Wallace, Mike (Oral history)

242679912
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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.

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Description

Object description

British junior technician served as Chinese linguist with 367 Signals Unit, 90 Group RAF in Hong Kong, 1961-1962

Content description

REEL 1: Background in GB, 1939-1958: family; childhood in Gillingham, Kent; effects of war on daily life; collecting shrapnel; air raid shelters; awareness of progress of war; rationing; VE Day celebrations, 5/1945; interest in model aircraft; education; obtained post at GCHQ, Cheltenham, 1957; description of journey to Cheltenham; lodgings; nature of work; problem of partial colour blindness; called up for National Service, 8/1958. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 8/1958-9/1959: induction at RAF Cardington; attitude to RAF discipline; uniform; accommodation in Nissen hut; kitchen fatigues in cookhouse; intelligence tests; graded Non-Technical 2; medical examination; innoculations; posted to RAF Bridgenorth; accommodation; description of eight weeks basic training; discipline; punishments; kitchen fatigues; drill; opinion of NCOs. REEL 2 Continues: physical training; weapons drill; daily routine; kit inspection; opinion of food; recreational activities; reason for choosing to train as Chinese linguist; aptitude test; passing out parade; story of black recruit; story of boxing match; posted to Joint Services School for Linguists, RAF Pucklechurch, Bristol; accommodation; one year course; method of learning Chinese orally; romanization of characters in writing; weekly tests; teaching methods; opinion of instructors; technical training on AR88 radio receiver; weekend leave; social life; pay; sporting activities. REEL 3 Continues: failure rate on course; final examinations; posted to Hong Kong, 9/1959. Aspects of period as Chinese linguist with 367 Signals Unit, 90 Group RAF in Hong Kong, 9/1959-1960: issued with tropical kit; description of flight in Comet to Hong Kong; landed at Kai Tak airport; climate; taken by launch to RAF station at Little Sai Wan; first impressions of Hong Kong; description of station and accommodation; opinion of food; cinema; played hockey for RAF; visits to Macau; restricted areas in Hong Kong; attitude to lifestyle in Hong Kong; memories of friend Arthur Walker; off-duty activities; description of bus journey to the top of The Peak; shift system; composition of 367 Signals Unit; rank of junior technician; amusing story of diary. REEL 4 Continues: description of Batty's Belvedere monitoring station; operations room; burning security waste; work station and radio sets; duties monitoring Chinese air activity; story about Alan Whicker; method of logging information on official form; relations with RAAF personnel; question of recognizing Chinese voices; attitude to work; description of radio receiver; reaction to treatment of Chinese civilians by NCOs; attitude to National Service; climate; returned to GB and demobilised at RAF Innsworth, 1960. Civilian life and employment: question of remaining in RAF; various anecdotes about period of National Service; returned to employment at GCHQ; nature of work in GB and Hong Kong; reunions with former colleagues. Description of flight from Hong Kong back to Stansted Airport, GB, 1960.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Atkinson, James (recorder)
Wallace, Mike (interviewee/speaker)
Production date: 2012
Dimensions: whole: Duration 120, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 33619

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Wallace, Mike
Royal Air Force, Group, 90
Royal Air Force, Signals Unit, 367
Associated places

GB, England
China
Hong Kong
Associated keywords

Cold War

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Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated places

Associated keywords

Our collections information