Clunas, Jim (Oral history)

Sound: © IWM (34452)

1765224357
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1754212254
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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.

Description

Object description

British private served with 1st Bn Seaforth Highlanders and 1st Bn Queen's Own Highlanders in GB, Germany, Malaya and Borneo, 1958-1963, including Brunei Revolt, 12/1962.

Content description

REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1938-1958: family background, childhood and education in Scotland; employment; family moved to Stockport; employment with Post Office in Manchester; story of joining the Seaforth Highlanders in Stockport, 1957. Aspects of training with Seaforth Highlanders in GB, 1957-1958: posted to Fort George, Inverness, Scotland; description of basic training and living conditions; attitude to discipline; reaction to wearing kilt for first time; opinion of National Servicemen; criteria for joining Seaforth Highlanders. Aspects of operations with 1st Bn Seaforth Highlanders in Germany and GB, 1958-1961: posted to camp in Munster; description of tactical exercises including evacuation of camp; relations with German civilians; returned to Scotland; attitude to amalgamation of Seaforth Highlanders into Queen's Own Highlanders, 2/1961; description of voyage aboard troopship Vassar from Southampton to Egypt, 1961; opinion of food and accommodation; personal hygiene. Aspects of operations with 1st Bn Queen's Own Highlanders in Egypt, Malaya and Borneo, 1962-1963: accommodation in barracks; attached to mortar platoon; awareness of political situation; opinion of posting; description of flight from Changi Airport, Singapore to Seria, Brunei, Borneo, 12/1962; story of capturing control tower from rebels and taking 25 prisoners; attitude to rebels; problem of sand flies; role in operations to free European hostages in Seria; condition of hostages; New Year celebrations,1963; posted to camp on Indonesian border; patrols; story of trading rations for chickens with villagers; returned to Singapore; description of flight back to GB via Aden, 1963; demobilised at Fort George. REEL 2 Continues: attitude to reception on return to GB; opinion of organisation of operations; reason for fear of flying into jungle; description of climate and tropical uniform; personal hygiene and sleeping arrangements; mosquito nets; checked boots for snakes and scorpions; story of elephants walking through camps; description of duties on anti-pirate patrols with Royal Navy; opinion of food and living conditions; role of servants in camp; story of Chinese woman helping British POWs during Second World War; relations with local Malays; question of conflicts in Malaya and Borneo being forgotten.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: Yorkshire Malaya and Borneo Veterans Association (Production company)
Thompson, Paul (Recorder)
Clunas, Jim (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2012-11-26
Dimensions: whole: Duration 45, Number Of Items 2
Catalogue number: 34452

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Clunas, Jim
British Army, Seaforth Highlanders, 1st Battalion
British Army, Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons), Bn, 1
Associated places

Malaya
Borneo
Brunei

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Associated places

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