Korean War Legacy Project

Alan Guy

Bio

Alan Guy enlisted in the British Army in 1950 where he served as a Staff Sergeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He recounts his arrival in Korea and details his placement in a field hygiene section. He describes the health education he provided to soldiers in order to prevent malaria and frostbite. He offers accounts of situations he found himself in following the cease-fire. Following his time in Korea, he continued to serve in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was deployed to the Suez Canal in the later 1950s. He discusses revisiting Korea and his surprise at the modernization he saw upon return. His testimony includes a detailed account of his service at the Suez Canal.

Video Clips

Arriving in Korea and Placement

Alan Guy recounts his arrival in Korea. He remembers bitter cold and a horrendous smell as Koreans had just fertilized nearby rice patties with human manure. He recollects a band playing rousing music upon arrival and being transported to a transit camp in Busan. He details his placement in a field hygiene section.

Tags: Busan,Cold winters,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,Women

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Health Education

Alan Guy details the health education he provided to soldiers in the infantry. He shares the means by which soldiers on the front lines were instructed to avoid malaria by taking pills and frostbite by putting their bare feet on their mate's stomach if one thought he was getting frostbite. He describes the various trench latrines used based on the time frame spent in an area.

Tags: Cold winters,Front lines,Living conditions

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Duties Following Cease-fire

Alan Guy recounts returning to Busan to assist with health aspects following the cease-fire and details several duties. Despite the cease-fire, he recalls an incident that involved a rope strung across the road as an attempted means of decapitating drivers. He shares an account of a situation he found himself in within the black market.

Tags: 1953 Armistice 7/27,Busan,Civilians,Communists,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,Poverty

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