Interview with Brian Hough

British schoolchild in Ardwick, Manchester, GB, 1939-1945; private served with 1st Bn King's Regt (Liverpool), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 9/1952-10/1953

REEL 1 Background in Ardwick, Manchester, GB, 1933-1939: character of childhood in Ardwick; family. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Ardwick, Manchester in GB, 1939-1945: memories of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; father's military service with Royal Artillery; grandfather's employment as 'knocker up'; sheltering during German Air Force attacks, 12/1940; collecting shrapnel; sources of war news and visits to cinema; uncle's attitude towards Second World War. REEL 2 Continues: comparing experiences of Korean War with First World veteran; wartime disruption to education; stories relating to behaviour of teachers. Aspects of enlistment and training with Manchester Regiment Regimental Depot, Ladysmith Barracks, Ashton-under-Lyne, GB, 2/1952-3/1952: attitude towards call-up for National Service; re-badging to King's Regiment (Liverpool); basic training. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn King's Regt (Liverpool) in GB, 4/1952-6/1952: joining battalion at Chiseldon Camp; story of being placed on charge by Sergeant John O'Connor; treatment by Sergeant John O'Connor during advanced party to prepare for embarkation at Liverpool and during voyage from GB to Hong Kong. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Devonshire from GB to Hong Kong, 6/1952-7/1952: impressions of Aden, Aden Protectorate; battalion member's reaction to biblical story of Moses parting Red Sea; meeting schoolmate in Singapore, Federation of Malaya; story of loss of beret; opinion of Company Sergeant-Major William Chapman; fate of Sergeant John O'Connor in Korean War. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn King's Regt (Liverpool) in Hong Kong, 7/1952-8/1952: six weeks training in Hong Kong; opinion of training; reaction to possibility to being left in Hong Kong due to age; question of bond formed in by those who have seen active service. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn King's Regt (Liverpool), 29th British Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 9/1952-10/1953: initial impressions of South Korea; opinion of terrain; train journey from Pusan; reaction to sight of Korean orphans. REEL 4 Continues: sight of devastation of Seoul; preparations to move into frontline; relief of 1st Bn Royal Australian Regt in front line; story of wounding of Private Jack Goulding on patrol; sight of first casualty Private William 'Billy' George during Chinese People's Volunteer Army artillery bombardment, 18/10/1952; duration of first period in frontline; developing skin rash and reporting sick; hospitalisation in Mobile Army Surgical Hospital and then British Commonwealth General Hospital in Kure, Japan; visit to Hiroshima, Japan; attitude towards active service; in transit camp in Kure, Japan; return to battalion in South Korea. REEL 5 Continues: move into reserve, 1/1953-3/1953; move onto The Hook, 5/1953; Chinese bombardment of The Hook, 5/1953; reaction to order for D Coy to support 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding) during Chinese People's Volunteer Army attacks on The Hook, 27/5/1953; sight of dead Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier hanging on barbed wire on The Hook; comparison between Korean War and First World War; coping with conditions; pay; ceasefire, 27/7/1953; Coronation Day in front line, 2/6/1953; recovery of dead after ceasefire; question of missing personnel from Korean War; treatment of British Korean War Veterans Association members during return visits to South Korea; work for memorial hall at United Nations Memorial Cemetery at Busan; attitude towards war in general; question of lack of public knowledge of Korean War; attitude towards participation in Korean War.