboard Georgic to Kure, Japan, 11/1951-12/1951: prior underground accommodation at Warren Street Tube Station, London; conditions; send off at Liverpool; recreations; acclimatisation to climate and issue of tropical kit; 'bum boats' at Port Said, Egypt; route and visits ashore. Period at Kure and Hiro Camps, Japan, 12/1951-2/1952: minimal duties; posting to signals course at Hiro; story of drinking chemical beer during Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1951; signal training including wireless, electronics and operations of telephone exchange. REEL 5 Continues: signal training including portable wireless, Morse code, phonetic alphabet, codes, voice procedures, repairing telephone lines and recharging batteries; hut accommodation; memories of Private Bill Speakman VC; story of drunken Australian soldier. Recollections of period with Signal Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in Sami Chon and Kowang San areas, Korea, 2/1952-9/1952: train journey from Pusan; reception; memories of various officers and NCOs including Captain Emsden, Second Lieutenant Fleming, Sergeant Roach and Lance Corporal Carter; question of NCO's inadequate signal training; nature of command post; wireless duties including propaganda broadcasts from 'Peking Rose', Chinese generated interference, messages received and contacting officers; telephone switchboard duties; story of acting as messenger and being mistaken for officer during trips by jeep to Seoul; duty repairing telephone lines; minor shrapnel wound in leg; visit to US hospital unit; recharging battery; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Gilchrist. REEL 6 Continues: nature of dugout; cold weather conditions and special uniform issued; US food rations; cigarette and rum rations; weight lost and food rations; tea; canteen van; parcel and letter contact with GB including signing official secrets act; lice, rat, snake and fly problems; faunae; malaria and mosquito precautions; salt tablets; water purification tablets; conversations; nature of fighting patrols including composition, weapons carried, briefing, story of python encountered, activities and lack of contact with Chinese troops; post-war suicide of Private Stan Pearman badly wounded on patrol; building reinforced command post in reserve positions; story of direct hit on CP by Chinese mortar shell. REEL 7 Continues: story of coming under US shell fire, success in contacting General Ridgeway, award of Bronze Star and throwing it away; move to Kowang San area, 4/1952; situation on Hill 355; hospitalisation with leg wound in Tokyo, Japan, including state of leg and recreations; reactions to return to unit; hot summer conditions; pulling out of line; concert parties; personal morale and story of effect of meeting Carole Carr. Voyage to Hong Kong, 8/1952-9/1952. Period at Norwegian Farm Camp, New Territory, Hong Kong, 10/1952-12/1952: question of demobilisation; pay; prior promotion to lance corporal in Korea, 4/1952; relationship with ORs and status as signaller; recreational visits to Hong Kong island and awareness of Chinese poverty; exercise with artillery in hills; internal security patrol during Chinese civilian riots; wireless listening post on Chinese border; Voyage aboard Asturias to GB, 12/1952-1/1953: storm in Mediterranean; passing through customs. Period at Britannia Barracks, Norwich, 1/1953-2/1953: state of barracks; back squading after complaint; absence of duties; recreations. REEL 8 Demobilisation, 2/1953. Post-service career: TA service as signaller with Royal Fusiliers Depot, Tower of London, 1953-1956, including training role, promotion to sergeant, call up for Suez, 1956, kitting out, role setting up command post and return to GB; failed attempt to join Post Office; work in clothing factory; difficulty in settling down to civilian lifestyle; question of emigration; effects of military service; career with insurance company and value of military experience; membership of Korean Veterans Assoc and visits to Korea, 2000; attitude to Korean War and current situation in South Korea.