top of page

Item List

Alan Davies was born in Redbrook and lived in St Briavels and Lydney. He was a Regular soldier who had also served with 2nd Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment during WW2. He was wounded during the retreat to Dunkirk and went on to serve in Burma. In the Battle of the Imjin River, he was wounded again and evacuated before the Chinese encirclement. Alan passed away in 1989.

Alan Davies

B Company

Read More
Tony, a national serviceman from Bishop's Sutton, has a plaque in the village church and a tree planted in his memory. He was one of the younger soldiers in the Glosters. Photo courtesy of the Sheppard family.

Anthony Sheppard

2 Platoon, A Company

Read More
Bob Taylor, a national serviceman from Coalway, Forest of Dean. Photo from Gardiner family collection.

Bob Taylor

3 Platoon, A Company

Read More
Reg was born in the Forest of Dean. He fought with B Company in the Battle of Imjin River. He joined the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1932 and also served in Burma, Kenya, Cyprus, in the D-Day landing in Normandy and in the Radfan Campaign. Reg was one of the most experienced soldiers in The Glosters and rose through the ranks to Warrant Officer. Later on, Reg served as Chief Clerk at the Regimental Headquarters in the Gloucester.

Colour Sergeant Reginald Panting MID

B Company

Read More
Dave, a national serviceman, was the third child of seven, was born in Springfield Cottage, Howle Hill. His family moved to Ruardean when he was born. Dave was an excellent athlete and played football at Gloucestershire County level as well as being a regular with Lydbrook FC. Dave married Eileen Brown in 19xx. They lived in Solmari (named after the tiny hamlet near the battle site), in Ruardean for most of their married lives - later moving to Ross-on-Wye. Copyright: Photo from Gardiner family collection.

David Gardiner

2 Platoon, A Company

Read More
David was a regular soldier from Littledean, Forest of Dean. Photo courtesy of the Sheppard family.

David Haines BEM

B Company

Read More
Derrick was originally from Plymouth but moved to Mitcheldean having married Joyce Barnard in 1959. During captivity in the North Korea, Derrick was held in confinement in one of the notoriously cruel bamboo cages. Later in life, he ran a crane hire company in Mitcheldean.

Derrick Richards BEM

Battalion HQ

Read More
Young Forest of Dean national servicemen on their way to Korea, back row L-R: John Gazzard, Mick Turley, John Sladen; front row L-F: David Gardiner, Roy Mills, Bob Taylor. Photo from Gardiner family collection.

Forest lads on their way to Korea

Forest of Dean soldiers

Read More
John lived in Cinderford. He signed up for military service to escape the collieries.

John Gazzard

B Company

Read More
Len, a national serviceman, was from Dymock. From L-R: Len's sister, Jeanne; his mother, Louise; Len; his sister, Lou; his wife, Dorothy May; his brother, Mike. Photo from Gardiner family collection.

Len Bennion

B Company

Read More
Major Angier, A Company's much respected OC, was from Brookthopre. Photo from archives.

Major Patrick Angier

A Company's OC

Read More
Maurice Murphy, a Regular Reservist from Taff's Well, was older than the many of the other soldiers who fought in the Battle of Imjin River. He had just a couple of weeks left as a Reservist and was looking forward to married life when he was called up to go to Korea with The Glosters. He instantly became a close friend of the Forest of Dean men who visited him took him under their wing. As a more experienced soldier, Spud was placed in 2 Platoon, A Company, as a Bren gun operator. Each Platoon had just one Bren gun. His skill was crucial the survival of the men in his Platoon but the toll it took on his mental health resulted in him suffering terrible PTSD - a condition that was not recognised in the 1950s. Sadly, Spud's name was omitted from the reprinted Imjin Roll book (it appeared in the first edition) and also omitted from Gloster Hill Memorial Park's wall of veterans in Paju, South Korea. The steering group decided that because of these omissions and his strong association with the Forest of Dean veterans, by including his name on the Imjin Veterans' Memorial in the Forest of Dean, his brave actions in the Battle of Imjin River could rightfully be remembered. Photo courtesy of the Murphy family.

Maurice 'Spud' Murphy

2 Platoon, A Company

Read More
bottom of page