I wonder how many people remember the Korean War? or indeed know if it really was a war? I have just finished reading a very good account of the Korean war in a book by Les Peate. His stories of this Police Action (so called) are vivid and very descriptive of a war that wasn’t. From my own recollections, I was only 13 at the time of this conflict and living on the Isle of Wight. My childhood memories of the second world war were still very much alive and fearfully remembered. All across the UK the Korean War was referred to as a police action. I’m not wholly sure why this terminology was used, but I speculate it was because people were tired of the word war. Nevertheless, this was anything but a police action, in fact could very well have become the 3rd world war. North Korea were allied with the USSR and China, the fear of the spread of communism was very real. Yet at home people contented themselves that it wasn’t really that serious and would be over soon. The war lasted three years, and although a truce was signed the reason for the war was never completely resolved, even to this day. When I think about the men and women that served in Korea, it saddens me that recognition was scant at best. Nations were finally shamed and forced into awarding a Korean War medal after years of controversy. My own brother-in-law was called up to the Royal Navy in 1950 but was later excused because he was in an essential service,farming. I don’t think he was prepared to go back to war after his six long years of service. Today Korean war veterans are better recognized than they were in 1953 when they returned home from that dreadful conflict almost unnoticed. I sincerely hope the many who never returned are now finally being honoured and remembered.
Special note:- my old ship HMS Cockade was mentioned in the book, attacking a submarine during the war, however I have been unable to confirm this.
We will Remember Them.
God Bless and keep reading
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