Pegrum, John (Oral history)

166593308
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=184827" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
626616604
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=244973" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
652831163
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=184828" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
2071422007
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=244974" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1737306791
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=184829" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
288521425
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=244975" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
476348280
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=184830" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
972206685
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=244976" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1042987837
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=184831" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
938471819
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=244947" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
851275781
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=184832" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1292658294
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80031018&media_id=244977" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>

Description

Object description

British NCO served with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB, Korea, Kenya, Hong Kong, Germany and Cyprus, 1948-1973

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Fulham, London, 1928-1947: father's military service, 1914-1918, including spinal wounds, confinement to wheelchair, post-war employment in poppy factory and housing as disabled with Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation; family background and social circumstances; education; restrictions on children playing. Recollections of evacuation with school to Haslemere and Hindhead, 1939-1942: evacuation, 1/9/1939; personal morale; reception; billets; treatment; effects of education in shared school premises; relationship with local children and German evacuees; potato picking and hay making; moving billets to live with Lady Cawdor and treatment from butler; moving to Hindhead; story of running away back to Fulham, 1942. Recollections of period living in Fulham, 1942-1947: work as dairy errand boy; work as page boy at Royal Thames Yacht Club; communal air raid shelter; question of German air raids; food rationing; work as page boy at Naval & Military Club, Piccadilly; work as trainee cobbler; VE and VJ Day celebrations, 1945. REEL 2 Continues: call up, 12/1947. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during training with General Service Corps, Cowley Barracks, Oxford, 12/1947-1/1948: reception and medical; kitting out; hair cut; barrack room accommodation; food rations; drill; PT; absence of weapons training; preparing for kit and room inspections; relationship with recruits and instructors; canteen and pay; background to selection due to flat feet Grade C4 for Royal Army Ordnance Corps; passing out parade. Period training as clerk with 3rd Bn, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Hillsea Barracks, Portsmouth, 1/1948-3/1948: question of training as cobbler; problem with instructor; training in stores. Period training in office administration at Tidworth Camp, 3/1948-4/1948. Period as company clerk with Driver Training Bn/4th Trade Training Bn, RAOC, Piddleton and Deepcut Camp, 4/1948-5/1951: routine duties; renaming of unit and expansion of training role; background to marriage, 5/1948; work as pay clerk, Headquarters Coy. REEL 3 Continues: pay parade procedure; guard duty; news of posting to Korea; background to receiving married quarters and change in status to regular. Voyage out with draft aboard Empire Orwell to Pusan, Korea, ca 5/1951-6/1951: prior promotion to sergeant; conditions and responsibility for G deck; question of seasickness; story of homosexual steward; visits ashore; reception from US band at Pusan. Recollections of period with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in Korea, 6/1951-11/1951: issue of vehicles and stores at Pusan Transit Camp; driving lorry in convoy and story of accident pulling water trailer in paddy field; period at rear echelon camp; working from office in lorry with tent accommodation; food rations; cold conditions. REEL 4 Continues: birth of children; death of colonel in road accident. Period with Ordnance Field Park, Sekong area, Japan, 11/1951-12/1952: nature of unit; friction with Canadian troops in unit due to pay differentials; cold conditions; local leave in Tokyo, Japan; role as orderly room sergeant; letter contact with GB; question of liaisons with Korean women. Voyage aboard Empire Halladale back to GB, 12/1952-1/1953. Period with 4th Trade Training Bn, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Deepcut Camp, GB, 1/1953-11/1954: clerical duties in quartermaster's stores; married quarters. Period with Central Ammunition Depot, RAOC, Gil Gil, Kenya, 11/1954-8/1957: flight out; duties in orderly room and as MT sergeant; relationship with Kenyan personnel, depot personnel and guard of King's African Rifles; nature of Mau Mau threat; climate; sergeants' mess; married quarters and story of Mau Mau raid on generator; voyage aboard Devonshire back to GB, 8/1957; question of prior promotion to staff sergeant. Period with 17th Bn, RAOC, Bicester, 9/1957-12/1958. REEL 5 Period at Records Office, RAOC, Wigston, 12/1958-12/1962: role with documentation team checking regimental documents across GB; nature of personnel records and conduct sheets checked for irregularities. Period as staff sergeant with Ordnance Depot, RAOC, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 12/1962-1/1966: question of educational qualifications required and seniority as sergeant; flight out; married quarters; initial role supervising stocktaking; promotion to Warrant Officer II and role as chief clerk; enjoyment of posting; service education of children. Period with HQ, RAOC, Osnabruck, Germany, 1/1966-7/1969: role as ordnance warrant officer checking unit stores accounting; question of origins of errors discovered; detachment to Battle Group training exercise in Libya, 3/1969-5/1969, including moving stores to EL Adem airfield and write off of missing stores. Period at Command Ordnance Depot, RAOC, Dekelia, Cyprus, 7/1969-7/1972: administrative role; birth of children; Greek and Turkish Cypriot staff; enjoyment of posting. Period at Command Ordnance Depot, RAOC, Chilwell Camp, 7/1972-2/1973: lack of proper function in final months of service; married quarters. REEL 6 Continues: question of extension of service; leaving army, 2/1973. Post-service career: clerical and auditing work with British Steel; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; value of service experiences; membership of British Legion, Melton Mowbray, 1973-2008, including role in organisation of poppy appeal and question of problem of ageing membership.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Hart, Peter M (Recorder)
Pegrum, John (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2008
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 31431

Object associations

Our collections information

We have over 1.7 million object records online, and we are adding to this all the time. Our records are never finished. Sometimes we discover new information that changes what we know about an object, such as who made it or used it. Sometimes we change how an object is interpreted. We sometimes make mistakes in our spelling, transcription or categorisation, or miss information out of our records.

Read more about our collections and the information we hold. Developing our collections information

If you have concerns about the language in this record, or you have information to improve it, please share your feedback.

We receive a lot of comments and can't respond to each one, but we do read them all and will respond where we can.