Korean War Newspaper Reports

Transcription from Pacific Stars and Stripes March 1951.

Middlesex Company Routs Red Hordes

By PFC Keith M Wright S&S Korea Bureau

With IX Corps, Korea

The company of British Middlesex infantry had been pulled out of the line for a brief rest after breaking up a fierce Chinese counterattack on its hard-won positions. Hit by what prisoners later reported to be the elements of two regiments the little band of men from the Home Counties had given a good account of themselves. They seemed almost eager to talk of the action. It seemed to relieve the tension.

Sergeant Michael Eastap of Littleover, Derby, was one of the first to see the Chinese coming toward the ridge. It was about 5.30 in the morning and they came in waves approximately 40 yards apart. The brunt of the attack fell on Eastap’s platoon, led by 2nd Lt. L.S.Rutherford of Wimbledon, London. His men shattered the first waves with automatic weapons and grenades before they were forced to withdraw. “It’s a funny thing, but no one thought of leaving until the platoon leader said, ‘follow me’, even though we could see it meant certain death to stay there.” Eastap recalled. Rutherford fired 135 rounds through his carbine in something like 10 minutes. His men were virtually without ammunition when they withdrew to consolidate with another platoon under heavy fire. “We thought we had been cut up rather badly, but later the men came in by dribs and drabs.” Rutherford said. Two of his men, Cpl Douglas Main of High Wycombe, Bucks, and Pvt Cyril Shore of Newport, Shropshire, played dead to escape capture.

Another Pvt, K Bowler of Middlesborough, Yorkshire, lost his buddy after the platoon moved. “He was a good kid.” Bowler said. “A pigeon fancier, he was used to keeping records of his birds from letters his mother sent. He was a good kid.” Pvt Raymond Hilton of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, told of a strange encounter with two Chinese that resulted in an exchange of weapons. “I was sitting in my trench taking a breather like, when I saw two heads. I Said ‘Halt’, kind of lazy like, but the heads kept coming up, and then they threw a grenade at me.” The Chinese then jumped into Hilton’s trench where he shot one of them, who crawled off. Hilton and the other wrestled for each of the others weapons, the Chinese taking Hilton’s rifle while the English boy wrested his carbine from his opponent. Hilton wasn’t sure what happened to his man after that, but he had a black eye to show for the fight. 

Of the entire company Pvt K. Cotterill of Rochester, Kent and Pvt Butcher, of Canterbury, Kent were acceded to be the luckiest. Captured, they were being walked across a paddy field at the foot of the ridge with a guard between them when Pvt George Swain of Arundel, Sussex, opened up on them with a Bren gun. Swain’s first burst fired at the middle man from an estimated 1000 yards, killed the guard. The two captives took cover, making their way back to the company a little later. Although they recognise the incident as a quirk of fate, Cotterill and Butcher look on Swain more or less as a Guardian Angel and insisted that he be the first to give his name. 

New Zealand artillery was called into play to support the infantry and did what Major Richard Dowse of Baxhill on San, Pusan, the Middlesex company commander, called “some beautiful shooting”. The entire action lasted between and hour and a half. “It was certainly a relief to see those three flares go up.” Major Dowse said. “We’ve learned that is their signal to break off an engagement.” Forty seven enemy dead and four wounded were counted around the company positions later, plus an undetermined number in the paddy field below. Middlesex casualties were much lighter by comparison, but there is no compensation for the loss of your own men. Sergeant Eastap put this feeling into words when he said, “I don’t mind dead Reds, but I hate to see one of our fellows lying there.”

Provided by Edgar Green - Jan 2006

Newspaper Unknown - 1951

British Shatter dawn attack by Chinese

Middlesex make bayonet charge

British, Australian and New Zealand troops attacking on the critical left flank of the Communist force in the central sector of Korea yesterday, soundly thrashed the Chinese and made more gains north of Yoju. 

The Middlesex Regiment, at dawn shattered a Chinese counter-attack on a hill which the regiment captured in Wednesday’s fighting. After two hours of some of the fiercest hand-to-hand fighting British troops have experienced in Korea the Chinese fled, leaving their dead strewn in and within feet of British weapon-pits. Later, Australian infantry, behind a barrage of New Zealand artillery fire, moved to attack another hill.

The full weight of the Chinese counter-attack on the Middlesex fell on a company holding one of the horns of Hill 122 – a crest shaped ridge commanding the valley up which the Empire troops were attacked. Just before dawn the Chinese, estimated to be a battalion, crept up on the company from three sides. They used grappling-irons to help them up the steep sides of the ridge. They flung themselves on the British weapon-pits. Blowing whistles and shouting, “Come on Johnny.” The first wave of Chinese overran the flank of the platoon, throwing grenades and firing rifles and automatics, while Chinese mortars shelled the rest of the Battalion. 

The British fought the Chinese off with their Sten guns until dawn broke. Then the company charged with fixed bayonets, while other companies of the battalion, unable to fire freely without shooting on their own men, shouted “Come on A Company.” and cheered them.

Provided by Edgar Green - Jan 2006