Brigadier Brian Parritt - Chinese Hordes and Human Waves: A Personal Perspective of the Korean War 1950-1953

First published in Great Britain in 2011 by
PEN & SWORD MILITARY
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Copyright B.A. Parritt, 2011

9781844685875

The right of B.A.H. Parritt to be identified as Author
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

I am greatly indebted to the positive help given in the preparation of this book by the many friends who have gone out their way to dig into their memory bank and recall incidents that happened sixty years ago, or have taken time to carry out research and allowed me to use their photographs. In particular, it has been a joy to talk with those Gunners who served in the Korean War and whose memories are so bright. In alphabetical order: Oliver Crocombe, Peter Duffield, Norman Dunkley, Mike Everitt, Shaun Jackson, Bernard May, Maxwell Macfarlane, John (Fred) Perry, Adrian Prestige, Roddy Scott, Tony Younger, and our Doctor Keith Glennie-Smith.

Others who helped so willingly with their own expertise, again in alphabetical order, include: Dr Christopher Booth, Ian Cooling, John Cormack, George Cullen, Paul Croxson, George Forty, Edgar Green, Chris Halsall, Dr James Hoare, Donald McNab, Mike Mockford, John Page, Derek Richardson, Andrew Salmon, Michael Stubbings, Michael Swindells, Neil Townsend and Jay Visack. And a very special thank you to two people who gave practical help in the production; Michael Bowers and Angus Southwood.

Curators and archivists have also helped, not only using their professional skills to provide background facts, but also showing great enthusiasm to share the past exploits of their own organisations: Joyce Hutton and Alan Edwards of the Intelligence Corps Museum, John Montgomery of the RUSI, Colonel Martin Amlot and Captain Michael Hunt of The Kings Regiment, Major Pat Heron and Scott Flaving of The Yorkshire Regiment, Colonel Stephen May and David Fletcher of The Tank Museum, and finally the knowledgeable Paul Evans and Theresa of the Royal Artillery Firepower Museum. All your support has been much appreciated. Thank you.

The painting Attack on the Warsaw Caves, by C Company, 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment, Korea 1953, is reproduced on the jacket by kind permission of the artist David Rowlands.

Biography

B rian Parritt was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into the Royal Artillery. He was posted to the 20th (Field) Regiment RA in Hong Kong and served for three years in Baker Troop, 12 (Minden) Field Battery. In December 1952 the Regiment began a year-long operational tour in Korea as part of the 1st Commonwealth Division, in which time Baker Troop fired over 20,000 rounds. Brian Parritt was the Gunner representative in a 1st Battalion Kings Regiment company level night attack in which he was wounded and awarded a Commander in Chiefs Commendation. He subsequently undertook a three-year university course and qualified as First Class Interpreter in Chinese (Mandarin). After obtaining a Competitive Entry to the Staff College, Camberley, he filled intelligence appointments in Libya and Cyprus for which he was awarded the MBE. After a regimental tour at the Intelligence Corps Depot, he did a tour at Headquarters the 3rd Division as the DAQMG (Ops), followed by a tour as Commanding Officer of the Intelligence and Security Group based in Singapore. This was followed by a tour as the commanding officer of the Intelligence Centre and, on promotion to colonel, a tour in the Ministry of Defender in charge of Army Quartering in the United Kingdom. This was followed by a two-year tour as the Colonel (Intelligence) in Northern Ireland for which he was awarded the CBE, a tour commanding the School of Military Intelligence which included the Joint Services Interrogation Wing and finally, a five-year tour as Director of the Intelligence Corps where he became the first Intelligence Corps Officer to be appointed an Honorary ADC to the Queen. After leaving the Army he started his own company, which specialised in methods to protect the Maritime Industry from acts of terrorism. The Company gave employment to over two hundred ex-servicemen and, after twenty-one years was sold to an American Security Company. He was a Founder Member of the Kent Invicta Branch of the British Korean Veterans Association and is currently President of the Branch.

Foreword

by
Major General (Retd) G.M.G. Swindells CB
PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH KOREAN VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Brigadier Brian Parritt describes this fascinating book as A Personal Perspective of the Korean War 1950 53. It goes to print in 2011, nearly 60 years after 21 year old Second Lieutenant Parritt, troop leader, Baker Troop, Minden Battery, 20 Field Regiment Royal Artillery took over his post as gun position officer on active service in Korea.

Looking back over this period of time, the author succeeds in producing an autobiography which brings out with charm and modesty the hopes and fears of a young man, the son of a Gunner Officer, as he passes through school, is called up for National Service and, although he has qualified for a place at University, decides to apply for a Regular Commission. The story of his time at Sandhurst, meeting his wife to be Pam, and securing a posting to the Regiment of his choice in Hong Kong is a piece of army-slanted social history of the early 1950s.

Following family tradition he is pleased to adopt the nickname Polly and in Part One of the book tells of his respected Commanding Officer warning the Regiment for service in Korea and his pride in the professionalism of his beloved Baker Troop as they prepare for war. Life in the Commonwealth Division in the closing stages of the war: the task, the conditions, relationships and the satisfaction of a job well done are described through the eyes of a young officer. With modesty he relates his role as forward observation officer with a company of the Kings Regiment on a night raid on enemy positions beyond the notorious Hook feature. The raid resulted in heavy casualties to the enemy; losses to the raiding party amounted to 3 killed and 27 wounded. 2/lt Parritt was amongst the wounded and in hospital for three weeks. He was praised for his direction of artillery fire throughout the operation; he does not tell the reader that he was awarded a Commander-in-Chiefs Commendation for his service in Korea.

We must remember that the author, with a degree in Mandarin and a knowledge of the Far East, became the Director of the Armys Intelligence Corps. As such he has been privy to the Nations closely guarded secrets. In Part One of the book, where he is largely writing as Polly Parritt, he has included a detailed description of the three-year course of the Korean War. Parts Two and Three are a specialist historians overview of events leading up to the war from the early 20th century onwards. He has added thoughts on the handling of prisoners of war and much on the gathering of intelligence. There are intriguing stories of espionage; even one about an acquaintance who he nearly invited to his wedding who it transpired was a spy! These chapters tell a complex story in depth and with clarity.