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Terry Barrett
Terry had been an Army Cadet since 1942 when the Cadets
were formed. He rose to Sergeant, before attempting to
join up - under age at 16 - in 1945, much to the displeasure
of his father. He volunteered for the Royal Marines but
was put on WZ Reserve, later sent to 30th Infantry Training
Battalion at Cameron Barracks, Inverness for 6 months before
posting to a regular unit. He hardly required the training
because of the very good instruction he had received as
a Cadet - he was already able to dismantle and reassemble
a Bren light machine gun in three minutes - blindfolded!
Following six months training he joined the Gordon Highlanders
(his father's old Regiment, so this time his volunteering
was less likely to displease him!) He was sent to Retford
Barracks, Colinton near Edinburgh, to the Highland Brigade
Training Centre, and then as a N.C.O. to the School of
Infantry at Warminster in January 1947. This was a terrible
winter - all the boilers in camp burst and the men had
to melt snow to shave - given indefinite leave because
of the conditions he returned to Harrogate where the snow
was 6 feet high on the Stray!
On returning to Retford Barracks he was posted to the
2nd Bn Gordon Highlanders who had just returned from Tripoli
- he was not yet 18. On joining the battalion he was under
canvas at Holyrood Castle - another terrible winter and
guard duty in a kilt on the towers of Edinburgh Castle!
The battalion was attached to the 51st Highland Division,
but after it was broken up, he ended up at Buchanan Castle
in Drymen attached to the Army Education Corps, on the
permanent staff until demobbed in 1948.
He had two months leave but missed the comradeship of
Army life, and it was also not easy to find a job, and
so, 1 month into his leave, he re-enlisted into the West
Yorkshire Regiment at Strensall where he was immediately
put on draft for a three year posting to Khartoum with
the Green Howards. Khartoum was reputed to be one of the
very worst possible postings.
Having nowhere to sleep he went to visit a friend - Corporal
Gerry Brooks who was an Acting Platoon Sergeant with the
1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regiment (just back from Palestine),
and he slept in a spare bunk where the Company Sergeant
Major discovered him the following morning.
CSM Cork questioned Cpl Brooks about Terry, and the upshot
was that Terry was ordered to report to B Company 1st Duke
of Wellington Regiment as an Infantry Training NCO Instructor
with the Yorkshire and Northumberland Infantry Training
Centre and escaped going to Khartoum!
He was 18 months to two years with the Duke of Wellington's
then posted to the 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
in Gibraltar, but was only there two weeks before returning
to Warminster for 4 -5 months. At this time his feet had
become so bad that he was made a NAAFI Corporal after being
medically downgraded (excused normal infantry duties).
When the Korean War broke out he was determined to join
his friends who were being sent to fight and so he got
himself upgraded back to A1 but, despite his efforts, he
was posted back to the Duke of Wellington's at Strensall.
Three times he requested an active posting to Korea to
rejoin his battalion and eventually, as he was about to
be promoted to sergeant, he reverted to Private (meaning
that he was no longer able to instruct) to demonstrate
how serious he was. He was given a choice - two weeks leave
or join the draft on Monday! He went home as a Private
- but found a Regimental Policeman waiting for him with
3 sets of Sergeant stripes. He was told that the Regimental
Sergeant Major expected him in the Sergeant's Mess for
breakfast and lunch and he was to buy a round of drinks.
The round of drinks cost him £10 - his weekly pay
as a Sergeant was £3.15!
To Strensall Railway Station for the journey to Southampton,
the draft of approximately 150 marched behind the Corps
of Drums and Regimental Band of the 1st Duke's, then 2nd
class all the way to Japan - 41 days onboard with drinks
4p a short once the 20 mile zone had been passed. Apart
from the sunshine, the best part of the journey.
They arrived in Kure, Japan in January 1951, where he
was greeted with the news that he was to be sent as an
instructor to a training camp at Arma Mura. He refused
and was immediately busted to unpaid Acting Lance Corporal
but still sent up the mountains to Arma Mura to attend
a three weeks battle training course and "How to be
a good NCO". He thus missed the draft to the Gloucesters
who fought at the Battle of Imjin River as part of 29 Brigade,
returning with only 48 men immediately following the four
day battle. Another approximately 150 further Gloucesters
turned up later having been scattered around with other
units of the Brigade. The 1st Bn. Gloucesters were awarded,
on behalf of their Regiment, the United States Regimental
Citation of Honour approximately seven days after the battle,
by General Van Fleet - the UN Chief of General Staff. Terry
was on this Parade as part of a Guard of Honour of the
1st Bn. Royal Northumberland Fusiliers as were other Regiments
and Corps of 29 Brigade.
In April he sailed in gale force winds through the Sea
of Japan to Pusan, Korea where they were welcomed by the
116th U.S. Army Band. It took three whole days to reach
Seoul. On several occasions they had to stop and take up
defensive positions around the train on the railway embankments,
being under threat of attack from North Korean Forces behind
the lines - 48000 were cut off from their own side. This
action was taken after shots were fired at the train on
several occasions. On reaching their destination they were
told that the brigade they were to reach was surrounded
by 30000 Chinese and they would have to fight their way
in. Their role was to form a carrier force, in three Oxford
carriers, loaded with ammunition, mortar bombs, medical
supplies, etc., which they sat on with their legs hanging
over the sides, weapons in hand. They were supported by
two Centurion tanks. They fired at will at Chinese on the
hills on either side of the valley, the Chinese returning
fire with rifles, mortar and machine guns. Having fought
their way in, the survivors all fought their way back out
again.
At a muster parade on the day following the four day Battle
of Imjin River, 50% of the 800 men present at the beginning
of the battle were absent from parade, presumed killed,
wounded or missing.
Terry's role with 1RNF was Platoon wireless operator and
Number 2 on Vickers Machine Guns. They held Kinpo airfield
for two days against the Chinese army on the opposite bank
of the Han River and watched the Missouri (Mighty Mo) and Los
Angeles come up the river and shell the hills. This
was a holding action as Kinpo airfield was the only large
airfield near the 38th parallel big enough to accept large
transport aircraft to bring reinforcements and supplies.
Now attached to the 1st Bn (the Fifth) Royal Northumberland
Fusiliers, they returned back up to the Imjin River to
reoccupy the old positions of 1 month ago, where they remained
in defensive positions, called the Kansas Line, for 6 months.
In October they crossed the Imjin River once again, this
time on the offensive, and attacked Chinese positions on
Hills 217, the Hinge, and Maryang San. This time they were
in 28 Brigade, after being in reserve, expecting to sail
to Hong Kong within a week. The action cost them 16 killed
(including 2 officers) and 94 wounded (including 4 officers).
From here he was posted to Hong Kong and found himself
patrolling the Chinese border - bizarrely drinking in the
New Territories (Canton Province) with the same Chinese
he had recently been fighting against when the Chinese
were allowed leave to come into Hong Kong!
Back in England the Regiment was given the Freedom of
the City of Newcastle - a very emotional day for all. On
leave he returned to Harrogate to be met by Brigadier Springhall
and Colonel Thickness at the Mayor's Parlour (part of the "Welcome
home to Harrogate's Korean Veterans"). Col. Thickness
asked him if he would like to become a Corporal at the
Army Apprentice College in Harrogate where he remained
until his discharge in 12 months due to his poor medical
condition.
Although unable to re-enlist in 1953, he was called up
as a reservist three years later with the West Yorkshire
Regiment, went through infantry training again and was
part of the 3rd Infantry Division which was to invade Egypt
with the French forces via Malta. He took part in the invasion
of Port Said, despite suffering a back injury when boarding
the landing craft. In Port Said theirs was the last British
Infantry Platoon (Part of "C" Coy of O.C. Major
Heard) to leave Egypt, plus some Royal Marine Commandoes
and the G.O.C. Middle East Forces.
Back home he was posted to Imphal Barracks, York where,
10 months later, he received a medical discharge.
Terry spent 23 years in the Civil Service but still missed
Army life and joined the Territorials. Taking many courses
he became qualified as a Hygiene Inspector and travelled
Europe inspecting Army Quarters, Cookhouses, Messes, etc.
for the Army School of Health, R.A.M.C., T & AVR. He
also did attachments with 304 Field Hospital (Liverpool),
23 P.F.A., 344 Field Hygiene Platoon.
Because of his bad back he was forced to give it up in
1976 - altogether he had spent 32 years in khaki.
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