Edgar Green
Bio
Edgar Green was born in London in 1931 and enlisted in the British Army in 1949. He was stationed in Hong Kong when the Korean War broke out and was part of the first British land troops to arrive in Korea. He reflects on his first impressions of Korea and recalls the stench of human waste as they drew nearer to the dock in Busan. He recounts how they only had tropical clothing when the temperature dropped to forty degrees below zero and shares that the Americans brought them parka jackets. He is proud of his service and expresses his desire for Korean War veterans to be recognized.
Video Clips
Shipped to Korea
Edgar Green describes the feeling of nervousness he and fellow soldiers experienced boarding the HMS Unicorn in Hong Kong destined for Korea. He shares that having World War II veterans among the crew was helpful as they offered advice. He recounts having to line up with other fellow soldiers along the flight deck and endure a round of injections prior to arriving in Korea.
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First Impressions and Relying on the Americans
Edgar Green reflects on his first impressions of Korea. He recalls the stench of human waste as they drew nearer to the dock in Busan and remembers an American band and Korean choir there to welcome them. He shares that they were part of the very first British land forces to enter the Korean War and comments on having to rely on the Americans for food and transport for the first several days.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDm4CRR-vxg&start=841&end=1032
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/edgar-green#clip-2
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Cold Weather and Visits to the MASH Unit
Edgar Green recalls the weather he experienced while in Korea. He recounts how they only had tropical clothing when the temperature dropped to forty degrees below zero and shares that the Americans brought them parka jackets. He describes his visits to a MASH unit on multiple occasions as he dealt with pneumonia and a broken tooth.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDm4CRR-vxg&start=2883&end=3104
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/edgar-green#clip-3
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