Iliff, David (Oral history)

British NCO served as Chinese linguist and interpreter with 367 Signals Unit, 90 Group RAF in GB and Hong Kong, 1958-1961

REEL 1: Background in Ireland and GB, 1939-1958: born in Dublin; family; childhood in Hazlemere, Sussex; effects of war on daily life; rationing; VE Day Celebrations, 5/1945; education; hobbies; left school at 18; employment as teacher at Tavistock Hall Preparatory School; called up for National Service, 1958; medical examination in Brighton; reason for wanting to join RAF; story of being selected for training as Chinese linguist. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 7/1958-8/1959: induction at RAF Cardington; issued with uniform and kit; posted to RAF Wilmslow, Cheshire, for eight weeks basic training; previous experience as NCO in cadet force; drill; description of uniform; accommodation in Nissen hut; inspections; opinion of food; cookhouse fatigues; story about mug; attitude to RAF life and discipline; duties with pool flight; punishments; story about Bren gun. REEL 2 Continues: guard duties; off-duty activities; religious services; weapons training; lectures; played rugby for RAF; reason for signing on for extra year's service; passing out parade; posted to Joint Services School for Linguists, RAF Pucklechurch, 9/1958; description of station and accommodation; course structure; daily routine and teaching methods; attended optional class in Chinese characters; method of learning Chinese orally; use of romanised spelling of characters in writing (GR system); opinion of tuition; weekly tests; advanced technical training for signals intelligence work; failure rate on course; rank of junior technician; attitude to learning Chinese; opinion of instructors; description of AR 88 and 1475 radio sets; knowledge of Chinese military intelligence. REEL 3 Continues: off-duty activities; issued with tropical kit; relations between regulars and National Servicemen; description of flight in Comet to Hong Kong; 8/1959. Aspects of period as Chinese linguist with 367 Signals Unit, 90 Group RAF in Hong Kong, 8/1958-7/1961: first impressions of Hong Kong; posted to RAF Little Sai Wan; description of Batty's Belvedere monitoring station on top of The Peak; moved into flat in Kowloon district; off-duty activities; learned Cantonese dialect; leave; shift system; description of coach journey to top of The Peak; layout of monitoring station; routing of reports to Defence Signals Branch in Melbourne, Australia; employment of Chinese civilians at station; size of work force; security risks involved in employing Chinese native speakers; description of operations room and work station; reason for use of two radio sets; logging reports on forms in English. REEL 4 Continues: description of work monitoring Chinese air communications and radar stations and logging map references; frequencies used; attitude to work; transferred to new duties as analyst and promoted corporal; general duties in RAF camp; role in development of radar station analysis; attitude to lifestyle in Hong Kong; returned to GB, 7/1961. Civilian life and employment: graduated from Cambridge University; employment as linguist at GCHQ, Cheltenham; reunions with other linguists. Reflections on period of National Service.