Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt in Malaya and Germany, 1955-1956.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1936-1954: family background, childhood and education in Leeds, Yorkshire; sporting activities; left school age 15; employment as motorcycle mechanic and gas engineer; attitude to National Service; called up and posted to Imphal Barracks, Fulford, York, 5/Aug/1954. Aspects of period with West Yorkshire Regt in GB, 8/1954-1/1955; medical examination; haircut; issued with uniform and kit; accommodation; first impressions of military life and discipline; care of kit; method of ironing pleats into uniform; guard duty and fire picket duty; story of providing guard of honour for visit by HM the Queen in Bradford, 27/Oct/1954; description of journey to London and arrival at transit depot in Goodge Street underground station; entrained to Southampton and embarked aboard HMT Empire Fowey; description of voyage to Port Said, Egypt; posted to 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt; description of journey to Singapore via Aden and Ceylon, 1/1955. Aspects of operations with 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt in Malaya, 1/1955-1/1956: story of marching to transport accompanied by Royal Marines Band; attitude to climate; posted to Fort Canning, Singapore; opinion of Mk 5 Lee Enfield rifle; reaction to first experience of being under fire; description of jungle uniform, kit and insignia; moved to base camp at Kluang; description of jungle training.
REEL 2 Continues: nature of terrain; opinion of training; description of training exercise with Sawarak trackers dressed as communist insurgents; posted to C Coy at Renggam; daily routine and duties in villages; relations with local civilians; enforcement of dusk to dawn curfew; guard duty; stop and search foot patrols; rations; method of carrying everything on back through jungle; problem of humidity; use of machete; off-duty activities; opinion of rations; story of cooking potatoes with butter to supplement rations; purchased food in villages; problem of insects; description of shelter and sleeping arrangements; method of receiving supplies by air at dropping zone in jungle; radio contact with aircraft; attitude to jungle conditions; reason for stand to at dawn and dusk; description of engagement with communist insurgents; opinion of communist insurgents' weapons; casualties; description of total darkness and noise in jungle; duties with daily reconnaissance patrols searching for communist insurgents; use of compass bearings; opinion of Iban trackers; description of light battle order kit; flown into jungle on helicopter; patrolled in sections; problem of locating communist insurgents' camps.
REEL 3 Continues: condition of kit and clothing after 21 days in jungle; reason for walking backwards through razor grass; problem of dehydration and use of salt and anti-malaria tablets; rest periods after patrols; rotation between base camp and jungle; story about snake in river; problem of hornet stings and red ants; method of removing leeches with lighted cigarette; use of hand signals during jungle patrols; opinion of success of campaign in Malaya; relations with other National Servicemen; communication with home; received parcels from employer in GB; story about birthday cake; story of selling recycled tea to Chinese; exchanges cigarette ration for rum; took eggs from nest boxes in local houses; relations with Malays and Chinese; story about going on two week religious retreat at monastery on Sentosa Island and confirmation at St Andrew's Cathedral; description of civilian clothes and use of parachute silk to make shirts; social life in Singapore; description of patrol duties with Royal Navy personnel and escort duty to Singapore; travelled in Saracen armoured car on night patrols; description of latrines at base camp; story of causing explosion after using petrol to start fire; pride in unit.
REEL 4 Continues: description of escorting British children to school in army vehicles and coming under attack from local civilians; duties on street patrols and method of blocking streets; use of numbers instead of names if ordered to shoot; attitude to political situation in Malaya; opinion of officers; attitude to being conscripted and relations with regular soldiers; reason for National Service being introduced; daily routine and duties; use of facilities at Changi Barracks; returned to base camp at Renggam; relieved by South Wales Borderers; story of attack on base camp by communist insurgents on last day of patrol; attitude to communist insurgents and role protecting Malays; description of voyage aboard HMS Devonshire from Singapore to Liverpool, 1/1956. Aspects of period with 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt in GB and Germany, 1-8/1956: reaction to arriving in cold weather; attitude to lack of welcome for troops on return; reaction of family to homecoming; problem of adjustment to civilian life; posted to Beverley Barracks, Hull; story of ringing guard house to ask for duty driver; description of accommodation; posted to Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Osnabruck, Germany.
REEL 5 Continues: sporting activities; demobilized, 8/1956; reflections on period of National Service; returned to employment with British Gas; effect of military service on character and temperament; attitude to troops serving in Afghanistan; burial of troops in Malaya; story of handing in kit and equipment at barracks in Leeds; attitude to discipline and comradeship; various memories of celebrating Christmas and birthdays; story of drinking in bar with Malays; further description of conditions in jungle including personal hygiene and showering in rain; attitude to foreign travel; story about reunion of former comrades at Fulford Barracks; question of National Servicemen's role in Malaya and other post-war conflicts not being recognised; opinion of Fijian troops.