Morgan, Philip (Oral history)

British officer served with 3 Platoon, A Coy, 1st Bn South Wales Borderers in Germany and Malaya, 2/1955-5/1956

REEL 1 Background in Cardiff and Pontypridd, GB, 1935-1954: family; early education; membership of Combined Cadet Force at Sherborne School; education at Sherborne School; German Air Force incendiary attack on family home in Cardiff, 1941; move to Pontypridd. Aspects of period as private and NCO with Welch Bde at Maindy Barracks in Cardiff and Dering Lines, Brecon, GB, 6/1954-9/1954: expectation of military service; reasons for choice of Welch Regt; parent's and own attitude towards call-up for National Service; importance of Combined Cadet Force and boarding school experience; reception on arrival at Maindy Barrack, 6/1954; training at Dering Lines, Brecon; opinion of instructors; impressions of value of training period at Brecon; status as lance corporal; accommodation and inspections. REEL 2 Continues: attending War Office Selection Board (WOSB) at Barton Stacey, 8/1954. Aspects of period as officer cadet at Officer Cadet School, Eaton Hall, GB, 9/1954-1/1955: arrival at school, 9/1954; prescribed wear for afternoons spent in Chester; drill training under Sergeant Major Evans; accommodation; opinion of quality of training; Christmas leave, 12/1954; character of Eaton Hall; opinion of chaplain; background to commissioning into South Wales Borderers, 2/1955; reasons for choosing a battalion that would have overseas service; purchase of officer uniform during embarkation leave; question of pursuing a career in the military; move to Brunswick, West Germany, 2/1955. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 3 Platoon, A Coy, 1st Bn South Wales Borderers in Brunswick, West Germany, 2/1955-7/1955: proposed role of battalion; character of platoon; march in cold weather conditions; training exercises in preparation for move to Malaya; opinion of barrack accommodation and officers' mess; understrength character of platoon; return to Brecon, GB, summer 1955; relations with fellow officers and other ranks. Recollections of operations as officer with 3 Platoon, A Coy, 1st Bn South Wales Borderers in Malaya, 9/1955-5/1956: opinion of role of General Gerald Templer in Malaya; flight with advanced party to Malaya, 9/1955; short acclimatisation period; training at Jungle Training School, Kota Tinngi including uniform worn in jungle and dealing with leeches; Australian instructor; posting to Kluang and move of company to palm oil plantation. REEL 4 Continues: reads letter highlighting attempts to improve quarters; help received from planter; method of patrolling; organisation of patrol; air supply drops; reads extract of letter relating to seventeen day patrol in jungle, 3/1956; construction of basha during night stops; opinion of Sergeant Johnson; problems with radio; need to monitor troops' health; opinion of equipment; question of clearing camp of waste; boots worn; lack of problems with leeches and malaria precautions. REEL 5 Continues: encounter with insurgents at long range; state of Emergency by 1956; importance of patrolling; attitude towards lack of encounters of with insurgents; voyage aboard SS Asturias from Singapore, Malaya to GB, 5/1956; demobilisation at Brecon; question of lessons learnt from military service in Malaya.