Page 227 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Shropshire County notes
Korean War Memorial Dedication Service
– Sat 26 April 2014
On the 60th Anniversary of the end of
the Korean War it was decided that there should be a memorial to those who had died serving with the King’s Shropshire
Light Infantry in ‘The Forgotten War’. The Battalion served in Korea from May 1951
to September 1952, the longest tour of any battalion in that campaign and achieved
all its objectives, culminating in the Battle Honours of Kowang-San and Hill 227 on the Colours laid up in St Chad’s Church.
The project was the brainchild of Lieutenant Colonel Richard Osborne who served with 1KSLI in Hong Kong just before the Battalion’s deployment to Korea. He gathered together the craftsmen Mr Jim Jones and Mr Ron Hester to create the memorial panel with the names of the 63 soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice. The support of Father Mark Chadwick and his inspiring team at St Chad’s ensured
that the planning hurdles were surmounted painlessly.
The Service followed faithfully that held in Pusan on 15 September 1952. Mr John Yeoward, the son-in-law of Brigadier Peter Shaw-Ball, the first KSLI Commanding Officer in Korea, read the Tribute. The Address was given by Major General Mike
Swindells, the President of the British Korean Veterans Association, who recalled his experiences as a tank commander in Korea.
A newspaper article of the period summarised the memories of those who fought in that harsh and ruthless campaign. “The Shropshires will never forget Korea. The physical beauty of the country alone was breath taking and the climate with its harsh extremes was invigorating. The long- suffering people were patient, hardy and
Korean War Memorial
courteous. The tragic memories of a bitter and uncanny campaign, of good friends lost will always remain but alongside them will be those of warm hearted fellowship that is known only at the battlefront.
The final words should be those inscribed on the War Memorial Scroll in memory of those who died: “He gave his life in a distant land with others of his Country in the cause of Freedom and Peace”.
Aucto Splendore Resurgo
Armed Forces Day
A WWI medal was found on Thornbridge Allotment in Birmingham which belonged to 14175 Private William Richards of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry who was killed on 26 September 1917. The Rifles Regional Secretary was invited to unveil a monument to him, fittingly on Armed Forces Day.
It will remain an eternal mystery why the medal was found there. William Richards was born in Llanelli, enlisted in Ferndale in the Rhondda Valley and joined the 8th Battalion KSLI. This Battalion was composed entirely of men who had come forward voluntarily to serve their country and it was the last of the active service Battalions of the Regiment to be raised at home for Kitchener’s Army. Assembling at Shrewsbury on 14 September 1914, 1,100 men left for Lewes in Sussex and later moved to Seaford on the coast for organisation and training. It was not clear when he transferred to the 7th Battalion but William was with them as they were preparing for the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) September 1917.
The Battalion spent the first half of September making special preparations for a new offensive in the Ypres salient. It went up by train to Watou and on the 25th it was in Ypres ready to attack the trenches of the enemy in Zonneberg. It was in support of the East Yorks on the left, and passing through them it carried the second line, capturing 70 prisoners, 8 machine guns and one 77mm gun. A strong counter-attack by the Germans that evening forced back
Andy Poyner with the Memorial
the troops on both flanks, but the Battalion held firm, managed to keep in touch with the other units and succeeded in consolidating the ground which had been gained. On 3rd October, the General Office Commanding congratulated the Battalion for its gallant conduct on the day of battle. Six Officers and 36 Other Ranks were killed in the fighting. Private Richards was one of those.
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWS 225