Tank names

Hussar 100

Sorry to learn of your eyesight problems - I had my cataracts removed and new lens' fitted some time ago and now I can see forever - just need the specs for the small print on the PC

Cheers

 

Dad was very easy going, to the point of ridiculous sometimes - I imagine he had to be pretty tough too yes. He wasn't taken prisoner as far as I know - certainly not for long - he might at one point have been but things were a bit of a shambles and he seems to remember the Chinese troops being everywhere, in all directions - viz the Hussars machine gunning each others' tanks to get the Chinese soldiers off. I have never seen any records of the action in a war diary as that date isn't available at Kew and to be honest I don't know which Troop he was in for sure. I think it might have been a Chinese grenade which deafened him, but again, can't be sure as he really was tight-lipped about it. I know he spent some time putting up and demolishing bridges -I read Blowing our Bridges by Tony Younger, who was dad's commanding officer when he was in 77 Asaault Sqdn over the Rhine and again in 55Sqdn in Korea and there's a picture in it of a bridge dad's team blew near Seoul.

 

I'm just at the point where I need me glasses replaced. Either that or go for a x10 magnification on them.

The Hussars machine gunning each other's turrets happened at Ulster Crossing as far as I know. C Sqn were trying to extract the Ulster Rifles and the Northumberland Fusiliers. I'd need to check the history though to be absolutely certain of where it happened. There's no doubt that it did take place and if my memory serves me right it happened more than once. The 8th also ran tanks into buildings to brush the human waves of Chinese off and crushed many of them under their tracks. There are statements available, even online, which say that the Hussars tanks and tracks were running with blood when they leaguered up. C Sqn was on it's own at that time you see. The rest of the regiment had gone to Japan as part of a scheduled rotation. It was only after the first couple of days that Col Lowther and the rest of the regiment returned and you saw the formation of Lowtherforce and Cooperforce. (I think Cooperforce was formed when Col Lowther returned as it was using Cromwells instead of Cents).

 

Tom I've gone through the North Irish Horse casualty list and it appears to suggest that the major you mention was Major W.M. MacKean MC, OC B Sqn, KIA 7/10/44, Monte Farneto, Italy.

More info here http://northirishhorse.net/wwII/casualties/Extracts-Officers/MacKean.html

Does that ring any bells?

 

Hussar100

Indeed that is the man - and Gerrys account of taking him to the RAP is similar to Major Russell's death at the Hitler line in May - not surprised he wept as many tears were always shed on losing a friend

Cheers

 

It's great to read something written by someone recalling this from memory - I'm afraid I'd have to admit that as dad said so little about Korea, any memories now have to be treated with caution, particularly as I'm recalling them when he's not here and they have doubtless become conflated with accounts I've read since. But certainly he always felt that fear and loathing about his experiences there. Dad had been a Petard gunner in AVRE's, then a Polsten gunner on Buffaloes and once a tankie, always a tankie and he definitely recalled being less than chuffed about having to become an infantryman and definitely did comment that it was tanks that got him out of trouble (at the Imjin) - and Huth was defintely a name we knew as kids . He recalled being miserable and cold, but it was being frightened which remained with him, my mum said. She put it down to the fact that he had been relatively young (20) at D-Day and had seen the adventurous part of army life in WW2 - his main memories from that period always seemed to be about playing football. Whereas he was older and more experienced when he was called up for Korea and resented being scared. He most definitely had nightmares about Chinese troops attacking at night with football rattles and bugles and did tell a story about a sergeant major forgetting how to fuse hand grenades. He went home on compassionate leave some time in 1952 I think - I'll check his pay book - as his mother-in-law had died and my mum, who was only 21at the time had a much younger brother to look after. He recalled the sergeant telling him to run before someone cancelled it.

 

I agree. I'm glad I was able to help jog your memory there.

I'm not recalling this from memory mate. I didn't serve in Korea, I'm far too young for that. My knowledge comes from being taught regimental history and taking an big enough interest to read a few books after that.

It's interesting that you dad served on a petard AVRE. We called those things "Dustbin Chuckers".

The type of warfare in Korea would give anyone nightmares. I've known a few old Korea hands in my time but they never talk about it. One (from the Ulster Rifles) was even a prisoner and was terribly scarred by his captivity and the abuses committed on him. He was a very quiet man until the day he died.

I've known what it's like to be cold for long periods and it is probably the worst facet of army life - active or on exercise. I think I'm lucky though that I was born too late to serve in Korea. I don't know how I'd have stood up to it. No heaters in tanks you see, not until recently.

 

Hi tom ,do you have any recollection of a Cpl Peter Beresford Garner ? C Sqn IOC

 

Tom sadly passed away a year or two ago.