15^th Divisional Locating Battery to which I was posted had come to Korea from Hong Kong in December 1950 and having no parent Survey Regiment in the British Korean Command was attached (for “pay and rations”) to 61^st Light Regiment, RA, and that comprised three Batteries of 4.2” mortars. These mortars were ideal for lobbing shells over steep hills.

From Kure I went to Pusan (now Busan) by a local coaster, complete with barbed wire to protect the bridge area from pirates! Pusan was crowded with temporary shelters constructed with wooden crates and plastic sheeting and the like together with the few belongings the multitude of Korean refugees had fleeing from the Chinese. They were in a sorry state.

Next I was dispatched to Seoul and that by the time of my arrival South Korea’s capital had changed hands several times, with total demolition of much apart from the damaged and more substantial buildings. Our overnight accommodation was on camp beds in a part of the damaged university building. Little did I know that this would be my last comfortable night for quite some time.