A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties 303
Five: Captain B. F. Glaysher, Royal Artillery, Allied Control Commission, killed in an explosion whilst inspecting the Monopol-Grimberg coal mine in Unna, Germany, 20 February 1946, which cost the lives of 410 miners
1939-45 STAR; FRANCE ANDGERMANY STAR;DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45; EFFICIENCYMEDAL,
G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial (Lt. B. F. Glaysher. R.A.) nearly extremely fine (5)
£140-180
Basil Francis Glaysher was born in Kent, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 16 January 1942. He served during the Second World War, and was advanced War Substantive Lieutenant and Temporary Captain. On 20 February 1946 he was one of a party of three British officials from the Allied Control Commission who were inspecting the Monopol-Grimberg coal mine. Captain Glaysher was the Supplies Officer for that section of the Rhur, and his duties were to ensure that adequate supplies were received to maintain coal output. An important part of his duties was to carry out underground examinations of the mine to see how the supplies were being used. On the day in question he was going to examine the specialist coal cutting equipment that was in use in the mine. Shortly after midday a large explosion occurred which looked like ‘a violent flash of light in the midst of a cloud’. By the following day some miners had been saved but 425 men including the three British officials were still trapped. The mine was sealed the following day and although a few escaped and survived the total casualties were finally recorded as 410 men killed.
Captain Glaysher was 25 years old at the time of his death; his body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial. He was posthumously awarded the Efficiency Medal on 21 January 1949.
Sold together with various copied research, including copy extracts from The Times reporting the disaster.
304
One: Private M. McGowan, Highland Light Infantry, killed by a mine whilst assisting Jews on Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 22 February 1948
GENERAL SERVICE 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (19059748 Pte. M. Mc.Gowan. H.L.I.) in named card box of issue, extremely fine
£80-120
Matthew McGowan was born in Dennistown, Scotland, on 29 July 1928, and served with the Highland Light Infantry post-War in Palestine. He was killed when his truck, on its way to assist Jews on Mount Scopus, was blown up by an electric mine between the Italian Hospice and Mea Shearim Police Station in Jerusalem on 22 February 1948, aged 19. He is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel.
Sold together with Infantry Record Office notification for the medal, addressed to ‘Mr. B. McGowan, 10 Silvergrove Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, SE’; and a photograph of the recipient’s burial.
305
Seven: Private H. Arno, East Yorkshire Regiment, attached Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, who was severely wounded during the Second World War at El Alamein, landed on Sword beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944; and was killed in action in Happy Valley, Korea, on 3 January 1951
1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR, 1 clasp, 8th Army; FRANCE ANDGERMANY STAR;DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45; KOREA 1950-53, 1st issue (4344850 Fus. H. Arno. R.N.F.); U.N. KOREA 1950-54, unnamed as issued, nearly extremely fine (7)
£500-700
Harry Arno was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, on 15 April 1920, and served during the Second World War with the 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. He was severely wounded in action at El Alamein, suffering injuries to an arm, leg, his chest, and chin. After recovering he re-joined his battalion and took part in the invasion of Normandy, landing on Sword beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Demobilised at the end of the War, he was recalled to the Colours on the outbreak of the Korean War and was attached to the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, arriving in Korea on September 1950. In a letter home to his wife, quoted in the Sheffield Chronicle, he described the conditions in the country as ‘wicked’. The Chinese third offensive began on New Year’s Eve 1950 and finished with the capture of Seoul on 4 January 1951. On 1 January 1951 the Northumberland Fusiliers were heavily engaged at Uijongbu. In the early hours of 3 January the Chinese launched their final and most fierce assault on the U.N. front line. The main thrust of the attack fell on the Northumberlands, the Royal Irish Regiment, and the Royal Irish Hussars. The U.N. commanding officer General Ridgeway ordered a withdrawal which began in some disarray from the Seoul bridgehead to a new defensive line forty miles below the city. The last U.N. troops left on the morning of 4 January, blowing up the Han bridges as they retreated.
Private Arno was listed as missing on 3 January 1951. However, his death, back-dated to this date, was not confirmed by the War Office until 2 November 1954, the delay being sufficiently controversial at the time that it resulted in his M.P. specifically mentioning him in a Parliamentary debate. He has no known grave, and he is commemorated on the Commonwealth Memorial at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Pusan.
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