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Memorial unveiled for Imjin River veterans

Daisy Bodkin,BBC Gloucestershireand
Jo Durrant,BBC Gloucestershire
BBC A group of around six people standing on some grass below tall trees. They are wearing military uniforms and holding up large flags during a memorial ceremony on a sunny day.BBC
The Battle of Imjin was one of the fiercest battles of the Korean War

A woman said she was proud to wear her father's medals to honour him at the unveiling of a memorial for veterans who fought in one of the fiercest battles of the Korean War.

Pam Walker, 72, daughter of Alan Davies, one of those named on the memorial, said it would be a "privilege" to see it in the Forest of Dean.

The Imjin Veterans' Memorial Group, which fundraised for the project, unveiled the memorial earlier to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Imjin River.

Fifteen men from the Forest of Dean fought in the battle in April 1951. It was credited with saving South Korea's capital, Seoul, from capture by Communist forces.

Andrew Gardiner A black and white photograph of six young men. There are three men at the front and three at the back. Those at the back have their hands on the shoulders of those at the front. From back left: John Gazzard from Cinderford, Mick Turley from Ruspidge, John Sladen from Newnham. From front left: Davy Gardiner from Ruardean, Roy Mills from Cinderford and Bob Taylor from Coalway. Andrew Gardiner
About 400 Glorious Glosters held out against 10,000 Chinese troops for three nights during the battle

The memorial, which has been fully funded by the community, stands at at The Cyril Hart Arboretum, near Coleford.

Walker, who is from Lydney, took part in a sponsored swim to help raise funds and said the memorial would be a "lasting legacy" for veterans.

Her father was shot and wounded during the battle but lived until he was 89.

"Hopefully, children of the Forest will go there and learn about what it is there for," she said.

Veterans' families, civic and military figures and the Defence Attaché from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea have been invited to watch the unveiling.

A man wearing military uniform with a white cap and ropes across his shoulder. He is looking at the memorial, which is a large metal rounded plaque on a metal green frame. There is a Korean flag in the centre, around which is says 'Courage, We will Remember, Freedom. Honouring the friendship and deep respect between the people of Republic of Korea and Gloucestershire'.
The memorial stands at The Cyril Hart Arboretum near Coleford

The Battle of the Imjin River saw soldiers from the Forest of Dean serving with the Gloucestershire Regiment - known as the Glorious Glosters.

They came from Coalway, Coleford, Dymock, Littledean, Mitcheldean, Newnham, Ruardean and Ruspidge.

About 400 Glorious Glosters held out against 10,000 Chinese troops for three nights during the battle on hill 235, which was later renamed Gloster Hill.

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The stand-off gave UN forces time to regroup and block the Chinese advance on Seoul.

Many veterans were taken captive and endured two-and-a-half years in prisoner of war camps in North Korea.

Andrew Gardiner, a member of the memorial group, said his brother David fought in the battle and was held as a prisoner of war in North Korea.

He said the memorial was very important to him.

"So many gave their lives in so many ways," he said.

"It means so much to me that we've got around to doing this."

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