John Meall

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A veteran interview with

Coming from a Naval family, John describes his experiences serving in the Merchant Navy during the Korean War.

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About John Meall

John came from a Naval family, his father served as a seaman for 28 years and his brother also served as a seaman. He joined the Merchant Navy in 1949, serving on several different supply ships. His experiences took him to many countries in the world, including America, New Zealand and Japan.

For most of his career John worked as cabin crew on supply ships supporting the war effort in Korea. He didn’t feel he understood what was going on in Korea when he was first sent there. He didn’t experience any direct involvement in armed conflict, but became aware of the impact of the war during those times the ship was in port in Pusan and other areas in South Korea.

He describes life on board as boring and lived for the times when they arrived in port, where he and his crew mates would have many adventures. He has many stories to tell of these times. John reflects positively on the camaraderie that existed on board, among crew mates of many different backgrounds and nationalities.

Sadly, John was unable to continue his naval career due to contracting TB and missed the camaraderie of naval life after being medically discharged.

Credits

Reviewed by:
Jenny La Fontaine Papadopoulos

Transcripts:
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