Reproduced, with kind permission, from the personal accounts of George Painter, Royal Signals att 8th Hussars.
Part Three. The week long tank train trip to Pyongyang.
Our thirteen year old tinned Compo rations consisted of stewed steak,meat pudding, mixed vegetables and some tinned bacon that had turned to slime! The dark chocolate had turned a grey colour and the tin of cigarettes to dust!
As we did not have any cooking utensils, stolen at the docks we utilized an old biscuit tin to use as a cooking pot! Everything was emptied in to the pot including the slimy bacon. We had had hard tacos biscuits which were soaked in hot water and moulded in Alf’s grubby hands to produce a sort of dumpling, not very successful this! However,we were very hungry, we kept it hot and it filled our stomachs! Yes! Alf’s acquisition of the the pot belly stove, as they say, saved our bacon!
We managed to install it on the flat on top of a piece of corrugated iron to stop a possible burn through! Not a sensible thing to do with a Centurion tank full of ammunition virtually a foot away! However, it was either that or freeze to death with the early winter settling in, we were to learn later that it was the coldest Korean Winter for 100 years! A good time to have a war, I don’t think!
We obtained hot water from the locomotive for washing ourselves and shaving, we tried to keep up appearances but by the time we had drawn the water from the locomotive and got back to our flat it had started to freeze. If we did get soapy lather on our face it started to freeze.
We had to share the water but really it was just going through the motions of washing ourselves! It was going to be a very long time before we were properly cleansed! Fuel collecting was a priority just to keep us warm. The five tanks became independent, almost competitive, units! It took all of our time each day just caring for our well being.
I should have mentioned that the Officer i/c of our troop was a Lt John Hurst, a good man ,well respected by all of us. He mucked in like any squaddie! He only appeared in the regiment when we knew were going to Korea, might have been on some sort of reserve! Did hear that he had not done any Centurion tank training! Mind you that applied to a lot of Officers who came through Sandhurst but they did know how to hold a Saber!
Should do a bit of more explaining here! We were part of the 29th Independent Infantry Brigade, made up with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Ulster Rifles, Gloucestershire Regiment, also Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and other supporting units! The 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars were, of course, the supporting Armour!
So to continue! It took us about three days to reach Seoul. It did not have much look of a capital city now as it was almost completely devastated. We pulled in to what was the railway station which was flooded with refugees wanting to go north and south. Apparently when the war started the North Korean Civilians crossed over to the South whilst the border was open with the United Nations Forces now on the Manchurian border, mainly, of course Americans supported by the British 27th Brigade, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Middlesex Regiment, out from Hong Kong and the Royal Marines! So the civilians thought the war was over and their country had been reunited and so therefore wanted to return to their homes in the North!
The most appalling sight at the station was the lost children. We did what we could for them with mugs of our stew but it was all too little for the numbers there!
We spent the night in a Seoul siding but Early morning the train rumbled on and in to North Korea. We were extra vigilant now as we had been some pockets of resistance and trains had been attacked. We had no communication with the outside world whilst on the rail, in fact the five tanks had no communication with each other whilst on the move.
I used to crawl into the turret of the tank at night and for a few minutes tune in to the American Forces Network in Tokyo. I was still a teenager and liked to listen to the pop music of the time. I would often catch a Doris Day record, we all had a crush on that girl being everyone’s dream girl, the power of Hollywood and make believe world! It was to be our last evening on the train when we switched on the radio, suddenly the music stopped and a news broadcast began, apparently the Chinese had entered the war and were pouring across the border in vast numbers.
Here we were a few miles from Pyongyang and we had to get the news from Tokyo AFN. I moved out of the turret, I might add, pretty fast and clamoured down to our shelter and poured out the news to the lads. It was pitch black and the train was still on the move. The troop commander Lt Hurst was in the front tank and had to be given the news and it was going to be me not second hand, I wanted to tell him quite clearly what I had heard. To this day I do not know how I got to the front tank, all I remember is standing in front of the Lieutenant and telling him exactly and precisely what I had heard. I can still see the look of astonishment on his face! Stop the train, put the radio on he said to his crew!
So we arrived at the port of Pusan, South Korea, Novemberish!
I must say that stepping ashore in this Far Eastern country filled my mind with uncertainties. Looking back at our ship the Empire Fowey, our safe and secure home for about six weeks my first thoughts will they come back for us! The way forward was completely unknown! Over the coming months we were to find out in no uncertain way.
And so we were moved from the Dockside area to a disused Chicken Farm on the outskirts Pusan, where we were to live in the chicken houses for a week or so, windowless and smelly with the wind blowing through giving just a hint of fresh air! Field kitchens were set up and most of us were to get a taste of the renowned British Compo rations, duly disguised as much as possible by our renowned Army Catering Corps cooks, but there was no disguising that imaginable taste of wallpaper paste! If you get what I mean!
Well after a week or so, our Centurions and other equipment were unloaded from the cargo ships and we were summoned to a railway siding for their loading. Our crew consisted of me, Royal Signals, and, yes I will name him, Corporal Alf Hathaway, also Royal Signals, plus three Hussars, We we’re at this stage the advanced party of RHQ tank troop! Our mission to operate the rear link communications to Brigade when the time came!
I should mention at this point that as far as transporting the Centurions up north to what was the North Korean Capital, Pyongyang, this was done with about five tanks at a time over a period of time! We were amongst the first to go! Other elements of 8th KRI Hussars were making their way by road, mainly tracks in fact! So you had a situation where elements of the regiment were spread over the length of the Korean Peninsular when the battle hardened Chinese Army intervened in the Korean War crossing the Yalu river into the north of the country! However, I am jumping ahead here at the moment this was all to come later!
And so we descended on the railway siding with the other four Centurion crews. The five Centurions were loaded on to the railway flats secured if you please with rice straw, unbelievable but a fact. We were amazed that there was no accommodation carriage as the journey was expected to taken 7 days. So for this reason the tanks were positioned as far back on the flats as possible to allow crew accommodation on the front!
And so we set off on this not so great train journey, a primitive steam train pulling god knows how many tons at a snails pace, perhaps it will go faster when we go down hills!
True to British Army tradition it had its soldiers welfare to heart leaving us with a tarpaulin and about six boxes of Compo rations date stamped 1937! It seems therefore if we did not freeze to death in the descending winter weather we would have a good chance of food poisoning!
Our aim now is to build a hut or shelter on the flat ! It will be a challenge and keep us busy. If we saw anything close to the track that looked useful to build our shelter and it was safe to do so we would jump off and get it. As said previously the train was at a snails pace. We were the last tank so it was easier to get on and off! However, there were one or two hilarious moments because as soon as one of us jumped off the train seemed to speed up!
We soon had a collection of planks of wood,corrugated iron and other bits and pieces and with the train stopping frequently for no apparent reason this enabled us to make a wider search.
On one occasion we stopped near a cluster of buildings and Alf was pretty good with his finds came back with a small pot belly stove complete with a small section of chimney! Look what I have found he said, that was quickly disproved because as we passed the buildings there were a group of angry Koreans pointing at the stove that Alf had seemingly found! Well said Alf, it was not in use and as our Prius stove and other gear was stolen from the tank lockers at the docks I have made up for it, anyway we are bloody cold and we are not going to freeze to death and live on cold Compo rations!
Our shelter soon took shape, with the planks of wood and corrugated iron making the sides secure we could pull over the tarpaulin to act as a roof at night and in bad weather.
THE ENTRY OF THE CHINESE IN THE KOREAN WAR
This was now a different war, it was one thing combating with the North Korean Army with several U.S. Divisions, ROK Army, and a smattering of U.N Forces but we were now up against the Chinese Army with a direct supply route in to the Korean Peninsular.
Back on the tank train marooned just south of Pyongyang Lieut Hurst had a dilemma, carry on forward or dismount here. We did not know how rapidly the Chinese were advancing although one thing was certain we were sitting ducks perched on the rail.
There was one major problem, apparently there had only been enough fuel in the tanks to get them on the railway flats. The Lieutenant decided to take a couple of men and try and make contact with American or ROK Forces in the area in the hope of obtaining supplies of fuel.we seemed to have stopped in the back of beyond but there was a risk of going any further especially with five top secret Centurion tanks full of new equipment. It would not go down very well if they were to fall in to enemy hands. While we were waiting for the fuel delivery we had to prepare the tanks for action.
We knew everything was frozen up but I got a shock when trying to load the 20 pounder with a shell, the grease in the barrel had frozen solid, about a 1/4 inch thick and no way could I get a shell up the spout My sten gun bayonet came in handy, we took turns in using it patiently scrapping the frozen grease which had turned to steel. Eventually the task was completed and enough space was made to load a shell and close the breach. We reasoned that the rest of the grease would melt away after the first shot … fingers crossed!
While we were in Seoul we were persuaded by an official looking Korean interpreter to take on a passenger to Pyongyang.
It was a little boy about 7 years old or so, apparently he had been separated from his parents but lived in Pyongyang and as the war was virtually over with the Lieutenants permission we agreed to take him. The situation had changed dramatically and Lt Hurst said we must drop him off to the first village that we come to when we move off.
Out of a waterproof kit bag we tailored him a little coat, we cut arm and head holes and pulled it over him. We had fed him well for the three days he was with us so he was in reasonable condition. We loaded him up with tins of food,and, of course, gave him a tin opener.
To this day I still wonder if he survived, there were no relief Agencies to hand him over to so we drop a him at the first village we come to where there are civilians about. He certainly could not be taken in the tank for heavens know what lies ahead!
And so back to our position perched on the rail! It was a couple of hours before the fuel seeking party returned with two trucks of 50 gallon drums of petrol. All seemed ok but then we found we had no means of pumping the petrol in to the fuel tanks! Along with other equipment hand pumps had gone missing at the docks! There was only one thing for it we had to do a “cheek to cheek” transfer of fuel.
It was very heavy going, as many hands and bodies got around the drum as possible to lift to shoulder high! It was a heave but it had to be done, extra strength seems to come along when it is absolutely vital. All in all I suppose we got about 50% of each drum in to the fuel tank. Once the tanks were fueled up they were driven straight of of the railway flats, we did not hang around to see what sort of a mess it had made!
After dropping the boy off amongst some civilians we headed in the direction of Pyongyang. I was a bit concerned as most of the activity seemed to be going in the opposite direction. We met up with other elements of 8th Hussars (transport) in the City where there was a lot of activity in preparation to withdraw. Fuel and storage dumps were being blown up so it was obvious that we would not be hanging around for too long!
The weather was worsening just to add to the situation! Of course, most of the Regiment was either en route to the North or still in Pusan, what a situation , however, it seemed that our tanks were going to be used to cover the withdrawal from the city!
Before leaving Pyongyang I strolled into a large partially damaged building! We were always looking for anything of use that would make our lives better.
Related topics
- A short history of The 8th Hussars
- Korea 1950-51
- Article: Part One – Joining the 8th Hussars at Leicester.
- Article: Part Two – The trip on H.M.T.S. Empire Fowey to Korea.
- Article: Part Three – The week long tank train trip to Pyongyang.
- Article: Part Four – The Withdrawal from North Korea.
- Article: Part Five – Life on the 38th Parallel and the return to the UK.
- Article: The Korean War: Slaughter at Happy Valley.
