Hands, Bill (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in Libya and Egypt, 1950-1951; served with 1st Bn, Black Watch, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Bde in Korea, 1952

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Dirlton, Blairhall and Dunfermline, 1933-1951: family background; education and sporting activities; effects of war, 1939-1945, including German air raids and food rationing; work as laundry van boy, 1947-1951; dance halls; call up for Cameron Highlanders, 7/1951. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with Highland Training Division, Fort George, 7/1951-10/1951: reception; kitting out and opinion of kilt; barrack room accommodation; food rations; drill; weapons training including bayonet, rifle, Bren gun and 2" mortar; PT; relationship with recruits and question of bullying; relationship with instructors; preparations for kit inspections. REEL 2 Continues: preparations for kit inspections; canteen and recreations; passing out parade. Recollections of period with D Coy, 1st Bn, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Prinn Barracks, Tripoli, Libya, 10/1951-11/1951: prior movements including flight via Malta and voyage; tent accommodation; first impressions; daily routine; guard duty. Period at Tel el Kabir Barracks, Cairo, Egypt, 11/1951-3/1952: flight with advance party and unloading merchant ship at Port Said; story of soldier afraid of heights; move into Tel el Kabir Barracks; guard duties in tower defences and story of capture of Egyptian infiltrators; vehicle searches on road blocks and story of shooting of Egyptian civilian role guarding married quarters; night patrols in desert; question of leaving camp; acclimatisation; food rations; background to leaving unit for Korean service. Voyage back to GB, 3/1952. Attending sniper course at Barry Buddon Camp, Carnoustie, 4/1952-5/1952: map reading; long range rifle practice and use of telescopic sights. REEL 3 Continues: concealment exercise. Voyage with 1st BN, Black Watch to Pusan, Korea, 5/1952-6/1952: first impressions of unit and traditional rivalry with CH: stories of visits ashore and getting tattoo; reception from US band. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during operations with Sniper Section, Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn, Black Watch in Korea, 6/1952-5/1952: initial movements; composition of sniper section attached to Intelligence Platoon; role using map reading skills to guide supply convoys; sniper training; tent accommodation; US food rations; and cooking arrangements; attachment as sniper to hill positions, ca 7/1952; nature of trenches and dugouts; minimal duties; story of sniping across valley; story of close escape from Chinese mortar shell; stand to; rat and snake problems; latrines; letter and parcel contact with GB; question of recreations; washing and shaving; sleeping arrangements. REEL 4 effects of monsoon; move into Hook sector, Sami Chon area, 27/10/1952; improvements to defences by Korean workers; loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts from Chinese lines; dugout and heating arrangements; story of patrol in No Man's Land to take up observation post; Chinese shell fire and propaganda leaflets in shells; awareness of imminence of Chinese attack; story of Chinese mass attack on Hook sector positions, 18/11/1952-19/11/1952, including role evacuating wounded pipe Major Ericson under Chinese shell fire, success of Chinese in breaking into position, support fire from artillery, recapture of positions, ceasefire negotiated to allow Chinese to collect dead, reaction to British corpse and casualties; story of listening patrol in No Man's Land, ambush by Chiense and retreat back to lines; story of listening patrol on Long Finger, Spur, Hook Sector including getting stuck on barbed wire and close escape from grenade; personal morale; cold weather and special clothing. REEL 5 Continues: move out of Hook sector, ca 11/1952; period in reserve; story of falling into Korean latrine an cleaning up in US camp; relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers; refusal to act as officer's servant; swimming in river and consequent attack of ringworm; local leave to Imchon Rest Camp; move back into line; question of singing on as regular and leaving unit, ca 5/1953. Case of stealing during voyage back to GB, 5/1953-6/1953. Demobilisation, 7/1953. Post-service career: territorial service with Black Watch, 1953-1955; question of re-enlistment as regular; work; membership of veterans associations.