On the 25th of June 1950, North Korean troops supported and supplied by the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China attacked the South Korean positions to the south of the 38th parallel, the border between north and south.
On the 1st of July 1950, troops from the United States of America arrived in South Korea to support the forces against the communist attacks, three days after that, General Douglas MacArthur was named Supreme Commander of ground, air and naval forces by the United Nations Security Council.
On the 29th of August 1950, the British 27th Brigade arrived from Hong Kong in order to strengthen the United Nations forces. Less than a month later United Nations Forces breakout of the Korean coastal city of Pusan and make their way towards the 38th Parallel and with South Korean troops in the lead, cross the border to engage with the Communist forces from the North.
This conflict, though largely forgotten by the majority of the British public these days, was crucial in world politics. When you think about it, the United States, Great Britain and the Commonwealth, as well as Belgium, Columbia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and the Union of South Africa were technically at war with the ground and air forces of the North Korea, China and to a lesser extent the Soviet Union.
I must not forget that even the medical units, although not technically combatant were also in the front line. Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) came from Denmark, Italy, India, Norway and Sweden.
Another fact that passes many people by is that this ‘conflict’ technically has not yet ended. No peace treaty was signed, merely an armistice. What is the difference? There was never any declaration of an end to hostilities just a cease-fire. This document was signed on the 27th July 1953 in the Korean city of Panmunjom.
Why the history lesson? Well, recently I visited the Scottish Korean War Memorial. This memorial was officially opened on the 27th June 2000 to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the conflict. It is the only one of its kind in Britain and that adds to the pride that I felt as I went in to the pan tile roofed wooden pagoda that houses the names of the 1090 British service personnel who laid down their lives.
Another thing that is probably not that well known is that 88% of them were National Servicemen aged between 18 and 20.
When my father went out as a member of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, he was 21 years old. His friends were about the same age. I have a photograph of five of them in battledress and ‘tam ‘o shanters’, it’s like a very large beret with a pommel on top worn by Scottish Regiments of the line.
Of the five young men in the photograph, only three came back. Of the three, my father spent time in a military hospital after being wounded in combat, I have photograph of him during his recovery in the joint services hospital. The second was captured, held by the North Korean and Chinese until repatriation in the middle of 1953. As for the third, he returned home and no doubt lives a happy and fulfilled life.
I am proud that this monument stands to commemorate the fallen and I am glad that my fathers name isn’t one of them. I am also sad for the families who come along to look at the names of their loved ones. No matter when or where our forces served or are serving, we should never forget them and always support them.
Okay, I have finished ‘banging the drum’; you can go about your normal business now. Thank you for your time.
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