Description
Object description
British officer served with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-8/1951
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks, GB, 1931-1950: family; childhood in Sevenoaks; education; sporting and recreational activities; memories of daily life during Second World War, 1939-1945; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; training with Officer Cadet Corps at Marlborough College; attitude to military discipline; call up for National Service, 1/1950. Aspects of training with Royal Army Service Corps at Aldershot, GB, 1/1950-4/1950: posting to Royal Army Service Corps intake battalion, Aldershot; issue with uniform and kit; cleaning kit and boots; inspections; accommodation; washing facilities; food; attitude to military life; drill; punishments; physical training; assault course.
REEL 2 Continues: weapons training and problem of being left handed; duration of basic training; reason for requesting transfer to Royal Armoured Corps; recreational activities and social life. Aspects of training as officer cadet at Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Armoured Corps, Bovington Camp in GB, 4/1950-7/1950: start of training, 4/1950; training on Comet Tank; method of firing; line of sight shooting; reaction to noise of gun; wireless training; tactics; reason for being selected for officer training; drill; tank maintenance; commissioning, 7/1950. Aspects of period as officer with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars at Tidworth Camp in GB, 8/1950-10/1950: reason for choice of regiment; posting to unit; opinion of NCOs; attachment to A Sqdn; preparations for posting to Korea.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empire Medway from GB to Japan, 10/1950-11/1950: accommodation; daily routine and duties aboard ship; question of not being briefed about situation in Korea; shore leave in Colombo, Ceylon and Hong Kong; disembarkation and accommodation at Kure, Japan. Recollections of operations as officer with C Sqdn, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-8/1951: description of disembarkation at Pusan and initial impressions of Korea; accommodation; guard duty at Pusan Docks; attitude to shooting of looters; climate; problem of cold weather and winter clothing; use of American space heater in tent; effect of cold weather on tanks; role of tanks as mobile artillery; description of Centurion Mk III Tank and crew; problem of fumes; communication system; tea making facilities in tank.
REEL 4 Continues: uniform; preference for beret instead of tank helmet; tank hatch; visibility in tank; personal weapons; sanitary arrangements; comparison of British and American rations; bartering rations with Americans; role during Battle of the Imjin River, 4/1951; description of terrain and location of forces; opinion of strategy; escorting troops from 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers and 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles down from positions on hills; phosphorus grenades; casualties; problem of track coming off tank; attitude to danger; problem of being unable to move due to delayed shock; story of helping wounded friend; incident of Chinese soldier attacking tank with sword.
REEL 5 Continues: story of burial party; opinion of Americans; description of journey back to GB and demobilisation, 8/1951. Reflections on service with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars during Korean War, 1950-1951: reception on return; opinion of media coverage of Korean War; communications with family; reunions with Korean War veterans; story of post-war visits to Korea and researching book; opinion of treatment of Korean refugees.
