Tony White
Bio
Tony White grew up in England during World War II. He was an apprentice when he was drafted into the Army in 1950. He arrived in Korea after the Battle of Happy Valley and served in a Patrol Unit as a Rifleman. He speaks about being cold all the time unless one had to run up a hill, and then one was soaked in perspiration until one quickly froze again after stopping. He shares he had become a good soldier by the end of the war compared to some of the other Infantryman. He is amazed at the way Korea has developed since the Korean War and revisited in 1986 and 2006. He recalls he was treated like royalty during his revisits. He shares he can see why the Korean War is called the “Forgotten War” because of the lack of publicity and reporting.
Video Clips
The Journey to Korea from England
Tony White shares when he left Southampton, England, the ship had a steering problem in the Indian Ocean, so they had to hit the rudder with a sledgehammer to steer. He remembers how the ship diverted to Singapore. He recalls they also had to go to Hong Kong and then to Kure, Japan, after enduring a typhoon. He remembers he spent three weeks in Japan training and then went on to Korea.
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Detecting Mines
Tony White shares that when he first arrived in Korea, he was placed in a patrol unit. He describes being ordered to use the mine detector when they came across a suspected anti-tank minefield even though he did not know how to use the device. He remembers being terrified while he was walking and feeling relieved when other troops arrived and took over.
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Hiding Under a Bull
Tony White explains that while on patrol, there was a tip from a local that a Chinese soldier was hiding in a house they had just searched. He explains there was a cow shed attached to the main house, and the local Korean civilian pointed to a bull. He shares that when he poked the bull, a Chinese soldier who was hiding in straw underneath the bull bolted out of the house. He recalls how the Chinese soldier was shot in the leg by one of the British soldiers who was about one hundred yards away.
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Cease Fire
Tony White discussed how hostilities continued after there was a cease fire and the process of laying mines. He explains that they could not see Chinese soldiers during the day with planes, but knew they were there because of gunfire at night. He recounts how he laid explosives at one point in a big pit and saw a lot of the land collapse around it. He shares how he realized the Chinese were hiding in tunnels during the day.
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