|
HISTORY'S
CURRENTS
THE 'GLORIOUS GLOSTERS' AT IMJIN
The
Korean War began in 1950 when the forces of North Korea
attacked South Korea. With the Soviet Union boycotting the
United Nations and unable to veto a military move by the
UN's Security Council, the newly formed international organization,
led by the United States, moved to meet the overt aggression
of the communist North Korean government by direct military
intervention. While most Americans are familiar with the
American experience during this conflict, many forget the
efforts and sacrifices of America's allies during the three-year
war. Perhaps one of the most heroic and overlooked battles
during the entire war was fought by the British Gloucestershire
Regiment as they covered the United Nation's forces retreat
at the Battle of the Imjin in 1951.
The
opening North Korean offensive had gained the initial advantage
in 1950 and swept down the peninsula capturing the South
Korean capital of Seoul. The United States and South Korean
forces were bottled up in a semicircle around the port city
of Pusan. The United Nations forces, commanded by General
Douglas MacArthur, then pulled a surprise landing south
of the 38th parallel at Inchon, and cut across the peninsula,
cutting off the North Korean supplies. By November 1950,
the UN forces had liberated Seoul, and began to push the
North Korean forces North of the 38th parallel, the pre-war
boundary between North and South Korea.
The
leadership of the Chinese Communist Party warned the UN,
the United States, and Great Britain that they would intervene
in the conflict if the UN forces invaded North Korea. When
the UN forces ignored the warning, the Chinese Communists
attacked in force, widening the conflict. By the spring
of 1951, the Chinese were ready to mount a major attack
on Seoul. This attack began the Battle of the Imjin and
catapulted the British Gloucestershire Regiment into history.
The
Battle of the Imjin began on April 22, 1951, when three
Divisions of the 63rd Chinese Communist Army (about 27,000
men) utilized a historic invasion route to mount an attack
on Seoul. Astride their route of advance was the Imjin River
valley, where the 29th Brigade had prepared a defensive
position overlooking the Imjin River. The 1st Battalion
of the Gloucestershire Regiment (about 750 men) was among
these defenders.
The
first attempts to cross the River were stopped by No.7 Platoon
of C Company under Lieutenant Guy Temple. They stopped the
Chinese four times and only withdrew when ammunition ran
low.
However,
the Chinese soon used another crossing point (not marked
on maps), and over 1000 Chinese crossed to attack the 'Glosters'
from all sides. The first assault fell on A Company. The
Battalion's machine gunners pumped belt after belt of ammunition
into the attacking Chinese until the cooling jackets of
the guns boiled over and seized up. The Gloster's fired
their rifles until they were too hot to hold. The repeated
attacks by overwhelming numbers of Chinese continued through
the night and B Company joined the action. By the morning
of the 23rd A Company was still fighting. Second Lieut.
John Maycock had been killed and his platoon reduced to
only 6 unwounded men. Lieutenant Terence Waters was severely
wounded in the head. Half of A Company was dead or wounded
by now. The Chinese then occupied a height known as Castle
Site and were setting up machine guns to spray fire on the
company. Lieutenant Philip Curtis led a counter-attack on
Castle Site across open ground. Within the first minute
three Glosters were dead and four more wounded. Curtis ordered
the remaining men to cover him and he charged alone. Severely
wounded in the arm and side, his men tried to crawl out
to drag him in, but shaking them off he charged alone again.
Throwing grenades as he ran he knocked out a machine-gun
position but was killed by a burst of fire from the Chinese
forces.
Major
Pat Angier of the Glosters reported his command's desperate
position. They were low on ammunition and losses were mounting.
He needed reinforcements if he was to hold its position.
But the only order that headquarters gave was "You
will stay where you are at all costs until further notice."
Major Angier replied "Don't worry about us, we'll be
alright." Within 15 minutes Angier was dead.
During
the night of the 23rd and dawn of the 24th B Company fought
off seven separate Chinese attacks and the forward sections
were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. By the morning ammunition
was almost exhausted and grenades gone. Completely overwhelmed
by Chinese numbers they had to fight hand to hand with bayonets,
entrenching tools, and fists, but their defensive line was
never broken and by the night of April 24, the remaining
Glosters were grouped together on a hill called Hill 235
(now called Gloster Hill). They were now ordered to keep
fighting to allow the rest of the 29th Brigade to withdraw.
On hill 235 the action was just as furious and deadly as
before. At one point in the battle British officer Farrar-Hockley
ordered Drum-Major Buss to fetch a bugle and play every
call he knew "Except Retreat!" As he played the
Glosters cheered him on. The Americans tried to get the
wounded out but couldn't get through despite numerous attempts
to break through to the Glosters. The Chinese forces were
too strong and overpowering. The Glosters finally ran out
of ammunition on the 25th April, and made a last ditch attempt
to break out. They had held their line for four days of
close combat.
In
the end most of the Gloucestershire Regiment was forced
to surrender. 526 Glosters were captured (180 of these were
wounded), and thirty-four of these would die in captivity.
Fifty-eight soldiers were killed. Sixty-seven men and officers
escaped. The unit was virtually destroyed, but upon returning
to the 29th Brigade Major Digby Grist, the new Commanding
Officer, sent the defiant signal, "We are operational
again!"
The
Gloucestershire Regiment's heroic fight near Hill 235 delayed
the Chinese advance for three days, providing time for the
United Nations' forces to re-group and block the Chinese
advance on Seoul. It has gone down in history as one of
the most significant delaying actions of warfare, equal
to the 300 Spartans' stand at Thermopylae Pass in ancient
Greece.
Two
Victoria Crosses, a Military Cross, and a George Cross were
awarded to members of the 'Glorious Glosters' for their
heroic actions in the battle full of heroic actions. A monument
to the actions of the Glosters can be found in the hills
of the Imjin River valley near Solma-Ri and Gloster Hill
in South Korea.
During
the Korean War (1950-1953) British casualties totaled 1,078
killed and 2,674 wounded.
History's
currents, or current history? You decide!
|
