Colonel Donald Douglas Beard AM ED RFD (Rtd) as the captain Regimental Medical Officer 3rd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), Korea 1951, interviewed by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd)

Beard speaks of studying medicine during the Second World War followed by his commissioning as a medical officer and posting to the Occupation Force in Japan in 1948; joining 3 RAR as replacement medical officer in November 1950 during the withdrawal from the Chinese army advance; the manner of his working with the Commanding Officer of 3 RAR, Lieutenant Colonel Ferguson, who showed great concern for the well-being of his soldiers; the effects of the extreme cold on daily routine as well as medical stores and morale while in contact with the Chinese and North Koreans; the high degree of mutual care exhibited by all ranks; the personal characteristics of the two most significant members of 3 RAR - the Commanding Officer (CO), Lieutenant Colonel Ferguson and the Regimental Aid Post (RAP) sergeant, Noel Tampling; his great respect for officers - Jim Shelton, Darcy Lachlan and Reg Saunders; coping with the cold; the performance of duties by the RAP staff and the supporting 16th (Indian) Field Ambulance; the treatment of his bout of pneumonia; evacuation of casualties from forward positions; his experiences of the Battle of Kapyong; mutual (Chinese-Australian) cessation of fire to permit casualty evacuation; unit supplementation of stretcher-bearer capability in periods of heavy casualties; adequacy of clothing and medical supplies especially in the extreme cold; medical problems apart from casualties; sanitary and hygiene aspects; psychiatric casualties and self-inflicted wounds; critical medical decisions and general medical observations on the Battle of Kapyong including the aftermath; observations on unit reinforcements; the incidence of venereal disease and haemorrhagic fever; weather and uncertainties causing most stress for 3 RAR; his most testing times and most unforgettable 3 RAR character Lieutenant Colonel Ferguson.