Campaign Groups and Pairs x369 Pair: Trooper L. E. Hitchman, 7th Royal Tank Regiment
Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (22146764 Tpr. L. E. Hitchman. 7th.
R.Tks.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued, good very fine, scarce to unit (2)
£140-£180 Approximately 107 Medals awarded to 7th Royal Tank Regiment, all to “C” Squadron.
In August 1950 a scratch 29 Commonwealth Brigade was “put together” and dispatched as part of a U.N. Force in support of the South Korean Army which was opposing a Chinese-backed invasion by North Korea. “C” Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment, hastily equipped with Churchill flame thrower tanks, was included in the force. The Squadron’s Mk VII Churchill tanks were loaded and shipped to Pusan. Sailing in the Empire Fowey they arrived at Pusan in November 1950. By this stage the North Korean forces had been thrown back beyond their Capital, Pyongyang, but one troop of “C “Squadron was transported there just in time to be caught up in a precipitate U.N. withdrawal to the Imjin River.
Given the now massive Chinese involvement the situation became critical. The Centurions of the 8th Hussars were considered too much at risk from capture and were withdrawn to Japan. “C” Squadron, 7th R.T.R. represented half of the brigade’s tanks and the Churchills were henceforth employed as gun tanks. The fighting was intense and the brigade was forced to withdraw further to Osan-ni. Thereafter the Brigade fell back South of Yongdong-Po which fell to the Chinese.
x370
Four: Lance-Bombardier A. C. Plunkett, Royal Artillery
Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (22640635 Gnr. A. C. Plunkett. R.A.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (22640635 Gnr. A. C. Plunkett. R.A.); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (22640635 L/Bdr. A. C. Plunkett RA.) minor edge bruise to third, good very fine (4)
£200-£240
x371
Three: Private E. R. Waters, Royal Norfolk Regiment, later East Kent Regiment
Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (22547069 Pte. E. R. Waters. R. Norfolk.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Arabian Peninsula (22547069 Pte. E. R. Waters. Buffs.) minor edge bruise to first, lacquered, light contact marks, good very fine (3)
£140-£180
Eric Ronald Waters was born in Stourbridge, Worcester, in 1926, and attested for the Royal Norfolk Regiment. He served with them in Korea before transferring to the East Kent Regiment, and saw further service in the Arabian Peninsula. He died of carcinomatosis (a collection of side effects related to general cancers) in Clapham, London, on 8 February 1966.
x372
A scarce ‘Double-issue’ Korea group of three awarded to Private J. E. Mortimer, Dorset Regiment, attached Gloucestershire Regiment, who was wounded in action on 12 April 1951, prior to the Battle of Imjin
Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (4627715 Pte. J. Motimer [sic].Glosters.) with minor official correction to both rank and surname; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (4627715 Pte. J. E. Mortimer. Dorset.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued, light contact marks, very fine (3)
£400-£500
John Edward Mortimer was born at Risbridge, Essex, on 26 August 1930, and attested for the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment as a boy soldier in 1946. In 1948 the Dukes were the basic training unit of the Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade, and on turning 18 Mortimer was posted to the 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. At this time the Battalion was in Austria, and whilst stationed there he transferred to the Dorset Regiment.
Mortimer served attached to the 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment in Korea, and was reported wounded in action on 12 April 1951. With the loss of the Battalion War Diary at the Battle of Imjin the circumstances by which Mortimer was wounded are unclear. During the first week in April 1951 the 29th Brigade left the Yongdungpo area and moved on through Seoul to positions in the line on the left flank of the US 1st Corps. This move forward by the UN Forces to seize more dominant ground on which to establish a new defence line was the prelude to the establishment of ‘Line Kansas’ which brought the 27th Brigade to Kapyong and the 29th on the line of the Imjin. During the first ten days of April the British and their Belgian comrades closed up and settled into the Imjin River line. The Glosters moved up to cover the river on the Brigades left flank. The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers covered the centre leaving the Royal Ulster Rifles to concentrate on the right.
Looking across the river, there was considerable uncertainty as to where the enemy was located. By day each rifle company maintained a number of observation posts and by night standing patrols were active. There were contacts but 29th Brigade casualties were light. Farrar-Hockley notes that two were killed and five wounded in the course of all contacts on and beyond their main positions, principally from mines (The British Part in the Korea War, Volume II refers).
On the 12 April two company groups from the Glosters and a Squadron of 8th Hussars moved across the Imjin to a distance of seven miles in an operation aptly named ‘Cygnet’ (a small ‘swan’ into enemy territory). One officer and ten men from the Glosters, including Mortimer, were wounded (The Times casualty list refers) on this date. It is known that Private Mortimer made a swift recovery (or else his wounds were not too serious), as he was subsequently present at the Battle of Imjin River (Imjin Roll refers).
Mortimer was discharged from the Army on 28 August 1960, after 12 years’ service, and died in Warminster, Wiltshire, in 1980.
373
Pair: Private W. B. P. Rolfe, Middlesex Regiment
Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (22094192 Pte. W. B. P. Rolfe. Mx.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued, last in card box of issue, light contact marks, therefore nearly very fine (2)
£100-£140
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