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Stewart, Robert: my armed forces recollections (October 30, 2008)

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An interview/narrative of Robert Stewart's experiences during the Korean War. Interview took place on October 30, 2008.

Interviewee: Stewart, Robert

Rank: Lance Corporal.

ABSTRACT: Lance Corporal Robert Stewart Stewart_R_0588_01.mp3 - Lance Corporal Robert Albert Stewart. 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. Born in St. John, New Brunswick. 21 September 1935. - Joined militia originally. 1950. Took Medical Assistant course in militia. - Originally intended to join the army. Instead got put into medic role. - (2:40) Had prior experience in the militia and then joined regular force in 1952. End of 1952 posted to Petawawa with 3rd RCR. - (3:00) Felt Canada was not prepared for the Korean War. Says Navy and Air Force were prepared. - (5:05) Thought Canada contributed enough forces as part of the UN mission. Mentions the different Canadian units that were sent to Korea. - (6:00) Medical training done at Camp Borden. Sent to lab tech course because he was already qualified. Sent to RCR after that. - (6:40) Trained as a first aider. Training did not overwhelm him because of his prior experience in the militia. His medical training was the same as in the Second World War. Not much had changed. Things were different in Korea like helicopters and fresh frozen plasma. Topography was much different. - (11:15) When a lab tech, had to work in a hospital in order to gain experience. Medical Aid training done in class. Lots of hands on experience. - (13:40) Felt training was not practical for the most part on the battlefield. - (14:40) Lists instruments he trained with. Equipment had not changed much from the Second World War. Plasma was not available in mass quantities. - (17:00) Lists the instruments and medicines he carried while on the front. Felt it was pretty basic. Medical system depended on availability of necessities. Americans provided many of the medicines. Mentions the difference in equipment and supply between Canada and the US in Korea. Traded his Lee-Enfield for an American carbine. - (20:40) Morphine was the only new item introduced in Korea along with certain tablets that prevented stomach problems. Had no problems with the tools he utilized. Kept extra supplies just in case. - (22:25) Talks about the "hoochie" he lived in. Describes the structure and contents. Had to deal with rats. Protection was decent except on a direct hit. - (23:50) Talks about small arms training. Had to train on many weapons. Just because he was a medic, didn't mean he would stay one. Could turn into an infantryman at any time. Had to qualify with many of the small arms. Remembers firing the PIAT and how powerful it was. - (26:40) Thought the weapons were sufficient at the time, but looking back he is upset. Felt American weapons were better and that is why he traded for the American carbine. Called the sten gun the "pipe fitters nightmare." Got perfect Marksman on Sten Gun. Carbine was a reliable weapon. Never had to use his carbine in combat. - (29:20) Encounters a Chinese soldier who ran and he did not fire his weapon. - (30:00) Looked at differently because he was a medic during training. Treated as a separate entity. Still had to go out on parades. Medics lived all together and he did not form any close attachments. Medics were split up in Korea. Replaced medic on Hill 187 after breakdown. In Korea, medics treated better. Never had close relationships. Did have some good friends. - (38:20) Colonel Campbell was his Commanding Officer. Captain Black was medical officer. Did not like Black. Black shared a tent with the priest and burned down their tent. Got along with "padre" very well. Changed a lot. Did not attend many church services while in Korea. Campbell had prior military experience. - (43:20) Arrived in Korea in March of 1953. Were in Division Reserve. Went onto frontline on 20 April. Shifted to field ambulance near the end of the war when his replacement arrived. - (45:50) Thought American medical facilities were more advanced. British facilities were terrible. Brought some supplies from Americans to British facility. Did not like British rations. Raw eggs etc. Had to find alternate ways of eating. Had American rations on the front. Felt Americans had superior rations and equipment. - (51:00) When he landed at Pusan, saw people floating in water and terrible smell. Witnessed a lot of hardships in the population. - (52:45) Lists the content of his frontline medical kit. Field dressing, etc. Had to scrounge for more than what they were supposed to have. - (54:15) First deployment was to Hill 187 in 1953. Still had casualties even after the war had ended. M*A*S*H facility burned down, stepping on mines. Had to deal with other medical problems like fever, etc. The work continued after the cease-fire. - (58:45) Talks about procedure for treating a wounded soldier and triage. Would separate soldiers into who they could save and who they couldn't. Assess what to do for wounded soldiers. - (1:01:00) Procedure for treating casualties different on front line. Compares it to a car accident. Assess and try to stop bleeding. Talks about Korean soldiers which served in the unit. Korean service corps would bring supplies up. Would bring up barbed wire and lay it. Had to treat wounded hands. - (1:04:00) A lot of gastrointestinal sicknesses he had to treat. Sometimes had to deal with cases of depression. Would involve the priest. Less sympathetic during those years to shellshock. Some pregnancies on the front line. Had to treat other minor injuries like broken bones. - (1:10:10) Does not think water was the cause of all these bowel sicknesses. American rations were good. 101 rations had candy which the soldiers usually gave to children. - (1:12:40) Was happy with the medical equipment because it had been battle tested and improved since 1950-51. Morphine was usually replaced quickly if it ran out. Had enough. Utilized morphine whenever he had to. Had to assess importance of giving it away. - (1:15:50) Disinfected instruments with alcohol, boiling water or iodine. Did not worry about infection, had to worry instead about stopping bleeding. - (1:17:30) Sometimes took losses personally. Thought training was the best that could have been given at the time. - (1:18:00) Second guessed his decisions and was stressed. Dealt with stress in different ways. Would talk to other medics to relieve stress. It was helpful. - (1:23:20) Hill 187. 3rd RCR got baptism of fire at Hill 187. Medics shared in the glory. Thought of himself as part of the 3rd RCR during the battle. - (1:27:00) Battle lasted one night. Attack was expected. Did not come on the 1st of May. Next night the Chinese attacked. Received many casualties both Chinese and Canadian. Chinese retreated after the battle. - (1:33:20) Upon return in 1954, a Second World War veteran called the Korean War a "police action" and he did not join the Legion. Korean War service medal arrived in the mail from the Canadian government. Korea never recognized as a war. Because it was handled through the UN and no war was declared. Disagrees with those who call Korea a police action or a conflict.

Interviewer: Reumkens, Brock

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic Coverage Coordinates
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
  • 39.76, -98.5
  • 54.75844, -2.69531
  • 40, 127
  • 36.5, 127.75
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
Physical Repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • SR_588
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • September 28, 2009
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2009. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
Rights
  • This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
DOI
Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Actions
file details SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail
file details Stewart_R_0588_01.mp3