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A veteran interview with

Jim Selway

Jim Selway was a Captain in the Royal Tank Regiment. Born in 1928 he was an evacuee and then educated at Millhill School in North London and subsequently Sandhurst. He arrived in Korea in December 1952 and within 24 hours was in battle stations on the frontline. Recalled with emotion and humour, Jim provides some great anecdotes about his personal experiences.

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About Jim Selway

Jim Selway grew up in Mill Hill, London. Though his father had served in the First World War, his own military path was sparked by an uncle’s advice to pursue tanks. After Sandhurst, which he found something of a disappointment, he was commissioned to Germany where he first encountered the formidable Centurion Mk3. By 1952, his regiment was ordered to relieve the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in Korea.

In his interview, Jim recalls the static nature of the conflict when he arrived: tanks holding no-man’s-land and protecting the vital position of the Hook. As a commander, he was known for being aggressive in action — “you just lived and breathed, about to be attacked.” He describes both the safety the tanks offered and the risks of leaving their armour.

Jim’s reflections span the camaraderie of Commonwealth troops, close ties with Australian comrades, light-hearted moments on R&R in Tokyo, and even the cast iron bell he brought home — still rung daily at Bovington. For Jim, Korea was the making of him as an officer, and he remains determined that it should never be remembered as the “Forgotten War.”

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Lucy Smith

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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Home | Veterans | Jim Selway

A veteran interview with

Jim Selway

Jim-Selway-portrait

Jim Selway was a Captain in the Royal Tank Regiment. Born in 1928 he was an evacuee and then educated at Millhill School in North London and subsequently Sandhurst. He arrived in Korea in December 1952 and within 24 hours was in battle stations on the frontline. Recalled with emotion and humour, Jim provides some great anecdotes about his personal experiences.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Selway, Jim. A Veteran Interview with Jim Selway. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jim-selway/. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.
APA Style:
Selway, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Jim Selway [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jim-selway/
Chicago Style:
Selway, Jim. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Jim Selway. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jim-selway/
Harvard Style:
Selway, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Jim Selway. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jim-selway/ (Accessed: 16 August 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Selway, J. A Veteran Interview with Jim Selway [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Aug 16]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jim-selway/
An interview with

Albert Gibson

Unexpectedly drafted into the Catering Corps  in January 1952, Albert Gibson wonders if he’ll ever see any action. In April he sailed out of Liverpool to Korea where he discovers he is still a soldier first and foremost.

Albert was initially an unwilling recruit to the Army Catering Corps wanting to join the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, but on being posted  he was on attachment to the 61st Light Regiment Royal Artillery. From the smell at disembarkment to the odd from of transport to the front, he describes the basic living conditions of an army camp and cook house and recalls fondly his Korean assistant, Jonna, who twice saved his life. He explains how he regularly served 45 men a roast dinner on the edge of no-man's land. He describes how the camp got the nickname 'Charlie Sound' and how sound was used to pinpoint enemy guns. Even in his role in the Catering Corps, Albert was still a solider. He describes an enemy attack on the camp. Having been trained as a Bren gunner, when the regular gunner is killed right next to him, Albert is forced to take over. In another incident he finds three unexploded mortuary bombs outside the cookhouse. He shares his memories of the Battle of The Hook at Samichen River, the last of four battles that took place from 1952-3. The battle was fought from 24-26th July 1953 and the armistice, ending the war, was signed on the following day, 27th July 1953. Once the ceasefire had been declared Albert stayed on for a number of months feeding the men, first at camp and later at Headquarters. Many years later he returned to Korea. In a museum he is approached by a young South Korean girl who says 'thank you for saving my country'  bringing tears to Albert's eyes.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker