Page 68 - History of War - Issue 05-14

GREAT BATTLES: THE IMJIN RIVER

All night, B Company fought off attacks, and they
only joined the rest of the battalion at dawn. As troops of the 29th Brigade withdrew, they destroyed
their equipment to prevent the enemy from using it.
That night, the Chinese came screaming Seen in the background is the 650-foot-high
out of the dark again. The Glosters suffered hill on which “D” Company made their last stand
terribly and, in turn, inflicted huge numbers of
casualties on the enemy. There was hand-to-
hand fighting. Sergeant F E Carter was manning
his Bren gun and fired hundreds of rounds. He
recalls, “Once more, they overran our position.
I can remember ducking as they ran by our
trench on to Company HQ, only to be driven
back once again by our section higher up the
hill.” Trenches were captured and recaptured as
small groups of men fought with bayonets and
knives. Carter’s mate Spud had spent the night
“throwing grenades as fast as he could pick
them up”, but by dawn “he was lying face down
in the bottom of the trench; he never moved
when I shouted to him”. On the morning of the
24th, there were probably only 400 effective
combat troops left out of the 700 there had
been two days earlier. B and C Companies
had to be merged into one weak company. Topfoto
In the dawn light, they could see hundreds,
if not thousands, of Chinese in the valleys
below, swarming to the rear. They made an ten British Centurion tanks, advanced up the and rear as they pulled back. Many of the
ten British Centurion tanks, advanced up the
easy target and horrific casualties were inflicted track towards Gloster Hill, while Filipino infantry survivors of the brigade feel that Brodie and
track towards Gloster Hill, while Filipino infantry
on them by British artillery-men, their shots attempted to clear the slopes on either side. his American superiors failed to communicate
attempted to clear the slopes on either side.
carefully coordinated by spotters on Gloster Hill. The day before, such a rescue mission might as effectively as men from the same nation
The day before, such a rescue mission might
have worked, but now the hills were alive with
have worked, but now the hills were alive with and cultural background would have done.
New threat Chinese troops who had pushed beyond the Brodie famously told Soule that things were
Chinese troops who had pushed beyond the
The Gloucestershire Regiment wear two cap Glosters. The operation had to be abandoned “a bit sticky”. This classic piece of British
Glosters. The operation had to be abandoned
when one of the Filipino light tanks leading the
badges. As well as the normal badge on the when one of the Filipino light tanks leading the understatement was not fully appreciated by
column was knocked out by a mortar or a mine
front of their berets, they have another in the column was knocked out by a mortar or a mine Soule as he attempted to extricate his entire
and blocked the road. The column withdrew.
form of a sphinx worn at the back of the head. and blocked the road. The column withdrew. division from massive enemy attacks, and
It commemorates the heroic stand of their resources were not committed in proportion
WHEN THE NAPALM
forebears, the 28th Foot Regiment, at the Battle WHEN THE N AP ALM to the threat that the 29th Brigade faced.
of Alexandria in 1801, when they were fighting Perhaps Brodie didn’t want to be seen to let the
BEGAN TO FALL, ALL,
the French infantry to their front and were then BEGAN TO F Americans down. Anthony Farrar Hockley, at the
attacked from behind by cavalry. Rather than time a Captain in the Glosters, remained angry
panicking, their Colonel ordered the rear rank ADMIRATION CHANGED until his death in 2006 that the brigade didn’t
to about-face and deal with the new threat. withdraw to prepared defensive positions they
Despite being 150 years old, this proud tradition TO DISGUST AND PITY had dug and wired only weeks before.
gave a real boost to the beleaguered Glosters: Brodie could well have felt that to insist on
FOR THE CHINESE
from Carne down, nobody doubted that they FOR THE CHINESE withdrawing or to ask for extra support might
could stay on that hill until they were reinforced. reflect badly on the British. But the fact was
An attempt to break through to them was that the 29th Brigade were not up to the job of
made. A hastily assembled force, including The y w ere 2,000 y ards shor t of Gloster Hill. It stopping two crack Chinese divisions. The light-
made. A hastily assembled force, including
ere 2,000 y
stopping two crack Chinese divisions. The light-
They were 2,000 yards short of Gloster Hill. It
y w
They were 2,000 yards short of Gloster Hill. It
ards shor
t of Gloster Hill. It
The
was Brodie who ordered the withdrawal, possibly
w as Brodie who ordered the withdra w al, possibly artillery pieces of the 45th Field Regiment were
artillery pieces of the 45th Field Regiment were
was Brodie who ordered the withdrawal, possibly
not enough. Unfortunately, the Glosters’ US
disobe ying Soule, who w anted them to sta y and not enough. Unfortunately, the Glosters’ US
disobeying Soule, who wanted them to stay and
disobeying Soule, who wanted them to stay and
artillery liaison officer had been withdrawn just
ven
resume their advance in the mor
ning
resume their advance in the morning. But even artillery liaison officer had been withdrawn just
resume their advance in the morning. But even
. But e
CENTURION TANK if they had managed to break through to the hours before the battle, and they had no way
CENTURION TANK
hours before the battle, and they had no way
y had managed to break through to the
if the
if they had managed to break through to the
of calling in the American medium and heavy
The British-built Centurion first entered combat
The British-built Centurion first entered combat Glosters, it’s entirely possible that they would of calling in the American medium and heavy
y would
Gloster
it’
s,
Glosters, it’s entirely possible that they would
s entirely possible that the
with the British Ar my during the K orean W ar , and have been unable to break out again. guns. In the same way, the air strikes that had
with the British Army during the Korean War, and
guns. In the same way, the air strikes that had
ve been unable to break out again.
ha
have been unable to break out again.
ey pla
went on to become a k
yer in the conflict.
went on to become a key player in the conflict. Brodie w as ver y anxious. Ha ving bore the proved so decisive in the war thus far were in
proved so decisive in the war thus far were in
Brodie was very anxious. Having bore the
Brodie was very anxious. Having bore the
F Following its role at the Battle of brunt of an attack by two Chinese divisions, he short supply in the battle on the Imjin. Either
ollowing its role at the Battle of
short supply in the battle on the Imjin. Either
y two Chinese divisions,
he
brunt of an attack by two Chinese divisions, he
br
unt of an attack b
the Imjin River, where the 8th King’s the Americans were unwilling to use precious
the Imjin River
s
where the 8th King’
,
the Americans were unwilling to use precious
had requested a withdrawal, but his American
w
al,
had requested a withdra
but his American
Ro y al Irish Hussars’ squadron of had requested a withdrawal, but his American
Royal Irish Hussars’ squadron of
resources on foreign troops when their own
y
commander had ordered him to stay. The 29th
commander had ordered him to sta
. The 29th
a
Centurions covered the withdrawal commander had ordered him to stay. The 29th resources on foreign troops when their own
Centurions covered the withdr
w
al
needed help, or the 29th Brigade weren’t
Brigade were holding a vital section of line.
of the 29th Brigade, the tank received
of the 29th Brig ade, the tank received Brigade were holding a vital section of line. needed help, or the 29th Brigade weren’t
making their predicament clear.
American units were withdrawing on their right
plaudits from US Gener al J ohn O’Daniel, who American units were withdrawing on their right making their predicament clear.
plaudits from US General John O’Daniel, who
When air strikes did arrive, they were lethally
said, “In their Centurions, the 8th Hussars ha ve and if the 29th gave way, the Americans When air strikes did arrive, they were lethally
said, “In their Centurions, the 8th Hussars have
and if the 29th gave way, the Americans
evolved a new type of tank w arfare. They taught could well be attacked from the flank effective. David Green and his fellow Glosters
effective. David Green and his fellow Glosters
evolved a new type of tank warfare. They taught
could well be attacked from the flank
ywhere a tank can g
us that anywhere a tank can go is tank country: watched in awe as Mustangs gave a “brilliant
o is tank countr
y:
us that an
watched in awe as Mustangs gave a “brilliant
even the tops of mountains.”
even the tops of mountains. ” display of precision strafing no more than 50
display of precision strafing no more than 50
While the Centurion is known as an incredibly yards from us”. But when the napalm started
While the Centurion is known as an incredibly
yards from us”. But when the napalm started
ve in the
resilient machine (it went on to ser
resilient machine (it went on to serve in the Getty Images to fall, “Our admiration changed to disgust,
to fall, “Our admiration changed to disgust,
Indo-Pakistani War, Vietnam, Yom Kippur and
Indo-P akistani W ar , V ietnam, Y om Kippur and
and even pity for our Chinese counterparts.”
it still required proper
man
y other conflicts),
many other conflicts), it still required proper and even pity for our Chinese counterparts.”
Despite the blithe confidence of the men that
care and attention to ensure that it sur
care and attention to ensure that it survived Despite the blithe confidence of the men that
vived
someone would come and get them out, the
the tough K
the tough Korean winters: the tanks had someone would come and get them out, the
orean winters: the tanks had
battle continued with dwindling ammunition
to be parked on straw to prevent the steel
to be park ed on str a w to prevent the steel battle continued with dwindling ammunition
tr
tracks from freezing to the ground, and the and no sign of reinforcements. David
and no sign of reinforcements. David
round,
acks from freezing to the g
and the
engines had to be started every half an hour.
engines had to be star ted ever y half an hour . Green remembers an attempt to
Green remembers an attempt to
It was worth the effort, though – only five
It w as wor th the effor t, though – only five airdrop supplies to them. “At
airdrop supplies to them. “At
Centurions suffered damag
e at the Imjin River
,
Centurions suffered damage at the Imjin River, last, we saw the Dakotas in
last, we saw the Dakotas in
and most of those were able to be repaired.
and most of those were able to be repaired.
the far distance, headed our
the far distance, headed our
way… the parachutes began to
way… the parachutes began to
68 HISTORY WAR
WA
R
of