General Sir Francis George Hassett AC KBE CB DSO LVO (Rtd) as the lieutenant colonel Commanding Officer 3rd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), Korea 1951-1952, interviewed by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd)

Accession Number S02653
Collection type Sound
Measurement 1 hr 25 min
Object type Oral history
Physical description digital audio tape (DAT); BASF DM 124; 44.1kHz; 16 bit; two track mono
Maker Hassett, Francis George
Chinn, David Alexander
Australian War Memorial
Preston, Lenny
Date made 10 August 2001
Access Open
Conflict Korea, 1950-1953
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Source credit to AWM Oral History Program
Description

Hassett speaks of his service background and experience, as well as training; appointment to command 3 RAR in Korea; the coordination involved in taking over from another battalion in the line; his leadership style and its impact on the battalion; the experience and performance of the servicemen under his command; the operational environment in Korea - climatic conditions, food, clothing, equipment, hygiene; his view of the United States Army's tactics, the combat effectiveness of the Chinese infantry; intelligence available for the planning of operations; patrolling in maintaining control of 'no man's land' beyond the defensive positions; the United Nations' use of minefields in protecting defensive positions; preparations for and conduct of Operation Commando, the assault on Hill 317 (Maryang San), including the reactions of the defending Chinese infantry; his view of the British Commonwealth and United States Army policies regarding patrolling, especially the policy of taking Chinese prisoners to update allied intelligence as imposed on the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade; the casualty evacuation system; the combat-effectiveness of the flanking Commonwealth and United Nations Command (UNC) forces at the time; relationships with the commanders of 28th British Commonwealth Brigade; administrative problems caused by individual leave breaks and brigade and battalion rest periods; the effect of higher command administrative policies on morale; the most testing and trying times as the Commanding Officer of 3 RAR with his view of higher commanders including the divisional commander and the corps commander.