OPERATIONS IN KOREA (Hansard, 6 June 1951)

LORD PAKENHAM

My Lords, with the permission of your Lordships' House. I beg to interrupt our business in order to read a further Statement on the course of operations in Korea. This Statement is being made in another place by the Minister of Defence It is as follows:

"The position on May 2, when the last Statement was made, was that the first phase of the Chinese spring counter-offensive had been halted north of Seoul. The skill and courage displayed by the British 29th Brigade and the British Commonwealth 27th Brigade played a major part in breaking up the massive Chinese attacks against the United Nations Western and Central Corps, and in enabling these two Corps to withdraw in safety. The magnificent action fought by the 1st Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment at this critical period was decisive in preventing a major enemy breakthrough and ensured the safety of our whole force in the west. It may be appropriate at this stage of my statement to give the House further information about this action, and also some details of the fortunes of the other units in the British 29th Brigade of which the Gloucesters form a part.

"The 29th Brigade, with the Belgian Battalion under command, was disposed on a wide front just south of the Imjin river guarding the approaches to Seoul. The Belgian Battalion was on the right, the 1st Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in the centre and the 1st Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment on the left. The 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles was in reserve. 1090 The battle opened on the night of Sunday, April 22, when the Chinese began a series of attacks across the shallow Imjin River in brilliant moonlight. The heaviest attacks fell on the Gloucesters and the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. The Belgians were cut off but were able to withdraw around the right flank into Brigade reserve. One company of the Royal Ulster Rifles was brought up to stabilise the position.

"Throughout Monday night all battalions were subjected to heavy and prolonged attacks in which both sides suffered severe casualties. By daylight on the morning of Tuesday, April 24, the Gloucesters, to whom were attached C Troop of 170th Independent Mortar Battery of the Royal Artillery, had become cut off from the rest of the Brigade. Later that morning a Battalion of the Philippines Combat Team, supported by a troop of Centurion tanks of the 8th Hussars, attempted to reach the Gloucesters. When within about one and a half miles of the Gloucesters' position the leading tank of the relief column caught fire and blocked the road and the remainder of the force was compelled to withdraw. Early on Wednesday, April 25, a tank force from the American reserve brigade attempted to relieve the isolated battalion but failed to get through. On the same morning the 29th Brigade were ordered to withdraw. The withdrawal of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and the Belgians was largely successful. The Royal Ulster Rifles, however, got into difficulties and retired to the east.

"Meanwhile, Lieut.-Colonel Carne, commanding the Gloucesters, split his battalion into three groups with instructions that each group should attempt to infiltrate back to our own lines. Noble Lords will by now have heard that Peking Radio has announced that Colonel Carne and about 100 officers and men are prisoners in Chinese hands. For their action, the 1st Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment, and C Troop of 170th Independent Mortar Battery, Royal Artillery, received a Presidential Citation. I should like to read to the House, and I am sure the House would wish me to read to them, the concluding sentences of the Citation, which shows how this fine exploit 1091 appeared in American eyes. This is the passage: 'The 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment and Troop C 170th Independent Mortar Battery displayed such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing their mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set them apart and above other units participating in the same battle. Their sustained brilliance in battle, their resoluteness, and extraordinary heroism are in keeping with the finest traditions of the renowned military forces of the British Commonwealth, and reflect unsurpassed credit on these courageous soldiers and their homeland.' "During the first week in May the enemy pulled back their forces to a distance of some ten to fifteen miles along the entire front in order to regroup and re-equip for the second phase of their counter-offensive. The 8th Army reacted vigorously by patrolling forward in order to maintain contact with the enemy and by the middle of May had reached a line running a few miles south of the 38th parallel in the West and a few miles north of it in the east. Thus a "buffer" had been constituted in front of the main defensive positions. The Chinese attacked again on the morning of May 17, and two main thrusts developed—one against an American Division in the west, and the other against an American Division and a South Korean Corps in the east.

"Throughout the month His Majesty's Naval Forces and the Sunderland squadron of the Royal Air Force have continued their successful operations on an intensive scale. There have been no casualties in the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force.

"The situation at present is that the Chinese and North Korean armies have been considerably disorganised. General Van Fleet's timely counteroffensive, brilliantly executed by troops of fine fighting quality, undoubtedly took the enemy by surprise and threw him off balance. He has suffered heavily, and the fact that his troops are surrendering more willingly than heretofore and are abandoning large quantities of equipment, may be an indication that the morale and will to resist of at least the forward troops is wavering. Nevertheless, I would remind the House that there is no evidence that the huge 1092 Chinese man-power potential has been to any great extent affected, and it would be most unwise to assume that the enemy is permanently crippled. We should be thankful for the success which has attended our arms so far, and we should look forward with hope and cautious optimism."