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JOHN-PARSLER

A veteran interview with

John Parsler

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About John Parsler

John Parsler joined the Royal Navy at 15 and served on various ships until he was 18 when he joined the Naval Police, training in close protection and obtaining the Commando Green Beret. Parsler was sent to Hong Kong soon afterwards but within a few months after the start of the Korean War, 41 (Independent) Commando was formed and Parsler was drafted in and flown to a US base in Japan. From their base Parsler was in a troop of about 50 men assigned to a submarine and he took part in raids on the Korean coastline to disrupt the enemy’s transportation supply lines. In November 1950 41 Commando joined a Untied Nations advance into North Korea working with the US Marine Corps and took part in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir under the British Command of Lt Colonel Drysdale. Parsler was in a convoy of trucks as part of an operation to help relieve thousands of US troops encircled by the Chinese and as a result about half of 41 Commando were either killed or captured. 41 Commando continued operations until 1952 when it was disbanded and Parsler returned to Hong Kong.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Gary Washbrook

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Home | Veterans | John Parsler

A veteran interview with

John Parsler

JOHN-PARSLER

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Parsler, John. A Veteran Interview with John Parsler. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-parsler/. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
APA Style:
Parsler, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with John Parsler [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-parsler/
Chicago Style:
Parsler, John. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with John Parsler. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed May 23, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-parsler/
Harvard Style:
Parsler, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with John Parsler. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-parsler/ (Accessed: 23 May 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Parsler, J. A Veteran Interview with John Parsler [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2025 May 23]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-parsler/
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