Latham, Tom (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn, Essex Regt in Germany, 1951; served with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt, 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in Korea, 1951-1952

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Dagenham, 1932-1950: family background including effects of father's service, 1914-1918 and social circumstance; evacuation to Inkpen, 1940-1941, including cottage billets, billeting family, education, relationship with local children, assisting on farm, reaction to rural lifestyle, Anderson shelter and return to Dagenham, 10/1941; effects of German air raids including Anderson shelter, damage from anti-aircraft shells, noise of AA rockets, incendiary bomb damage to house, V1 and V2 raids, closure of school and education in private houses and street parties on end of war; education; cycling club activities; work as garage, 1946-1947; work as apprentice core maker and moulder at iron foundry, 1947-1950. REEL 2 Continues: background to call up including question of deferment and choice of Essex Regt. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during training at Essex Regt Depot, Meanee and Hyderabad Barracks, Colchester, 11/1950-3/1951: reception including kitting out, vaccinations and hair cut; barrack room accommodation; stealing coal; morning routine; food rations; drill; PT and assault courses; weapons training including rife, bayonet, Bren gun Sten gun, 2” mortar and Inerga grenade; tactical and fieldcraft exercises; preparation for room and kit inspections; relationship with ORs and instructors; canteen; recreational visits to Colchester; confusion over posting to Essex Regt on completion of course. REEL 3 Period with 1st Bn, Essex Regt Elizabeth Barracks, Minden, barrack accommodation; exercises at Sennelaager; Germany, 3/1951-6/1951: relationship with German civilians and use of cigarettes as bribes. Period with 10 Platoon, D Coy, 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt at Crowborough Camp, 6/1951-8/1951: background to draft from Essex Regt; opinion of officers and Corporal Lieutenant William Wilmot; training. Voyage aboard Empire Orwell to Pusan, Korea, 8/1951-9/1951: conditions; training; lectures on Korea; visits ashore and tattoo; welcome on arrival. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during operations in Korea, 9/1951-????: journey to camp behind line; washing in river; story of polluted water; march to relieve 1st Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers on Hill 238, Kowang San area; clearing Chinese corpses; improving defensive positions including dugouts, trenches and wiring parties; question of view of Chinese troops; move to Sami chon area, 11/1951; situation; stand to; sentry duty; washing and shaving. REEL 4 Continues: food rations; US food rations; working parties constructing Kansas Lines; letter and parcel contact with GB; latrines; cold conditions and special clothes; baths; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1951; nature of reconnaissance patrol in Sami Chon valley, 25/12/1951, including briefing, weapons carried, route into valley, listening on river bank, and return to lines; nature of fighting patrol in Sami Chon valley, 14/2/1952, including composition, Chinese ambush on road, taking cover in ditch and withdrawal to lines; opinion of Company Sergeant Major Bert Fitt and 2nd Lieutenant David Smith; story of Chinese digging trench on Hill 169 and effects of fire from Bofors guns; accidental bombing from US aircraft; memories of Captain Eberadu; relieving US troops and return to Hill 238, Kowang San area; situation; ENSA concerts; prior period in reserve at Paekhok Reservoir. REEL 5 Continues: destroying dugouts lower on hill; nature of listening patrol; grenade booby traps in No Man's Land; ambush patrol; Chinese shell and mortar fire; story of disciplinary charge for using latrine during stand to; story of Korean deserters; attending snipers' course using infra-red nightscope; story of disciplinary charge for insubordination to officer and cancellation after assisting casualties during Chinese shell fire; effects of monsoon rain; acting as sniper during patrols in valley during B and C Coys occupation of Hill 118, 7/1952-8/1952; story of being wounded by shrapnel on Hill 118, 3//8/1952; evacuation to Norwegian and US field hospitals; return to 'B' Echelon; interview by officer; prior period of local leave at Inchon Camp; move to Kure hospital, Japan. REEL 6 Period in Kure hospital and camps, 8/1952-9/1952. Acting as orderly sergeant during voyage aboard Empire Orwell to GB, 9/1952-10/1952. Period at Britannia Barracks, Norwich, 10/1952-11/1952: question of soldiers fighting in Norwich; demobilisation, 11/1952. Post-service career: return to work and subsequent redundancy at iron foundry; malaria attacks; work at car component factory; review of commitments with Territorial Army; membership of British Korean Veterans Assoc and Royal Norfolk Regt Assoc; contacts with former comrades of D Coy, 1st Bn, RNR; attitude to national service and Korean War.