The Fight for Gloster Hill
Roll of Honour
On
the morning of the 24th April, the Glosters and their attached personnel
were concentrated on Gloster Hill and numbered less than 40 effective fighting
men. The relief troops were halted 6km south at the old F Echelon area
When the Chinese blew up one of their light tanks and blocked the road.
The Glosters had only short supply of water, most of which was reserved
for the wounded, but worse was the fact that only 10-15 hours of battery
life remained for the battalions radios. Without these the Artillery would
not be able to accurately place defences fire for the Glosters.
A supply drop from Sentinel light aircraft occurred at dusk and Lieutenant Colonel James Carne was also informed that ground-attack aircraft, hitherto engaged elsewhere, would be available to support the Glosters the following day. The Chinese attacks began at 2200 hours and continued throughout the night and the Chinese demonstrated that they had learned nothing from the massacre of the previous night. Carne personally routed several enemy parties which made it through the defences earning himself the Victoria Cross and the American Distinguished Service Cross. |
 |
At
first light, the Chinese were seen to mass for their final attack in their
hundreds. Bugles braying, the Glosters one remaining bugle answered with
every tune except Retreat. Seven times during the nest hour the enemy closed
in to finish off the Glosters, and each time they were thrown back down
the hill. At 0830 hours in 25th April the last radio battery died ad the
artillery link was severed, although the guns at that time were also under
fire and having to move position. Fortune smiled. At this precise moment
a flight of Lockheed F-80 Shooting stars arrived and proceeded to burn
the Chinese off the hill with napalm before raking the survivors with cannon-fire.
A dozen more Shooting Stars followed shortly afterwards to strafe between
the hill and river. Leaving their wounded behind in the care of Captain
R.P. Hickey, the medical officer and the Chaplin, Captain The Rev. S.J.
Davies and their helpers, the survivors made a breakout for the UN lines.
Only a handful escaped capture, 58 Glosters had been killed in the three-day
battle, 30 more died in captivity and only 63 men reached safety.
The
survivors formed the core of the rebuilt 1st battalion as Glosters returned
from medical leave, instructional courses and local leave in Japan and
on 8th May the 1st Battlion, the Gloucestershire Regiment, and C troop,
170 Independent Mortar Battery were honoured with a US Presidential Citation.
The remainder of the 29th had fought an equally epic battle. At 1030 Hours,
Brodie was ordered to withdraw in line with the general withdrawal being
executed by I Corps. The C Squadron of the King's Royal Irish Hussars tanks
provided the Fusiliers with vital armoured support in poor visibility and
provided a rearguard for the retreating Fusiliers and Ulsters. The Chinese
repeatedly tried to smother the Centurions with their human-wave tactics,
vast swarths were cut down by the co-axial machine guns and 2-pounder cannons.
Several Centurions which reached safety were covered in blood from both
enemy dead and UN troops who had been killed in the hail of Chinese fire,
Five tanks were lost. Three to enemy fire.
29th
Brigade had lost a quarter of its men, but remained capable of battle.
The Chinese 63rd Army had lost 40% of its men, 11,000 casualties and it
was pulled out of the line at the end of the day. The Chinese plan was
in ruins. By the end of April, the Communists had suffered 70,0000 casualties,
the UN only a tenth of that figure. Members of the Glosters who were captured
after the battle remained prisoners of the Communists until the end of
the war. Many did not return.
Click
on the Gloster Badge to go to
THE
GLORIOUS GLOSTERS
For a far more in-depth look into the Victoria Cross won by Lieutenant Colonel James Carne take time to a look at Mike Chapmans excellent site the Victoria Cross Reference, by clicking on the banner below.
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
| Rank | Name | Attached? | Date of Death |
| Major | P.A. Angier | 23/4/1951 | |
| Private | A.L. Bailey | 25/4/51 | |
| Private | C.E. Bailey | 16/2/1951 | |
| Lance Corporal | K.W. Baldwin | 26/4/1951 | |
| Corporal | L.J. Bishop | 23/4/1951 | |
| Corporal | G.B Burchill | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | M.R.E. Burton | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | R.J. Burton | 23/4/1951 | |
| CQMS | H.E. Buxcey | 26/4/1951 | |
| Lieutenant | H.C. Cabral | 27/11/1951 | |
| Private | A. Campbell | Attached to Norfolks | 26/12/1951 |
| Private | D. Cason | 15/2/1951 | |
| Private | G. Chapman | 26/4/1951 | |
| Private | G. Clarke | 18/11/1951 | |
| Private | G. Davies | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | R. Dwyer | 25/11/1950 | |
| Sergeant | K. Eames | 26/4/1951 | |
| Private | G. Ellson | Middlesex, attached to Gloucestershire | 15/2/1951 |
| Private | P.J. Etherington | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | R.A. Gilding | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | H. Green | 26/4/1951 | |
| Private | D.R. Hamson | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | W. Hawkes | 26/4/1951 | |
| Corporal | A. Herrall | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | R.W. Hughes | 25/4/1951 | |
| Lance Corporal | G. Inns | Middlesex Regiment, Attached to Gloucesters | 24/4/1951 |
| Private | D.G.E. Jones | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | H. Jones | 23/4/1951 | |
| Private | R.E. Jones | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | A.G. Judge | Middlesex Regiment, Attached the Gloucestershire Regiment | 23/4/1951 |
| Private | T.J. Kelly | 13/2/1951 | |
| Private | S.H. Law | 11/12/1950 | |
| Lance Corporal | G.H. Lawrence | 25/11/1950 | |
| 2nd Lieutenant | J.M. Maycock | 23/4/1951 | |
| Corporal | P.J. Maycock | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | T. Meads | 26/4/1953 | |
| Private | J. Morley | 24/4/1951 | |
| Private | D. Morris | Attached to Royal Ulster Rifles | 25/4/1951 |
| Private | E.C. Morriss | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | L.C. Payne | 5/9/1951 | |
| Corporal | W.D. Possee | 26/4/1951 | |
| Captain | St M. Reeve-Tucker | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | J.P. Richards | Welch Regiment, Attached to Gloucestershire | 25/12/1951 |
| Private | B.N. Robins | 24/4/1951 | |
| Private | A.J. Sheppard | 26/4/1951 | |
| Lieutenant | D.A. Simcox | Beds & Herts attached to Gloucestershire Regiment | 16/2/1951 |
| Lance Corporal | G. Spuffard | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | W. Synnott | 24/4/1951 | |
| Lance Corporal | D.M. Taylor | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | W.G. Tyler | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | H. Utterley | 23/4/1951 | |
| Private | R. Vosper | 25/4/1951 | |
| Private | K.J. Williams | 16/2/1951 | |
| Private | J.R. Wylie | 12/12/1950 | |
|
|