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A veteran interview with

John Pound

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About John Pound

John Pound served with the Royal Navy in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954. Aged 19, he travelled to Korea on the Empire Pride before boarding HMS Charity, the small C-Class destroyer upon which John was based for the duration of the war. Prior to this overseas engagement, he had spent his first two years in the Navy training at Victoria Barracks and aboard HMS Bulwark and HMS Vanguard.

Trained as a radar plotter, 3rd class, John shares his experience of work aboard HMS Charity in the operations room and details what his role entailed. He also talks about life out at sea, including the freezing conditions, the system of currency around rum rations, swimming in the Yellow Sea, and visiting the American base in Sasebo and the Australian base at Kure. Recalling having to be on action stations at all times, John delves into the dangers involved in his naval duties, including one particular Easter Sunday when Korean batteries hidden in caves ambushed their ship!

Upon leaving HMS Charity, John returned home and completed his radar plotter course, 2nd class, before being assigned to the HMS Albion. Now a proud member of the Suffolk Korean Veteran’s Association, John’s story permits a wonderful insight into what life was like aboard a Royal Navy ship during the Korean War.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Amelia Bolton
Transcribed by:
Gillian Cousins

Copyright:
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Home | Veterans | John Pound

A veteran interview with

John Pound

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Pound, John. A Veteran Interview with John Pound. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 8 Nov. 2017 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-pound/. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
APA Style:
Pound, J. (2017, November 8). A Veteran Interview with John Pound [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved April 26, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-pound/
Chicago Style:
Pound, John. 2017. A Veteran Interview with John Pound. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, November 8. Accessed April 26, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-pound/
Harvard Style:
Pound, J. (2017). A Veteran Interview with John Pound. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 8 November. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-pound/ (Accessed: 26 April 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Pound, J. A Veteran Interview with John Pound [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2017 Nov 8 [cited 2025 Apr 26]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-pound/
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