U.K. veterans returned on Thursday to a famous Korean War battle site for a memorial service.

The British veterans, many of whom are now in their 80s, attended a ceremony on Thursday to commemorate the sacrifice of the 29th brigade at the Battle of the Imjin River.

The veterans gathered at the Gloster Monument, at Solma-ri, near Munsan, to remember their fellow soldiers who fell during the battle that ran from April 22-25, 1951.

They were among the 1,109 British servicemen who lost their lives during the Korean War, in which a total of 87,000 British servicemen fought. 
 

“The Korean people want to voice again our appreciation and say thank you. When I say this my voice is not just mine but all Koreans’. We will hold these ceremonies for ever to tell future generations of what you did,” Chu Kap-Chong, chairman of the UN Korean War Allies Association, told the more than 60 veterans who attended the ceremony with their families.

U.K. Defense Attache Brigadier Jaques Lemay described the battle where the 29th Brigade was deployed to defend against Chinese troops trying to advance from the North toward Seoul. Although the Glosters were overwhelmed by the more numerous Chinese and suffered heavy losses, they helped to delay the Chinese advance by three days.

Veteran of the Ulster Rifle regiment Henry O’Kane, originally from Northern Ireland, was visiting Korea for the fifth time since the war, after returning for the first time in 1990.

O’Kane was the only veteran present who had fought in the Imjin River battle. He recalled being shot in the head and captured by the communist forces. On release after the war, he was unable to stay in the army because of his injuries and continued to have nightmares about his time in the prison camp where he was held, at times in solitary confinement, until the end of the war.

He said: “There were just too many people, too many Chinese soldiers. We had to be a bit afraid about that.”

But he said that he was delighted to return to Korea and see the country as it was today.

“Every time we come back Korea gets better and better,” the 82-year-old said. “The people are very wonderful as well.”

One veteran Anthony Finch, now 79, said: “This is my first time to return to Korea in 62 years. It is very emotional.”

U.K. Ambassador Scott Wightman read a statement from the British Queen, remembering all British servicemen who fell during the Korean War.

Maj. Gen. Shin Dong-Man Commander General of the 25th Division of the Korean Army also voiced his thanks.

Scholarships were presented to children the Ku-Ro Girls Information and Industry High School and the Gyunggi Taxation High School to help them pay for items such as books and classroom supplies.

There are now plans to build a new memorial at the site of the Gloster Monument closer to the road to make the site more prominent.

British veterans and their families are also looking into constructing a memorial for the battle of Happy Valley, in which other British soldiers fought on Jan. 4, 1951.

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)