Page 135 - Chronicle Vol 17

70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RETURN OF THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT PRISONERS OF WAR
On Saturday 25th November 2023 a service was held at Gloucester Cathedral to mark the 70th Anniversary of the ‘Return of Men of The Gloucestershire Regiment from Korea’. Seventy years ago, men from 1 GLOSTERS, together with others that had been captured by the Chinese at the Battle of the Imjin River, finally returned to UK. This year, surviving veterans, serving Riflemen, cadets, families, ambas- sadorial representatives, and HM Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire attended the service. Joe Collett (right) was wounded in action and evacuated from the battlefield before the Battalion had been cut off and isolated. Brian Hamblin (left) fought with the Machine Gun Platoon of 1 GLOSTERS and, subsequent to the order ‘every man for himself’, became a prisoner of war. Captivity lasted from late April 1951 until the armistice on 27th July 1953. Battalions of antecedent regi- ments from the Gloucestershire Regiment, the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and the Durham Light Infantry all served in Korea during what is sometimes known as the forgotten war.
Brian Hamblin and Joe Collett
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