Submitted by Jim, 15 April 2011
After school I did not really do much before I was called for National Service. After basic training I was bored at plotting aircraft from early radar tracking to 'on target 'for Anti-aircraft guns, all theoretic of course. When the Korean War broke out in June 1950 I saw my escape route from boredom, and in March 1951 I found myself in a mortar battery attached to the Belgian Capital Battalion on the Imjin River. After the battle at the river position, and various other actions, I retrurned home to find myself disillusioned with the boring Fareham scene, so I re-enlisted on a Regular Army engagement, requesting a return to my unit in Korea. I served in Korea for another year, the first year of a three year six month posting to the Far East. Then followed five months in Malaya at Batu Pahat, base of 1st Fiji Infantry Regiment, where I was part of a team training 1st Singapore Regiment in the use of the 4.2-inch mortar. After Malaya I was posted to Hong Kong where my unit was support for 2nd/6th (Queen Elizabeth's Own) Gurkha Rifles, maintaining peace in the colony, while on continuous alert in the event that China decided to take Hong Kong back before the due date of 30 June 1997. After leaving the Army for good in 1957, three years was spent in a MoD weapons establishment in Gosport. In 1960 I married Sheila, shortly after which we emigrated to Australia. In Australia I worked for various companies, including Qantas and International Computers (Australia) Pty. Ltd, finally returning to England in 1982 where I joined Plessey Aerospace as Shipping & Distribution Manager, the position I held until being retrenched short of my sixtieth birthday. I now enjoy retirement after a life that was full of interest, albeit now without my legs that were handed over to the surgeons in February 2009.
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