Glorious Glousters.

[observer]

850 men of the Gloucester Regt (4,000 if you include the whole Brigade); held a hill position in Korea against an estimated 70,000 Chinese; they were overwhelmed when their ammo ran out.

[Peter T]

That takes me back.

[observer]

Seems they were firing their LMGs in full mag bursts, to the point where the barrels were glowing. The SMGs (Sten Guns) would knock the Chinese down, but wouldn't penetrate their thick padded clothing, so they just kept coming. The Brits threw grenades, then rocks at them, until it came to close quarter fighting with bayonet and rifle butt. Such was the nature of the "bulldog breed" - then.

[Jerry]

I read up on it in the 'net. Says 39 stragglers made it back to the UN line after they broke into small groups to fight their way out. Said earlier in the fighting the wounded refused to leave while there was a path out, preferring to stay at their guns. Bulldogs indeed.

[harry hayes]

I was in the Welch regiment in Korea and we took over from the Gloucesters. Mad beggars but brave ones.

Travelled home for 6 weeks from Korea (or had he spent some time in hong kong) with sergeant Bill Speakman VC, aboard. He must have been a naughty boy cos they busted him back to private when he got on board.

I can still see him now - a giant figure, stripped to the waist, cleaning all the ships brasses.

When the ship got back to Liverpool all the press were waiting to interview him, so he was promoted back to sergeant again.

 

Happy days

[Jerry]

Wow, what a story. Thanks. I wonder what regiment Michael Caine was in. He said after that experience he noticed American movies featured heroic enlisted men and British movies featured heroic officers. Although his career has included many 'heroic movie officers' he preferred to identify with the enlisted men.

 

Speaking of the Victoria Cross, I saw a 1941 film the other day about the Japanese encroaching on Hong Kong, and threatening some European mostly refugees who are trying to cross into the colony. American Clark Gable, jewel thief con man impersonates a British officer for his scheme, gets frog marched into the rescue contingent, wins the VC months before Pearl Harbor. Art imitates life?

 

According to the Wikipedia, it was a battalion from the regiment that was trapped and cut to pieces, not the entire regiment.

[observer]

Jezz; unlike the US, the Regiment isn't a tactical unit in it's own right, but more of an administrative one, producing several battalions that may or may not serve together. A Brigade (3-4 battalions) is our equivalent to your Regiment.